ABSTRACT
In order to consolidate his regime, it was important to bring the civil unrest that had torn the country apart for so many years to an end. Measures of repression were thus carried out in the provinces where ‘Military Tribunals’ were used to put an end to what was commonly referred to as ‘brigandage.’ In the Vendée, General Brune (1763–1815) was charged with annihilating the last of the Chouans. It was, of course, a continuation of the policy already adopted by the Directory, but it also fell within the logic of Bonaparte’s attitude towards peoples in insurrection first expressed in Italy: an exemplary punishment had to be meted out.
To General Brune, commander-in-chief of the Army of the West
… The government will do no more than it already has done for the departments of the west.
The Army of the West is made up of 60,000 men under arms. You will pursue the brigands with energy, you will put yourself in a position to quickly end this war. The peace of Europe is dependent on its end.
… The suspension of hostilities concluded between General Hédouville and the Chouans will only last until 1 Pluviôse [21 January]. Georges, who commands the rebels in the Morbihan, is not included.
I calculate that on the evening of the 27th [Pluviôse, or 16 February] you will arrive in Angers; only remain there long enough to order the 60th halfbrigade and the troops you can relieve from this department to march for the Morbihan, and then leave for Nantes.
From there, march to the Morbihan where you will find the 22nd and the 72nd. Disperse Georges’s assemblies. Take his cannon, his stores of grain (he has a great quantity on the coast which he sells to England). Finally, begin to make the whole weight and horror of war come down on the rebels of the Morbihan. At the beginning of Pluviôse, make sure:
that English ships anchored off the coast of Morbihan no longer communicate with Georges;
that they see from the top of their masts the flags of the Republic disperse the brigands and destroy their hope.
Diplomatic reasons of the greatest importance make it necessary for the English to learn that considerable French forces are pursuing Georges within the first five days of Pluviôse, so that they send the news to England.
… Welcome any individual who submits, but do not tolerate any meeting of leaders; do not enter into any further diplomatic negotiations.
[Have] a great tolerance for priests; but act severely against the larger communes in order to oblige them to protect themselves and to protect the smaller ones. Do not spare communes that behave badly. Burn a few farms and a few large villages in the Morbihan, and start to make a few examples.
Do not let your troops want for either bread, meat or pay. There are enough guilty [people] in the departments to maintain your troops. It is only by making war terrible for them that the inhabitants themselves will unite against the brigands and will at last feel that their apathy is dangerous. …
Source: Correspondance de Napoléon ler, vol. 6, pp. 109–12.https://s3-euw1-ap-pe-df-pch-content-public-p.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/9781032618814/e9ac31eb-0a68-4fdc-b417-e6e5b1e67c6c/content/fig20_Unfig_001.tif" xmlns:xlink="https://www.w3.org/1999/xlink"/>