END OF THE CAMISARD INSURRECTION.
The insurrection in the Cevennes had continued for more than two
years, when at length it began to excite serious uneasiness at
Versailles. It was felt to be a source of weakness as well as danger
to France, then at war with Portugal, England, and Savoy. What
increased the alarm of the French Government was the fact that the
insurgents were anxiously looking abroad for help, and endeavouring to
excite the Protestant governments of the North to strike a blow in
their behalf.
England and Holland had been especially appealed to. Large numbers of
Huguenot soldiers were then serving in the English army; and it was
suggested that if they could effect a landing on the coast of
Languedoc, and co-operate with the Camisards, it would at the same
time help the cause of religious liberty, and operate as a powerful
diversion in favour of the confederate armies, then engaged with the
armies of France in the Low Countries and on the Rhine.
In order to ascertain the feasibility of the proposed landing, and the
condition of the Camisard insurgents, the ministry of Queen Anne sent
the Marquis de Miremont, a Huguenot refugee in England, on a mission
to the Cevennes; and he succeeded in reaching the insurgent camp at
St. Felix, where he met Roland and the other leaders, and arranged
with them for the descent of a body of Huguenot soldiers on the coast.
In the month of September, 1703, the English fleet was descried in the
Gulf of Lyons, off Aiguesmortes, making signals, which, however, were
not answered. Marshal Montrevel had been warned of the intended
invasion; and, summoning troops from all quarters, he so effectually
guarded the coast, that a landing was found impracticable. Though
Cavalier was near at hand, he was unable at any point to communicate
with the English ships; and after lying off for a few days, they
spread their sails, and the disheartened Camisards saw their intended
liberators disappear in the distance.
The ministers of Louis XIV. were greatly alarmed by this event. The
invasion had been frustrated for the time, but the English fleet might
return, and eventually succeed in effecting a landing. The danger,
therefore, had to be provided against, and at once. It became clear,
even to Louis XIV. himself, that the system of terror and coercion
which had heretofore been exclusively employed against the insurgents,
had proved a total failure. It was accordingly determined to employ
some other means, if possible, of bringing this dangerous insurrection
to an end. In pursuance of this object, Montrevel, to his intense
mortification, was recalled, and the celebrated Marshal Villars, the
victor of Hochstadt and Friedlingen, was appointed in his stead, with
full powers to undertake and carry out the pacification of Languedoc.
Villars reached Nismes towards the end of August, 1704; but before his
arrival, Montrevel at last succeeded in settling accounts with
Cavalier, and wiped out many old scores by inflicting upon him the
severest defeat the Camisard arms had yet received. It was his first
victory over Cavalier, and his last.
Cavalier's recent successes had made him careless. Having so often
overcome the royal troops against great odds, he began to think
himself invincible, and to despise his enemy. His success at
Martinargues had the effect of greatly increasing his troops; and he
made a descent upon the low country in the spring of 1704, at the head
of about a thousand foot and two hundred horse.
Appearing before Bouciran, which he entered without resistance, he
demolished the fortifications, and proceeded southwards to St. Genies,
which he attacked and took, carrying away horses, mules, and arms.
Next day he marched still southward to Caveirac, only about three
miles east of Nismes.
Montrevel designedly published his intention of taking leave of his
government on a certain day, and proceeding to Montpellier with only a
very slender force--pretending to send the remainder to Beaucaire, in
the opposite direction, for the purpose of escorting Villars, his
successor, into the city. His object in doing this was to deceive the
Camisard leader, and to draw him into a trap.
The intelligence became known to Cavalier, who now watched the
Montpellier road, for the purpose of inflicting a parting blow upon
his often-baffled enemy. Instead, however, of Montrevel setting out
for Montpellier with a small force, he mustered almost the entire
troops belonging to the garrison of Nismes--over six thousand horse
and foot--and determined to overwhelm Cavalier, who lay in his way.
Montrevel divided his force into several bodies, and so disposed them
as completely to surround the comparatively small Camisard force,
near Langlade. The first encounter was with the royalist regiment of
Firmarcon, which Cavalier completely routed; but while pursuing them
too keenly, the Camisards were assailed in flank by a strong body of
foot posted in vineyards along the road, and driven back upon the main
body. The Camisards now discovered that a still stronger battalion was
stationed in their rear; and, indeed, wherever they turned, they saw
the Royalists posted in force. There was no alternative but cutting
their way through the enemy; and Cavalier, putting himself at the head
of his men, led the way, sword in hand.
