11th. The rebels of the Vendée make substantial gains in Touraine. They are sparing towards the troops of the line, but give the volunteers no quarter. They have just executed a battalion from Marseille who ran out of ammunition to use against them. After this they entered Thouars, where they seized artillery and munitions. It is feared that Tours is next: the gendarmerie¹ is going to its aid, and several departments are going to send their new recruits there.

Notes

1. Roughly equivalent to a mounted police force. This longstanding element within France's national system for maintaining law and order had been known as the maréchaussée until it was renamed during the French Revolution. The gendarmerie functioned as an auxiliary to local National Guard units. [back]