Valjean: Bonté, generosity, selflessness

Lescure: Compassion, mildness, piety, austerity

Good quote: “He who has a why to live can bear almost any how.” -Friedrich Nietzche

Quote on Charette I aspire to live up to: “Combattu souvent, battu parfois, abattu jamais.”

Charette

Awesome movie on Charette: “Vaincre ou Mourir” (Vanquish or Die)

Cool historical people: d’Elbée, Bonchamps, Cathelineau, Saint Thérèse, Joan of Arc, Marcus Aurelius, Father Jerzy, LaFayette, Witold Pilecki

Am Yisrael Chai! It means The People of Israel Live! If you support Israel, put this on your profile.

Favorite song: “Anthem” from the musical Chess

Favorite poem: “‘Tis So Much Joy! ‘Tis So Much Joy!” by Emily Dickinson

C’est nous les brigands, les Vendéens! I am a Vendéan “brigand” and Constitutional Monarchist.

In early March 1793, the Republicans tried to draft the farmers and lords of the Vendée, who rose up to fight them. The peasants recruited their nobles- Charles de Bonchamps, Maurice d’Elbée, and others. The peddler Jacques Cathelineau also led them, becoming their first generalissimo. He declared the imprisoned Louis Charles as Louis XVII.

The Vendéans drove away the Republicans at Chemillé, despite taking heavier losses. They had around four hundred prisoners, whom they were about to massacre. D’Elbée intervened, saving the Republicans and freeing them on oath not to fight against them again.

Cathelineau was wounded on June 29th, dying on July 14th, the fourth anniversary of the fall of the Bastille. D’Elbée, his second in command, was made generalissimo. He led three attacks on the city of Luçon, but failed to capture it each time. In September, the Vendéans beat the Republicans at Torfou (watch “Vaincre ou Mourir” for this scene). On October 17th, the Republicans routed the Catholic and Royal Army outside Cholet. Bonchamps was mortally wounded, pardoning almost five thousand prisoners with his final wish. He said “If you do not heed my words I will have myself carried before the prisoners so that your first blows will fall on me.” The cry went up among the Vendéan ranks: “Pardon the prisoners! Bonchamps wishes it. Bonchamps orders it.” The Blues (Republicans) were freed.

D’Elbée was badly wounded and transported to various places, ending with Noirmoutier. On January 3rd, Noirmoutier was captured, and a Blue whose life d’Elbée had saved betrayed his location. The former generalissimo was captured, interrogated, and sentenced to death, following the other inhabitants of Noirmoutier. He was shot in an arm chair, for he could not stand after Cholet. You can still see his chair at the Noirmoutier museum. His last words were in defense of Wieland, a Blue falsely accused of plotting with the Vendéans: “No! Monsieur Wieland is not a traitor; he never served our party, and you are killing an innocent man.”

Vendéan flag

Note: Please support the canonization of Father Jerzy and Cathelineau!

VendeanRefugee