Charles de Bonchamps

Catholic and Royal Army (Vendée) Counter-revolutionary forces 1760–1793 ✕ Died of wounds

Commander of the Anjou army of the Catholic and Royal Army who, mortally wounded at Cholet, spared 5,000 republican prisoners before he died

Born in 1760 at Juvardeil in Anjou into a family of minor nobility, he joined the Aquitaine regiment in 1775 and, during the American War of Independence, went with the expedition to India and spent two years at Pondicherry. A captain of grenadiers, he resigned after a mutiny in his regiment in 1791 and retired to his estate near Saint-Florent-le-Vieil. In March 1793 the insurgent peasants made him their leader; he took part in the capture of Thouars and Fontenay-le-Comte and was repeatedly badly wounded. He led the Anjou army that repulsed the Army of Mainz at Torfou in September, and was mortally wounded at the battle of Cholet on 17 October. At Saint-Florent-le-Vieil the next day he ordered his men to spare about 5,000 republican prisoners they meant to shoot, and died; the act is remembered as the “pardon of Bonchamps”.

Also known as: Charles-Melchior Artus de Bonchamps · Marquis de Bonchamps