A terrible struggle ensued, and the Camisards at last reached the
bridge at Rosni; but there, too, the Royalists were found blocking the
road, and crowding the heights on either side. Cavalier, to avoid
recognition, threw off his uniform, and assumed the guise of a simple
Camisard. Again he sought to force his way through the masses of the
enemy. His advance was a series of hand-to-hand fights, extending over
some six miles, and the struggle lasted for nearly the entire day.
More than a thousand dead strewed the roads, of whom one half were
Camisards. The Royalists took five drums, sixty-two horses, and four
mules laden with provisions, but not one prisoner.
When Villars reached Nismes and heard of this battle, he went to see
the field, and expressed his admiration at the skill and valour of the
Camisard chief. "Here is a man," said he, "of no education, without
any experience in the art of war, who has conducted himself under the
most difficult and delicate circumstances as if he had been a great
general. Truly, to fight such a battle were worthy of Caesar!"
Indeed, the conduct of Cavalier in this struggle so impressed Marshal
Villars, that he determined, if possible, to gain him over, together
with his brave followers, to the ranks of the royal army. Villars was
no bigot, but a humane and honourable man, and a thorough soldier. He
deplored the continuance of this atrocious war, and proceeded to take
immediate steps to bring it, if possible, to a satisfactory
conclusion.
In the meantime, however, the defeat of the Camisards had been
followed by other reverses. During the absence of Cavalier in the
South, the royalist general Lalande, at the head of five thousand
troops, fell upon the joint forces of Roland and Joany at Brenoux, and
completely defeated them. The same general lay in wait for the return
of Cavalier with his broken forces, to his retreat near Euzet; and on
his coming up, the Royalists, in overpowering numbers, fell upon the
dispirited Camisards, and inflicted upon them another heavy loss.
But a greater calamity, if possible, was the discovery and capture of
Cavalier's magazines in the caverns near Euzet. The royalist soldiers,
having observed an old woman frequently leaving the village for the
adjoining wood with a full basket and returning with an empty one,
suspected her of succouring the rebels, arrested her, and took her
before the general. When questioned at first she would confess
nothing; on which she was ordered forthwith to be hanged. When taken
to the gibbet in the market-place, however, the old woman's resolution
gave way, and she entreated to be taken back to the general, when she
would confess everything. She then acknowledged that she had the care
of an hospital in the adjoining wood, and that her daily errands had
been thither. She was promised pardon if she led the soldiers at once
to the place; and she did so, a battalion following at her heels.
Advancing into the wood, the old woman led the soldiers to the mouth
of a cavern, into which she pointed, and the men entered. The first
sight that met their eyes was a number of sick and wounded Camisards
lying upon couches along ledges cut in the rock. They were immediately
put to death. Entering further into the cavern, the soldiers were
surprised to find in an inner vault an immense magazine of grain,
flour, chestnuts, beans, barrels of wine and brandy; farther in,
stores of drugs, ointment, dressings, and hospital furnishings; and
finally, an arsenal containing a large store of sabres, muskets,
pistols, and gunpowder, together with the materials for making it; all
of which the Royalists seized and carried off.
Lalande, before leaving Euzet, inflicted upon it a terrible
punishment. He gave it up to pillage, then burnt it to the ground, and
put the inhabitants to the sword--all but the old woman, who was left
alone amidst the corpses and ashes of the ruined village. Lalande
returned in triumph to Alais, some of his soldiers displaying on the
points of their bayonets the ears of the slain Camisards.
Other reverses followed in quick succession. Salomon was attacked near
Pont-de-Montvert, the birthplace of the insurrection, and lost some
eight hundred of his men. His magazines at Magistavols were also
discovered and ransacked, containing, amongst other stores, twenty
oxen and a hundred sheep.
Thus, in four combats, the Camisards lost nearly half their forces,
together with a large part of their arms, ammunition, and provisions.
The country occupied by them had been ravaged and reduced to a state
of desert, and there seemed but little prospect of their again being
able to make head against their enemies.
The loss of life during the last year of the insurrection had been
frightful. Some twenty thousand men had perished--eight thousand
soldiers, four thousand of the Roman Catholic population, and from
seven to eight thousand Protestants.
