massacres of the south-第15章

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ready　to　take　the　field　against　his　enemies；　for　not　only　would　the
Camisards；　if　they　were　supplied　with　officers；　be　available　for　this
purpose；　but　also　those　troops　which　were　at　the　moment　employed　in
hunting　down　the　Camisards　would　be　set　free　for　this　important　duty。

This　proposition　was　so　clear　and　promised　to　produce　such　useful
results；　that　although　the　prejudice　against　the　Reformers　was　very
strong；　Baron　d'Aygaliers　found　supporters　who　were　at　once
intelligent　and　genuine　in　the　Duke　de　Chevreuse　and　the　Duke　de
Montfort；　his　son。　　These　two　gentlemen　brought　about　a　meeting
between　the　baron　and　Chamillard；　and　the　latter　presented　him　to　the
Marechal　de　Villars；　to　whom　he　showed　his　petition；　begging　him　to
bring　it　to　the　notice　of　the　king；　but　M；　de　Villars；　who　was　well
acquainted　with　the　obstinacy　of　Louis；　who；　as　Baron　de　Peken　says；
〃only　saw　the　Reformers　through　the　spectacles　of　Madame　de
Maintenon；〃　told　d'Aygaliers　that　the　last　thing　he　should　do　would
be　to　give　the　king　any　hint　of　his　plans；　unless　he　wished　to　see
them　come　to　nothing；　on　the　contrary；　he　advised　him　to　go　at　once
to　Lyons　and　wait　there　for　him；　M。　de　Villars；　for　he　would　probably
be　passing　through　that　town　in　a　few　days；　being　almost　certain　to
be　appointed　governor　of　Languedoc　in　place　of　M。　de　Montrevel；　who
had　fallen　under　the　king's　displeasure　and　was　about　to　be　recalled。
In　the　course　of　the　three　interviews　which　d'Aygaliers　had　had　with
M。　de　Villars；　he　had　become　convinced　that　de　Villars　was　a　man
capable　of　understanding　his　object；　he　therefore　followed　his
advice；　as　he　believed　his　knowledge　of　the　king　to　be　correct；　and
left　Paris　for　Lyons。

The　recall　of　M。　de　Montrevel　had　been　brought　about　in　the　following
manner：M。　de　Montrevel　having　just　come　to　Uzes；　learned　that
Cavalier　and　his　troops　were　in　the　neighbourhood　of　Sainte…Chatte；
he　immediately　sent　M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　with　six　hundred　picked
marines　and　some　companies　of　dragoons　from　the　regiment　of　Saint…
Sernin；　but　half　an　hour　later；　it　having　occurred　to　him　that　these
forces　were　not　sufficient；　he　ordered　M。　de　Foix；　lieutenant　of　the
dragoons　of　Fimarqon；　to　join　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　at　Sainte…Chatte
with　a　hundred　soldiers　of　his　regiment；　and　to　remain　with　him　if　he
were　wanted；　if　not；　to　return　the　same　night。

M。　de　Foix　gave　the　necessary　orders；　chose　a　hundred　of　his　bravest
men；　put　himself　at　their　head；　and　joined　M。　de　La　Jonquiere；
showing　him　his　orders；　but　the　latter；　confiding　in　the　courage　of
his　soldiers　and　unwilling　to　share　with　anyone　the　glory　of　a
victory　of　which　he　felt　assured；　not　only　sent　away　M。　de　Foix；　but
begged　him　to　go　back　to　Uzes；　declaring　to　him　that　he　had　enough
troops　to　fight　and　conquer　all　the　Camisards　whom　he　might
encounter；　consequently　the　hundred　dragoons　whom　the　lieutenant　had
brought　with　him　were　quite　useless　at　Sainte…Chatte；　while　on　the
contrary　they　might　be　very　necessary　somewhere　else。　　M。　de　Foix　did
not　consider　that　it　was　his　duty　to　insist　on　remaining　under　these
circumstances；　and　returned　to　Uzes；　while　M。　de　La　Jonquiere
continued　his　route　in　order　to　pass　the　night　at　Moussac。　　Cavalier
left　the　town　by　one　gate　just　as　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　entered　at　the
other。　　The　wishes　of　the　young　Catholic　commander　were　thus　in　a
fair　way　to　be　fulfilled；　for　in　all　probability　he　would　come　up
with　his　enemy　the　next　day。

As　the　village　was　inhabited　for　the　most　part　by　new　converts；　the
night　instead　of　being　spent　in　repose　was　devoted　to　pillage。

