It was so much nearer for him to have made for one of the northern ports that he might very well have done so and, as soon as he managed to obtain a sea outfit, he would no longer be suspected of having anything to do with the Vendeans." They had learnt before this that, after the fight at Le Mans, the Vendeans had made for the river, had desperately fought their way through the forces that barred their march, had come down on the banks, but had failed to find any means to cross it.

Then they had turned into Brittany again for a short distance, had fought two or three more desperate battles, and had again reached the Loire.
There was but one leaky boat to be found.

In this la Rochejaquelein, with a few of his officers, had crossed the river to bring back some boats that were moored on the opposite bank.

Directly they got across they were attacked, but la Rochejaquelein, with two or three others, effected their escape.
After this the Vendeans no longer kept together.

The women and children, wounded and invalids, hid themselves in the woods; where they were hunted down like wild beasts, and either slaughtered at once or sent to Nantes, where thousands were either executed or drowned by the infamous Carrier, one of the most sanguinary villains produced by the Revolution.