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Updated: June 13, 2025
"Yes; but, first, I have a favor to ask of you," said the royalist leader, with supreme dignity. "Ask it, sir." "To bear my flag of truce to General Hatry." "For what purpose?" "I have several proposals to make to him before the fight begins." "I presume that among those proposals which you deign to intrust to me you do not include that of laying down his arms?"
If General Hatry is victorious, he can walk over our bodies and tranquilly enter Vannes; if he is defeated, he cannot say it is by numbers. Go, Monsieur de Montrevel, and remain with your friends. I give them thus the advantage of numbers, for you alone are worth ten men." Roland raised his hat. "What are you doing, sir?" demanded Cadoudal.
"On the contrary, colonel, you understand that that is the first of my proposals." "General Hatry will refuse it." "That is probable." "And then?" "Then I shall give him his choice between two others, either of which he can, I think, accept without forfeiting his honor." "What are they?" "I will tell you in due time. Begin with the first." "State it."
At the time of which we are now speaking, that is to say, the 26th of January, 1800, Cadoudal commanded three or four thousand men with whom he was preparing to blockade General Hatry in Vannes. During the time that he awaited the First Consul's answer to the letter of Louis XVIII. he had suspended hostilities; but Tiffauges had arrived a couple of days before with it.
"Forward!" cried the general. The soldiers marched on, bayonets fixed; but in a few moments there was no enemy before them. Cadoudal's hundred men had turned skirmishers; they had separated, and fifty men were harassing both of the enemy's flanks. General Hatry ordered his men to wheel to the right and left. Then came the order: "Fire!"
Roland rode off a second time; his coming was awaited by the Republicans with visible impatience. He transmitted the message to General Hatry. "Citizen," replied the general, "I must render account of my conduct to the First Consul. You are his aide-de-camp, and I charge you on your return to Paris to bear testimony on my behalf to him. What would you do in my place?
In order to procure provisions General Hatry intends to carry off the supplies at Grandchamp. The general is to command the raid in person; and, to act more quickly, only a hundred men are to go." "Are you tired, Benedicite?" "Never, general." "And your horse?" "He came fast, but he can do twelve or fifteen miles more without killing himself."
"General Hatry shall meet me in the space that separates the two troops, he shall carry the same arms as I that is, his sabre and pistols and the matter shall be decided between us. If I kill him, his men are to submit to the conditions already named, for we cannot take prisoners; if he kills me his men shall pass free and be allowed to reach Vannes safely.
"After what I have seen, sir, I doubt if you ever have need of me," said Roland; "but in any case remember that you have a friend near the First Consul." And he held out his hand to Cadoudal. The royalist took it with the same frankness and freedom he had shown before the battle. "Farewell, Monsieur de Montrevel," said he, "I need not ask you to justify General Hatry.
The young man sprang upon it, and rapidly covered the distance which separated him from the convoy. A group of men were gathered on its flank, evidently composed of General Hatry and his officers. Roland rode toward them, scarcely three gunshots distant from the Chouans. General Hatry's astonishment was great when he saw an officer in the Republican uniform approaching him.
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