Villars had no sooner entered upon the functions of his office than he
set himself to remedy this dreadful state of things. He was encouraged
in his wise intentions by the Baron D'Aigalliers, a Protestant
nobleman of high standing and great influence, who had emigrated into
England at the Revocation, but had since returned. This nobleman
entertained the ardent desire of reconciling the King with his
Protestant subjects; and he was encouraged by the French Court to
endeavour to bring the rebels of the Cevennes to terms.
One of the first things Villars did, was to proceed on a journey
through the devastated districts; and he could not fail to be
horrified at the sight of the villages in ruins, the wasted vineyards,
the untilled fields, and the deserted homesteads which met his eyes on
every side. Wherever he went, he gave it out that he was ready to
pardon all persons--rebels as well as their chiefs--who should lay
down their arms and submit to the royal clemency; but that, if they
continued obstinate and refused to submit, he would proceed against
them to the last extremity. He even offered to put arms in the hands
of such of the Protestant population as would co-operate with him in
suppressing the insurrection.
In the meantime, the defeated Camisards under Roland were reorganizing
their forces, and preparing again to take the field. They were
unwilling to submit themselves to the professed clemency of Villars,
without some sufficient guarantee that their religious rights--in
defence of which they had taken up arms--would be respected. Roland
was already establishing new magazines in place of those which had
been destroyed; he was again recruiting his brigades from the
Protestant communes, and many of those who had recovered from their
wounds again rallied under his standard.
At this juncture, D'Aigalliers suggested to Villars that a negotiation
should be opened directly with the Camisard chiefs to induce them to
lay down their arms. Roland refused to listen to any overtures; but
Cavalier was more accessible, and expressed himself willing to
negotiate for peace provided his religion was respected and
recognised.
And Cavalier was right. He saw clearly that longer resistance was
futile, that it could only end in increased devastation and
destruction; and he was wise in endeavouring to secure the best
possible terms under the circumstances for his suffering
co-religionists. Roland, who refused all such overtures, was the more
uncompromising and tenacious of purpose; but Cavalier, notwithstanding
his extreme youth, was by far the more practical and politic of the
two.
There is no doubt also that Cavalier had begun to weary of the
struggle. He became depressed and sad, and even after a victory he
would kneel down amidst the dead and wounded, and pray to God that He
would turn the heart of the King to mercy, and help to re-establish
the ancient temples throughout the land.
An interview with Cavalier was eventually arranged by Lalande. The
brigadier invited him to a conference, guaranteeing him safe conduct,
and intimating that if he refused the meeting, he would be regarded as
the enemy of peace, and held responsible before God and man for all
future bloodshed. Cavalier replied to Lalande's invitation, accepting
the interview, indicating the place and the time of meeting.
Catinat, the Camisard general of horse, was the bearer of Cavalier's
letter, and he rode on to Alais to deliver it, arrayed in magnificent
costume. Lalande was at table when Catinat was shown in to him.
Observing the strange uniform and fierce look of the intruder, the
brigadier asked who he was. "Catinat!" was the reply. "What," cried
Lalande, "are you the Catinat who killed so many people in Beaucaire?"
"Yes, it is I," said Catinat, "and I only endeavoured to do my duty."
"You are hardy, indeed, to dare to show yourself before me." "I have
come," said the Camisard, "in good faith, persuaded that you are an
honest man, and on the assurance of my brother Cavalier that you would
do me no harm. I come to deliver you his letter." And so saying, he
handed it to the brigadier. Hastily perusing the letter, Lalande said,
"Go back to Cavalier, and tell him that in two hours I shall be at the
Bridge of Avene with only ten officers and thirty dragoons."
The interview took place at the time appointed, on the bridge over the
Avene, a few miles south of Alais. Cavalier arrived, attended by three
hundred foot and sixty Camisard dragoons. When the two chiefs
recognised each other, they halted their escorts, dismounted, and,
followed by some officers, proceeded on foot to meet each other.
Lalande had brought with him Cavalier's younger brother, who had been
for some time a prisoner, and presented him, saying, "The King gives
him to you in token of his merciful intentions." The brothers, who
had not met since their mother's death, embraced and wept. Cavalier
thanked the general; and then, leaving their officers, the two went on
one side, and conferred together alone.
