Battle of Granville
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Granville occurred at Granville, Manche
on 14 November 1793. It faced 5,000 Republicans besieged by Vendéen forces during the Virée de Galerne
. It was a Republican victory.
but they finally fixed on Granville, apparently less well-defended. On 14 November the Vendéens arrived before the city, but they had no siege equipment and the English had not shown up. Even so, the Vendéens launched an assault and took the suburbs, but their advance was hampered when a fire which broke out and burned down the suburbs. The Vendéens thus passed by the grêve and began to climb the rocks at the foot of the ramparts, when cries of "Treason!" began to spread through their ranks, probably shouted by Republican spies. Quickly panic overtook the Vendéens and, as many fled, the assault failed. Having heard no news of the English forces (despite their actually being very nearby, at Jersey
), La Rochejaquelein
decided to raise the siege.
Granville, Manche
-Sights:The old town preserves all the history of its military and religious past. The lower town was partly built on land reclaimed from the sea. The upper part of the old town is surrounded by ramparts from the fifteenth century...
on 14 November 1793. It faced 5,000 Republicans besieged by Vendéen forces during the Virée de Galerne
Virée de Galerne
The Virée de Galerne was a military operation of the War in the Vendée during the French Revolutionary Wars across Britanny and Normandy. It takes its name from "gwalarn", a Breton word for the "vent de noroît" ....
. It was a Republican victory.
Battle
A rumour ran through the Vendéen ranks that if they reached a port the English would come to their aid. Their first choice was the port at Saint-MaloSaint-Malo
Saint-Malo is a walled port city in Brittany in northwestern France on the English Channel. It is a sub-prefecture of the Ille-et-Vilaine.-Demographics:The population can increase to up to 200,000 in the summer tourist season...
but they finally fixed on Granville, apparently less well-defended. On 14 November the Vendéens arrived before the city, but they had no siege equipment and the English had not shown up. Even so, the Vendéens launched an assault and took the suburbs, but their advance was hampered when a fire which broke out and burned down the suburbs. The Vendéens thus passed by the grêve and began to climb the rocks at the foot of the ramparts, when cries of "Treason!" began to spread through their ranks, probably shouted by Republican spies. Quickly panic overtook the Vendéens and, as many fled, the assault failed. Having heard no news of the English forces (despite their actually being very nearby, at Jersey
Jersey
Jersey, officially the Bailiwick of Jersey is a British Crown Dependency off the coast of Normandy, France. As well as the island of Jersey itself, the bailiwick includes two groups of small islands that are no longer permanently inhabited, the Minquiers and Écréhous, and the Pierres de Lecq and...
), La Rochejaquelein
Henri de la Rochejaquelein
Henri du Vergier, comte de la Rochejaquelein was the youngest general of the Royalist Vendéan insurrection during the French Revolution.-Early activities:...
decided to raise the siege.