The　next　day　the　Catholic　troops　reached　Moussac；　which　they　found
deserted；　so　they　went　on　to　Lascours…de…Gravier；　a　little　village
belonging　to　the　barony　of　Boucairan；　which　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　gave
up　to　pillage；　and　where　he　had　four　Protestants　shota　man；　a
woman；　and　two　young　girls。　　He　then　resumed　his　route。　　As　it　had
rained；　he　soon　came　on　the　trail　of　the　Camisards；　the　terrible　game
which　he　was　hunting　down。　　For　three　hours　he　occupied　himself　in
this　pursuit；　marching　at　the　head　of　his　troops；　lest　someone　else
less　careful　than　he　should　make　some　mistake；　when；　suddenly　raising
his　eyes；　he　perceived　the　Camisards　on　a　small　eminence　called　Les
Devois　de　Maraignargues。　　This　was　the　spot　they　had　chosen　to　await
attack　in；　being　eager　for　the　approaching　combat。

As　soon　as　Cavalier　saw　the　royals　advancing；　he　ordered　his　men；
according　to　custom；　to　offer　up　prayers　to　God；　and　when　these　were
finished　he　disposed　his　troops　for　battle。　　His　plan　was　to　take　up
position　with　the　greater　part　of　his　men　on　the　other　side　of　a
ravine；　which　would　thus　form　a　kind　of　moat　between　him　and　the
king's　soldiers；　he　also　ordered　about　thirty　horsemen　to　make　a
great　round；　thus　reaching　unseen　a　little　wood　about　two　hundred
yards　to　his　left；　where　they　could　conceal　themselves；　and　lastly；
he　sent　to　a　point　on　the　right　sixty　foot…soldiers　chosen　from　his
best　marksmen；　whom　he　ordered　not　to　fire　until　the　royal　forces
were　engaged　in　the　struggle　with　him。

M。　de　La　Jonquiere　having　approached　to　within　a　certain　distance；
halted；　and　sent　one　of　his　lieutenants　named　de　Sainte…Chatte　to
make　a　reconnaissance；　which　he　did；　advancing　beyond　the　men　in
ambush；　who　gave　no　sign　of　their　existence；　while　the　officer
quietly　examined　the　ground。　　But　Sainte…Chatte　was　an　old　soldier　of
fortune　and　not　easily　taken　in；　so　on　his　return；　while　explaining
the　plan　of　the　ground　chosen　by　Cavalier　for　the　disposition　of　his
troops　to　M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　he　added　that　he　should　be　very　much
astonished　if　the　young　Camisard　had　not　employed　the　little　wood　on
his　left　and　the　lie　of　the　ground　on　his　right　as　cover　for　soldiers
in　ambush；　but　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　returned　that　the　only　thing　of
importance　was　to　know　the　position　of　the　principal　body　of　troops
in　order　to　attack　it　at　once。　　Sainte…Chatte　told　him　that　the
principal　body　was　that　which　was　before　his　eyes；　and　that　on　this
subject　there　could　be　no　mistake；　for　he　had　approached　near　enough
to　recognise　Cavalier　himself　in　the　front　rank。

This　was　enough　for　M。　de　La　Jonquiere：　he　put　himself　at　the　head　of
his　men　and　rode　straight　to　the　ravine；　beyond　which　Cavalier　and
his　comrades　awaited　him　in　order　of　battle。　　Having　got　within　a
pistol…shot；　M。　de　La　Jonquiere　gave　the　order　to　fire；　but　he　was　so
near　that　Cavalier　heard　the　words　and　saw　the　motion　made　by　the　men
as　they　made　ready；　he　therefore　gave　a　rapid　sign　to　his　men；　who
threw　themselves　on　their　faces；　as　did　their　leader；　and　the　bullets
passed　over　them　without　doing　any　harm　M。M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　who
believed　them　all　dead；　was　astonished　when　Cavalier　and　his
Camisards　rose　up　and　rushed　upon　the　royal　troops；　advancing　to　the
sound　of　a　psalm。　　At　a　distance　of　ten　paces　they　fired；　and　then
charged　the　enemy　at　the　point　of　the　bayonet。　　At　this　moment　the
sixty　men　in　ambush　to　the　right　opened　fire；　while　the　thirty
horsemen　to　the　left；　uttering　loud　shouts；　charged　at　a　gallop。
Hearing　this　noise；　and　seeing　death　approach　them　in　three　different
directions；　the　royals　believed　themselves　surrounded；　and　did　not
attempt　to　make　a　stand；　the　men；　throwing　away　their　weapons；　took
to　their　heels；　the　officers　alone　and　a　few　dragoons　whom　they　had
succeeded　in　rallying　making　a　desperate　resistance。

