Battle of Nantes

For the siege during the War of the Breton Succession, see Siege of Nantes (1341).

Battle of Nantes
Part of the War in the Vendée
Date 29 June 1793 Location Nantes, France Result Republican victory
Belligerents
French Republic	French Royalists
Commanders and leaders
René Baco Canclaux Beysser	Cathelineau † Charette Bonchamps D'Elbée Stofflet Lyrot de la Patouillère
Strength
12,000 men	50,000 men, 20 cannons

The Battle of Nantes was a battle between Royalist and Republican French forces at Nantes on 29 June 1793 during the War in the Vendée. It consisted of the siege of that town, and was a Republican victory. Louis Marie Turreau wrote of it:

The siege of Nantes is perhaps the most important military event of our revolution. Perhaps the destinies of the Republic [herself] were tied to the resistance of this town.

Historical context

The Battle of Nantes was one in a series of battles during the War in the Vendee, which was a counterrevolution in the French province of Vendee against the French revolutionaries and lasted from 1793 to 1796. It was one encounter in many between the Vendee rebels and republican troops sent to crush the rebellion.

Bibliography

• "Une famille Vendéenne pendant la Grande Guerre", by Boutillier de Saint-André
• "Monsieur de Charette chevalier du Roi", by Michel de Saint-Pierre
• "Mémoires pour servir à l'histoire de la guerre de la Vendée", by Général Turreau
• "Les Guerres de Vendée", by Emile Gabory
• Thanks to Christine Duranteau, whose article in Royet is (with her friendly permission) the basis for this article.
• History of the Vendée