Battle of Savenay [SEP] end time
Battle of Savenay
The Battle of Savenay took place on 23 December 1793, and marks the end of the Virée de Galerne operational phase of the first war in the Vendée after the French Revolution. A Republican force of approximately 18,000 decisively defeated the Armée Catholique et Royale force of 6,000 at Savenay.
Prelude.
After a crushing defeat at the battle of Le Mans on 12 December 1793, a few thousand Vendéens fled to Laval and then to Ancenis, hoping to cross the Loire back into Vendée. Without boats,
was crushed with terrible losses at the Battle of Le Mans on 12–13 December and at the Battle of Savenay on 23 December. The new commander Turreau did not replace Marceau until 30 December.
History Infernal columns.
Kléber believed that he could end the rebellion, but Turreau brushed his ideas aside. Instead, Turreau embarked on a bloody program starting on 24 January 1794. With 80,000 soldiers, he ordered 12 "infernal columns" to sweep the Vendée, taking away all crops, burning farms and killing all suspected rebels.