Cavalier　was　riding　over　the　field　of　battle；　sabring　all　the
fugitives　whom　he　met；　when　he　caught　sight　of　a　group；　composed　of
ten　naval　officers；　standing　close　together　and　back　to　back；
spontoon　in　hand；　facing　the　Camisards；　who　surrounded　them。　　He
spurred　up　to　them；　passing　through　the　ranks　of　his　soldiers；　and
not　pausing　till　he　was　within　fifteen　paces　of　them；　although　they
raised　their　weapons　to　fire。　　Then　making　a　sign　with　his　hand　that
he　wished　to　speak　to　them；　he　said；　〃Gentlemen；　surrender。　　I　shall
give　quarter；　and　in　return　for　the　ten　lives　I　now　spare　you；　will
ask　that　my　father；　who　is　in　prison　at　Nimes；　be　released。〃

For　sole　answer；　one　of　the　officers　fired　and　wounded　the　young
chief's　horse　in　the　head。　　Cavalier　drew　a　pistol　from　his　belt；
took　aim　at　the　officer　and　killed　him；　then　turning　again　to　the
others；　he　asked；　〃Gentlemen；　are　you　as　obstinate　as　your　comrade；
or　do　you　accept　my　offer？　　〃A　second　shot　was　the　reply；　and　a
bullet　grazed　his　shoulder。　　Seeing　that　no　other　answer　was　to　be
hoped　for；　Cavalier　turned　to　his　soldiers。　　〃Do　your　duty；〃　said　he；
and　withdrew；　to　avoid　seeing　the　massacre。　　The　nine　officers　were
shot。

M。　de　La　Jonquiere；　who　had　received　a　slight　wound　in　the　cheek；
abandoned　his　horse　in　order　to　climb　over　a　wall。　　On　the　other　side
he　made　a　dragoon　dismount　and　give　him　his　horse；　on　which　he
crossed　the　river　Gardon；　leaving　behind　him　on　the　battlefield
twenty…five　officers　and　six　hundred　soldiers　killed。　　This　defeat
was　doubly　disastrous　to　the　royal　cause；　depriving　it　of　the　flower
of　its　officers；　almost　all　of　those　who　fell　belonging　to　the
noblest　families　of　France；　and　also　because　the　Camisards　gained
what　they　so　badly　needed；　muskets；　swords；　and　bayonets　in　great
quantities；　as　well　as　eighty　horses；　these　latter　enabling　Cavalier
to　complete　the　organisation　of　a　magnificent　troop　of　cavalry。

The　recall　of　the　Marechal　de　Montrevel　was　the　consequence　of　this
defeat；　and　M。　de　Villars；　as　he　had　anticipated；　was　appointed　in
his　place。　　But　before　giving　up　his　governorship　Montrevel　resolved
to　efface　the　memory　of　the　check　which　his　lieutenant's
foolhardiness　had　caused；　but　for　which；　according　to　the　rules　of
war；　the　general　had　to　pay　the　penalty。　　His　plan　was　by　spreading
false　rumours　and　making　feigned　marches　to　draw　the　Camisards　into　a
trap　in　which　they；　in　their　turn；　would　be　caught。　　This　was　the
less　difficult　to　accomplish　as　their　latest　great　victory　had　made
Cavalier　over　confident　both　in　himself　and　his　men。

In　fact；　since　the　incident　connected　with　the　naval　officers　the
troops　of　Cavalier　had　increased　enormously　in　numbers；　everyone
desiring　to　serve　under　so　brave　a　chief；　so　that　he　had　now　under
him　over　one　thousand　infantry　and　two　hundred　cavalry；　they　were
furnished；　besides；　just　like　regular　troops；　with　a　bugler　for　the
cavalry；　and　eight　drums　and　a　fife　for　the　infantry。

The　marechal　felt　sure　that　his　departure　would　be　the　signal　for
some　expedition　into　the　level　country　under　Cavalier；　so　it　was
given　out　that　he　had　left　for　Montpellier；　and　had　sent　forward　some
of　his　baggage…waggons　to　that　place。　　On　April　15th　he　was　informed
that　Cavalier；　deceived　by　the　false　news；　had　set　out　on　the　16th
April；　intending　to　pass　the　night　at　Caveyrac；　a　small　town　about　a
league　from　Nimes；　that　he　might　be　ready　next　day　to　make　a　descent
on　La　Vannage。　　This　news　was　brought　to　M。　de　Montrevel　by　a　village
priest　called　Verrien；　who　had　in　his　pay　vigilant　and　faithful　spies
in　whom　he　had　every　confidence。

Montrevel　accordingly　ordered　the　commandant　of　Lunel；　M。　de
Grandval；　to　set　out　the　next　day；　very　early　in　the　morning；　with
the　Charolais　regiment