"The King," said Lalande, "wishes, in the exercise of his clemency, to
terminate this war amongst his subjects; what are your terms and your
demands?" "They consist of three things," replied Cavalier: "liberty
of worship; the deliverance of our brethren who are in prison and at
the galleys; and, if the first condition be refused, then free
permission to leave France." "How many persons would wish to leave the
kingdom?" asked Lalande. "Ten thousand of various ages and both
sexes." "Ten thousand! It is impossible! Leave might possibly be
granted for two, but certainly not for ten." "Then," said Cavalier,
"if the King will not allow us to leave the kingdom, he will at least
re-establish our ancient edicts and privileges?"
Lalande promised to report the result of the conference to the
marshal, though he expressed a doubt whether he could agree to the
terms proposed. The brigadier took leave of Cavalier by expressing the
desire to be of service to him at any time; but he made a gross and
indelicate mistake in offering his purse to the Camisard chief. "No,
no!" said Cavalier, rejecting it with a look of contempt, "I wish for
none of your gold, but only for religious liberty, or, if that be
refused, for a safe conduct out of the kingdom."
Lalande then asked to be taken up to the Camisard troop, who had been
watching the proceedings of their leader with great interest. Coming
up to them in the ranks, he said, "Here is a purse of a hundred louis
with which to drink the King's health." Their reply was like their
leader's, "We want no money, but liberty of conscience." "It is not
in my power to grant you that," said the general, "but you will do
well to submit to the King's will." "We are ready," said they, "to
obey his orders, provided he grants our just demands; but if not, we
are prepared to die arms in hand." And thus ended this memorable
interview, which lasted for about two hours; Lalande and his followers
returning to Alais, while Cavalier went with his troop in the
direction of Vezenobres.
Cavalier's enemies say that in the course of his interview with
Lalande he was offered honours, rewards, and promotion, if he would
enter the King's service; and it is added that Cavalier was tempted by
these offers, and thereby proved false to his cause and followers. But
it is more probable that Cavalier was sincere in his desire to come to
fair terms with the King, observing the impossibility, under the
circumstances, of prolonging the struggle against the royal armies
with any reasonable prospect of success. If Cavalier were really
bribed by any such promises of promotion, at all events such promises
were never fulfilled; nor did the French monarch reward him in any way
for his endeavours to bring the Camisard insurrection to an end.
It was characteristic of Roland to hold aloof from these negotiations,
and refuse to come to any terms whatever with "Baal." As if to
separate himself entirely from Cavalier, he withdrew into the Upper
Cevennes to resume the war. At the very time that Cavalier was holding
the conference with the royalist general at the Bridge of the Avene,
Roland and Joany, with a body of horse and foot, waylaid the Count de
Tournou at the plateau of Font-morte--the place where Seguier, the
first Camisard leader, had been defeated and captured--and suddenly
fell upon the Royalists, putting them to flight.
A rich booty fell into the hands of the Camisards, part of which
consisted of the quarter's rental of the confiscated estate of Salgas,
in the possession of the King's collector, Viala, whom the royalist
troops were escorting to St. Jean de Gard. The collector, who had made
himself notorious for his cruelty, was put to death after frightful
torment, and his son and nephew were also shot. So far, therefore, as
Roland and his associates were concerned, there appeared to be no
intention of surrender or compromise; and Villars was under the
necessity of prosecuting the war against them to the last extremity.
In the meantime, Cavalier was hailed throughout the low country as the
pacificator of Languedoc. The people on both sides had become heartily
sick of the war, and were glad to be rid of it on any terms that
promised peace and security for the future. At the invitation of
Marshal Villars, Cavalier proceeded towards Nismes, and his march from
town to town was one continuous ovation. He was eagerly welcomed by
the population; and his men were hospitably entertained by the
garrisons of the places through which they passed. Every liberty was
allowed him; and not a day passed without a religious meeting being
held, accompanied with public preaching, praying, and psalm-singing.
At length Cavalier and his little army approached the neighbourhood of
Nismes, where his arrival was anticipated with extraordinary interest.
The beautiful old city had witnessed many strange sights; but probably
the entry of the young Camisard chief was one of the most remarkable
of all. This herd-boy and baker's apprentice of the Cevennes, after
holding at bay the armies of France for nearly three years, had come
to negotiate a treaty of peace with its most famous general. Leaving
the greater part of his cavalry and the whole of his infantry at St.
