Charles de Bonchamps (1760-1793)

Delpech's lithography (1825) representing the marquis Charles de Bonchamps.

When I visit the castle with my family in 1981, the owner Mrs de Bodard shows us her castle around (1).
The text below in english comes from the owner's leaflet who gives me the recent authorization to use it.

"When the french Revolution began in 1789, the owner of the property of the Baronnière was the marquis Anne de Bonchamps.
The Baronnière had been in the same family since early in the 15th century.
The marquis was joined there by his son, Charles Artus de Bonchamps, in 1791.

Charles had become an officer cadet in the regiment of Aquitaine at the age of 16, and at 18 had been posted to India to serve with the troops under the command of the Bailli de Suffren.
After his return to France, he was in garrison at Mézières. He refused to take the oath of allegiance to the new Republic, and resigned his commission.
He was then 33, had married, and had reached the rank of captain. He decided not to emigrate, as his father later did, but to remain quietly at the Baronnière until the upheaval was over.

This was a vain hope. Religious persecution was intensified. The king and the queen were arrested and guillotined.
The republican Assembly decreed a call-up of 300.000 men to re-inforce the armies that had become heavily engaged around the frontiers.

It was this call-up that provoked the antigovernment uprising in the North West, an uprising that became known as the "War in the Vendée".

Recruiting offices were opened by government officials in the towns and villages of the Mauges to popular cries of "We will not go !", and on the 13th of March 1793, the young men from around Saint-Florent-le-Vieil came to the Baronnière to persuade Charles de Bonchamps to lead them against the forces of the revolutionary government.

Charles de Bonchamps was clear-sighted and practical, and competent. The historian Gabory said of him that he was the only one capable of overthrowing the government.
But on the 17th of October in the same year he was mortally wounded at the battle of Cholet.
He was carried 50 km on a stretcher to Saint-Florent-le-Vieil, and from there over to the north bank of the Loire with the "Grande Armée", where he died.

Before crossing the river, he persuaded his colleagues not to execute their 6.000 republican prisoners, but to release them.
The monument commemorating this act is in the church at Saint-Florent.
It was carved by David d'Angers, whose father had been one of the 6.000.

Charles de Bonchamps had given his life and his fortune to the cause..."

(The end of this text below).

See in this blog "Rencontre, la première (first encounter)".