Their ardour was gone, and the Blues, gaining courage as their assailants ceased to press them, took the offensive.
They met with but little opposition.

The Vendean army, lately on the point of being victorious, was already breaking up and, ere long, was scattered over the country, its retreat being undisturbed by the enemy, who could scarcely believe their own good fortune at having succeeded, when all had seemed lost.
Cathelineau was carried off; but died, a fortnight later, from the effects of the wound.

His death was a terrible blow to the cause.
The failure to take Nantes had, in itself, been a great misfortune; but the Vendeans had suffered no more heavily than the enemy and, had Cathelineau been but spared, matters might still have gone well with them.

The effect of his death, however, was for the time to dishearten the peasantry utterly; and had at this time terms of peace, which would have permitted them to enjoy the exercise of their religion, and to be free from conscription, been offered to them, they would gladly have been accepted.
Charette, after he saw that the attack upon Nantes from the north side of the river had failed, fell back with his force, as before, into Lower Poitou.

The Vendeans, now under Bonchamp, who had also been wounded, retired along the north bank of the Loire, crossing the river at various points as they could find boats.
Before joining in the fight, Leigh had told his band that, in the event of failure, he should recross the river in the boat that had brought them over.