Cesaire, a few miles from Nismes, Cavalier rode towards the town
attended by eighteen horsemen commanded by Catinat. On approaching the
southern gate, he found an immense multitude waiting his arrival. "He
could not have been more royally welcomed," said the priest of St.
Germain, "had he been a king."
Cavalier rode at the head of his troop gaily attired; for fine dress
was one of the weaknesses of the Camisard chiefs. He wore a
tight-fitting doeskin coat ornamented with gold lace, scarlet
breeches, a muslin cravat, and a large beaver with a white plume; his
long fair hair hanging over his shoulders. Catinat rode by his side on
a high-mettled charger, attracting all eyes by his fine figure, his
martial air, and his magnificent costume. Cavalier's faithful friend,
Daniel Billard, rode on his left; and behind followed his little
brother in military uniform, between the Baron d'Aigalliers and
Lacombe, the agents for peace.
The cavalcade advanced through the dense crowd, which could with
difficulty be kept back, past the Roman Amphitheatre, and along the
Rue St. Antoine, to the Garden of the Recollets, a Franciscan convent,
nearly opposite the elegant Roman temple known as the Maison
Carree.[45] Alighting from his horse at the gate, and stationing his
guard there under the charge of Catinat, Cavalier entered the garden,
and was conducted to Marshal Villars, with whom was Baville, intendant
of the province; Baron Sandricourt, governor of Nismes; General
Lalande, and other dignitaries. Cavalier looked such a mere boy, that
Villars at first could scarcely believe that it was the celebrated
Camisard chief who stood before him. The marshal, however, advanced
several steps, and addressed some complimentary words to Cavalier, to
which he respectfully replied.
[Footnote 45: The Nismes Theatre now occupies part of the
Jardin des Recollets.]
The conference then began and proceeded, though not without frequent
interruptions from Baville, who had so long regarded Cavalier as a
despicable rebel, that he could scarcely brook the idea of the King's
marshal treating with him on anything like equal terms. But the
marshal checked the intendant by reminding him that he had no
authority to interfere in a matter which the King had solely entrusted
to himself. Then turning to Cavalier, he asked him to state his
conditions for a treaty of peace.
Cavalier has set forth in his memoirs the details of the conditions
proposed by him, and which he alleges were afterwards duly agreed to
and signed by Villars and Baville, on the 17th of May, 1704, on the
part of the King. The first condition was liberty of conscience, with
the privilege of holding religious assemblies in country places. This
was agreed to, subject to the Protestant temples not being rebuilt.
The second--that all Protestants in prison or at the galleys should be
set at liberty within six weeks from the date of the treaty--was also
agreed to. The third--that all who had left the kingdom on account of
their religion should have liberty to return, and be restored to their
estates and privileges--was agreed to, subject to their taking the
oath of allegiance. The fourth--as to the re-establishment of the
parliament of Languedoc on its ancient footing--was promised
consideration. The fifth and sixth--that the province should be free
from capitation tax for ten years, and that the Protestants should
hold Montpellier, Cette, Perpignan, and Aiguesmortes, as cautionary
towns--were refused. The seventh--that those inhabitants of the
Cevennes whose houses had been burnt during the civil war should pay
no imposts for seven years--was granted. And the eighth--that Cavalier
should raise a regiment of dragoons to serve the King in Portugal--was
also granted.
These conditions are said to have been agreed to on the distinct
understanding that the insurrection should forthwith cease, and that
all persons in arms against the King should lay them down and submit
themselves to his majesty's clemency.
The terms having been generally agreed to, Cavalier respectfully took
his leave of the marshal, and returned to his comrades at the gate.
But Catinat and the Camisard guard had disappeared. The conference had
lasted two hours, during which Cavalier's general of horse had become
tired of waiting, and gone with his companions to refresh himself at
the sign of the Golden Cup. On his way thither, he witched the world
of Nismes with his noble horsemanship, making his charger bound and
prance and curvet, greatly to the delight of the immense crowd that
followed him.
