View source for Battle of Thouars

{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2024}}
{{Infobox military conflict
|conflict  =Battle of Thouars
|partof   =the [[War in the Vendée]]
|campaign  =War of the [[First Coalition]]
|image     =Bataille de Thouars 1793.JPG
|image_size =250px
|caption   =Henri de La Rochejacquelein and the Marquis de Lescure leading troops on the pont de Vrine
|date      =5 May 1793
|place     =[[Thouars]], [[Deux-Sèvres]], [[France]]
|result    =Royalist victory
|combatant2={{flagicon|France}} [[French First Republic|French Republic]]
|combatant1={{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} Vendean Royalists
|commander2={{flagicon|France}} [[Pierre Quétineau]]
|commander1={{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} [[Louis Marie de Lescure|Marquis de Lescure]]<br />{{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} [[Charles de Bonchamps|Charles Bonchamps]]<br />{{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} [[Henri de La Rochejaquelein]]
|units1    ={{flagicon|Kingdom of France}} ''[[Catholic and Royal Army]]''
|units2    ={{flagicon|France}} ''[[Army of the Coasts of La Rochelle]]''
|strength2 =5,000
|strength1 =20,000
|casualties2=600 killed, 3,000 captured
|casualties1=200 killed
}}
{{Campaignbox War in the Vendee}}
{{Campaignbox First Coalition}}
The '''Battle of Thouars''' (5 May 1793) was a battle between Royalist and [[First French Republic|Republican French]] forces during the [[War in the Vendée]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Esdaile |first=Charles J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=lFSuDQAAQBAJ |title=Napoleon, France and Waterloo: The Eagle Rejected |date=2016-11-30 |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=978-1-4738-7082-6 |pages=79 |language=en}}</ref> The Royalists or Vendeans led by [[Louis Marie de Lescure]], [[Charles de Bonchamps]], and [[Henri de La Rochejaquelein]] seized the town of [[Thouars]] and compelled its Republican defenders under [[Pierre Quétineau]] to surrender.

==Battle==
To defend the city, the Republicans had been posted on the bridges of the [[Thouet|River Thouet]] in front of the city.  The main clash took place on the pont de Vrine.  The Vendéens proved unable to take the bridge for six hours, until Louis Marie de Lescure (fighting in his first battle) showed himself alone on the bridge under enemy fire and encouraged his men to follow him, which they did, crossing the bridge.  The Republicans there were taken from behind by the cavalry under [[Charles de Bonchamps]], which had crossed the river at a ford.  Despite the arrival of reinforcements, the Republicans were turned to rout and withdrew towards the city.  The Whites, headed by [[Henri de La Rochejacquelein]], took the rampart by force and poured into the city, and the Republican troops quickly capitulated.  The Vendéens seized a large amount of arms and gunpowder, but allowed the captured Republican forces to leave, after having sworn to no longer fight in the Vendée and had their hair shaved off so they could be recognised lest they went back on their word and were recaptured.

==References==
{{reflist}}

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Thouars, Battle Of}}
[[Category:Battles involving France]]
[[Category:Conflicts in 1793]]
[[Category:Battles of the War in the Vendée]]
[[Category:Military history of Nouvelle-Aquitaine]]
[[Category:History of Deux-Sèvres]]
[[Category:1793 in France]]


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