Their guns were left behind, and the Vendeans, pressing hotly on their rear, overtook and killed great numbers.

Bloss with his grenadiers, advancing from Chateau-Gontier, tried in vain to arrest the flight of the fugitives; and he himself and his command were swept away by the mob, and carried beyond the town.
A few hundreds of the soldiers alone were rallied, and prepared to defend the bridge of Chateau-Gontier; but la Rochejaquelein had sent a portion of his force to make a circuit and seize the town, so that the defenders of the bridge were exposed to a heavy fire from houses in their rear.
Kleber, with a handful of men, held the bridge; and was joined by Bloss, who had been already wounded while passing through the town.
He advanced to cross; Kleber and Savary in vain tried to stop him.
"No," he said, "I will not survive the shame of such a day," and, rushing forward with a small party, fell under the fire of the advancing Vendeans.
The pursuit was hotly maintained.

Keeping on heights which commanded the road, the Vendeans maintained an incessant fire of cannon and musketry.

It was already night, and this alone saved the Republican army from total destruction.

Beaupuy received a terrible wound in the battle, and a great number of officers were killed, in endeavouring to stop the panic.
At last the pursuit ceased and, for a few hours, the weary fugitives slept.