On the return of the Camisard guard to the Recollets, Cavalier mounted
his horse, and, escorted by them, proceeded to the Hotel de la Poste,
where he rested. In the evening, he came out on the Esplanade, and
walked freely amidst the crowd, amongst whom were many ladies, eager
to see the Camisard hero, and happy if they could but hear him speak,
or touch his dress. He then went to visit the mother of Daniel, his
favourite prophet, a native of Nismes, whose father and brother were
both prisoners because of their religion. Returning to the hotel,
Cavalier mustered his guard, and set out for Calvisson, followed by
hundreds of people, singing together as they passed through the town
gate the 133rd Psalm--"Behold, how good and how pleasant it is for
brethren to dwell together in unity!"
Cavalier remained with his companions at Calvisson for eight days,
during which he enjoyed the most perfect freedom of action. He held
public religious services daily, at first amidst the ruins of the
demolished Protestant temple, and afterwards, when the space was
insufficient, in the open plain outside the town walls. People came
from all quarters to attend them--from the Vaunage, from Sommieres,
from Lunel, from Nismes, and even from Montpellier. As many as forty
thousand persons are said to have resorted to the services during
Cavalier's sojourn at Calvisson. The plains resounded with preaching
and psalmody from morning until evening, sometimes until late at
night, by torchlight.
These meetings were a great cause of offence to the more bigoted of
the Roman Catholics, who saw in them the triumph of their enemies.
They muttered audibly against the policy of Villars, who was
tolerating if not encouraging heretics--worthy, in their estimation,
only of perdition. Flechier, Bishop of Nismes, was full of
lamentations on the subject, and did not scruple to proclaim that war,
with all its horrors, was even more tolerable than such a peace as
this.
Unhappily, the peace proved only of short duration, and Cavalier's
anticipations of unity and brotherly love were not destined to be
fulfilled. Whether Roland was jealous of the popularity achieved by
Cavalier, or suspected treachery on the part of the Royalists, or
whether he still believed in the ability of his followers to conquer
religious liberty and compel the re-establishment of the ancient
edicts by the sword, does not clearly appear. At all events, he
refused to be committed in any way by what Cavalier had done; and when
the treaty entered into with Villars was submitted to Roland for
approval, he refused to sign it. A quarrel had almost occurred between
the chiefs, and hot words passed between them. But Cavalier controlled
himself, and still hoped to persuade Roland to adopt a practicable
course, and bring the unhappy war to a conclusion.
It was at length agreed between them that a further effort should be
made to induce Villars to grant more liberal terms, particularly with
respect to the rebuilding of the Protestant temples; and Cavalier
consented that Salomon should accompany him to an interview with the
marshal, and endeavour to obtain such a modification of the treaty as
should meet Roland's views. Accordingly, another meeting shortly after
took place in the Garden of the Recollets at Nismes, Cavalier leaving
it to Salomon to be the spokesman on the occasion.
But Salomon proved as uncompromising as his chief. He stated his
_ultimatum_ bluntly and firmly--re-establishment of the Edict of
Nantes, and complete liberty of conscience. On no other terms, he
said, would the Camisards lay down their arms. Villars was courtly and
polite as usual, but he was as firm as Salomon. He would adhere to the
terms that had been agreed to, but could not comply with the
conditions proposed. The discussion lasted for two hours, and at
length became stormy and threatening on the part of Salomon, on which
the marshal turned on his heel and left the apartment.
Cavalier's followers had not yet been informed of the conditions of
the treaty into which he had entered with Villars, but they had been
led to believe that the Edict was to be re-established and liberty of
worship restored. Their suspicions had already been roused by the
hints thrown out by Ravanel, who was as obdurate as Roland in his
refusal to lay down his arms until the Edict had been re-established.
While Cavalier was still at Nismes, on his second mission to Villars,
accompanied by Salomon, Ravanel, who had been left in charge of the
troop at Calvisson, assembled the men, and told them he feared they
were being betrayed--that they were to be refused this free exercise
of their religion in temples of their own, but were to be required to
embark as King's soldiers on shipboard, perhaps to perish at sea.
"Brethren," said he, "let us cling by our own native land, and live
and die for the Eternal." The men enthusiastically applauded the stern
resolve of Ravanel, and awaited with increasing impatience the return
of the negotiating chief.
On Cavalier's return to his men, he found, to his dismay, that instead
of being welcomed back with the usual cordiality, they were drawn up
in arms under Ravanel, and received him in silence, with angry and
scowling looks. He upbraided Ravanel for such a reception, on which
the storm immediately burst. "What is the treaty, then," cried
Ravanel, "that thou hast made with this marshal?"
Cavalier, embarrassed, evaded the inquiry; but Ravanel, encouraged by
his men, proceeded to press for the information. "Well," said
Cavalier, "it is arranged that we shall go to serve in Portugal."
There was at once a violent outburst from the ranks. "Traitor! coward!
then thou hast sold us! But we shall have no peace--no peace without
our temples."
At sound of the loud commotion and shouting, Vincel, the King's
commissioner, who remained at Calvisson pending the negotiations, came
running up, and the men in their rage would have torn him to pieces,
but Cavalier threw himself in their way, exclaiming, "Back, men! Do
him no harm, kill me instead." His voice, his gesture, arrested the
Camisards, and Vincel turned and fled for his life.
Ravanel then ordered the _generale_ to be beaten. The men drew up in
their ranks, and putting himself at their head, Ravanel marched them
out of Calvisson by the northern gate. Cavalier, humiliated and
downcast, followed the troop--their leader no more. He could not part
with them thus--the men he had so often led to victory, and who had
followed him so devotedly--but hung upon their rear, hoping they would
yet relent and return to him as their chief.
Catinat, his general of horse, observing Cavalier following the men,
turned upon him. "Whither wouldst thou go, traitor?" cried Catinat.
What! Catinat, of all others, to prove unfaithful? Yet it was so!
Catinat even, presented his pistol at his former chief, but he did not
fire.
Cavalier would not yet turn back. He hung upon the skirts of the
column, entreating, supplicating, adjuring the men, by all their
former love for him, to turn, and follow him. But they sternly marched
on, scarcely even deigning to answer him. Ravanel endeavoured to drive
him back by reproaches, which at length so irritated Cavalier, that he
drew his sword, and they were about to rush at each other, when one
of the prophets ran between them and prevented bloodshed.
Cavalier did not desist from following them for several miles, until
at length, on reaching St. Esteve, the men were appealed to as to whom
they would follow, and they declared themselves for Ravanel. Cavalier
made a last appeal to their allegiance, and called out, "Let those who
love me, follow me!" About forty of his old adherents detached
themselves from the ranks, and followed Cavalier in the direction of
Nismes. But the principal body remained with Ravanel, who, waving his
sabre in the air, and shouting, "Vive l'Epee de l'Eternel!" turned his
men's faces northward and marched on to rejoin Roland in the Upper
Cevennes.
Cavalier was completely prostrated by the desertion of his followers.
He did not know where next to turn. He could not rejoin the Camisard
camp nor enter the villages of the Cevennes, and he was ashamed to
approach Villars, lest he should be charged with deceiving him. But he
sent a letter to the marshal, informing him of the failure of his
negotiations, the continued revolt of the Camisards, and their
rejection of him as their chief. Villars, however, was gentle and
generous; he was persuaded that Cavalier had acted loyally and in good
faith throughout, and he sent a message by the Baron d'Aigalliers,
urgently inviting him to return to Nismes and arrange as to the
future. Cavalier accordingly set out forthwith, accompanied by his
brother and the prophet Daniel, and escorted by the ten horsemen and
thirty foot who still remained faithful to his person.
It is not necessary further to pursue the history of Cavalier.
Suffice it to say that, at the request of Marshal Villars, he
proceeded to Paris, where he had an unsatisfactory interview with
Louis XIV.; that fearing an intention on the part of the Roman
Catholic party to make him a prisoner, he fled across the frontier
into Switzerland; that he eventually reached England, and entered the
English army, with the rank of Colonel; that he raised a regiment of
refugee Frenchmen, consisting principally of his Camisard followers,
at the head of whom he fought most valiantly at the battle of Almanza;
that he was afterwards appointed governor of Jersey, and died a
major-general in the British service in the year 1740, greatly
respected by all who knew him.
* * * * *
Although Cavalier failed in carrying the treaty into effect, so far as
he was concerned, his secession at this juncture proved a deathblow to
the insurrection. The remaining Camisard leaders endeavoured in vain
to incite that enthusiasm amongst their followers which had so often
before led them to victory. The men felt that they were fighting
without hope, and as it were with halters round their necks. Many of
them began to think that Cavalier had been justified in seeking to
secure the best terms practicable; and they dropped off, by tens and
fifties, to join their former leader, whose head-quarters for some
time continued to be at Vallabergue, an island in the Rhone a little
above Beaucaire.
The insurgents were also in a great measure disarmed by Marshal
Villars, who continued to pursue a policy of clemency, and at the same
time of severity. He offered a free pardon to all who surrendered
themselves, but threatened death to all who continued to resist the
royal troops. In sign of his clemency, he ordered the gibbets which
had for some years stood _en permanence_ in all the villages of the
Cevennes, to be removed; and he went from town to town, urging all
well-disposed people, of both religions, to co-operate with him in
putting an end to the dreadful civil war that had so long desolated
the province.
Moved by the marshal's eloquent appeals, the principal towns along the
Gardon and the Vidourle appointed deputies to proceed in a body to the
camp of Roland, and induce him if possible to accept the proffered
amnesty. They waited upon him accordingly at his camp of St. Felix and
told him their errand. But his answer was to order them at once to
leave the place on pain of death.
Villars himself sent messengers to Roland--amongst others the Baron
d'Aigalliers--offering to guarantee that no one should be molested on
account of his religion, provided he and his men would lay down their
arms; but Roland remained inflexible--nothing short of complete
religious liberty would induce him to surrender.
Roland and Joany were still at the head of about a thousand men in the
Upper Cevennes. Pont-de-Montvert was at the time occupied by a body of
Miguelets, whom they determined if possible to destroy. Dividing their
army into three bodies, they proceeded to assail simultaneously the
three quarters of which the village is composed. But the commander of
the Miguelets, informed of Roland's intention, was prepared to receive
him. One of the Camisard wings was attacked at the same time in front
and rear, thrown into confusion and defeated; and the other wings were
driven back with heavy loss.
This was Roland's last battle. About a month later--in August,
1704--while a body of Camisards occupied the Chateau of Castelnau, not
far from Ners, the place was suddenly surrounded at night by a body of
royalist dragoons. The alarm was raised, and Roland, half-dressed,
threw himself on horseback and fled. He was pursued, overtaken, and
brought to a stand in a wood, where, setting his back to a tree he
defended himself bravely for a time against overpowering numbers, but
was at last shot through the heart by a dragoon, and the Camisard
chief lay dead upon the ground.
The insurrection did not long survive the death of Roland. The other
chiefs wandered about from place to place with their followers, but
they had lost heart and hope, and avoided further encounters with the
royal forces. One after another of them surrendered. Castanet and
Catinat both laid down their arms, and were allowed to leave France
for Switzerland, accompanied by twenty-two of their men. Joany also
surrendered with forty-six of his followers.
One by one the other chiefs laid down their arms--all excepting
Abraham and Ravanel, who preferred liberty and misery at home to peace
and exile abroad. They continued for some time to wander about in the
Upper Cevennes, hiding in the woods by day and sleeping in caves by
night--hunted, deserted, and miserable. And thus at last was Languedoc
pacified; and at the beginning of January, 1705, Marshal Villars
returned to Versailles to receive the congratulations and honours of
the King.
Several futile attempts were afterwards made by the banished leaders
to rekindle the insurrection from its embers, Catinat and Castanet,
wearied of their inaction at Geneva, stole back across the frontier
and rejoined Ravanel in the Cevennes; but their rashness cost them
their lives. They were all captured and condemned to death. Castanet
and Salomon were broken alive on the wheel on the Peyrou at
Montpellier, and Catinat, Ravanel, with several others, were burnt
alive on the Place de la Beaucaire at Nismes.
The last to perish were Abraham and Joany. The one was shot while
holding the royal troops at bay, firing upon them from the roof of a
cottage at Mas-de-Couteau; the other was captured in the mountains
near the source of the Tarn. He was on his way to prison, tied behind
a trooper, like Rob Roy in Scott's novel, when, suddenly freeing
himself from his bonds while crossing the bridge of Pont-de-Montvert,
he slid from the horse, and leapt over the parapet into the Tarn. The
soldiers at once opened fire upon the fugitive, and he fell, pierced
with many balls, and was carried away in the torrent. And thus
Pont-de-Montvert, which had seen the beginning, also saw the end of
the insurrection.