Catholic and Royal Army of Anjou and Haut-Poitou
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Kingdom of France| Catholic and Royal Army of Anjou and Haut-Poitou | |
|---|---|
| Armée catholique et royale d'Anjou et du Haut-Poitou | |
 Type of flag of the Catholic and Royal army, parish company of La Verrie. | |
| Active | 1793–1800 |
| Allegiance | Kingdom of France |
| Size | 40,000[1] |
| Motto(s) | Pour Dieu et le Roi (lit. 'For God and the King') |
| Engagements | |
The Catholic and Royal Army of Anjou (French: Armée catholique et royale d'Anjou) or Catholic and Royal Army of Anjou and Haut-Poitou (French: Armée catholique et royale d'Anjou et du Haut-Poitou), also nicknamed the Grande Armée (lit. 'Grand Army'), was the largest royalist army during the War in the Vendée against the French First Republic.[1][2] It was formed and operated in the northern and eastern parts of the coastal region.[2]
The army's mobilization capacity was 40,000 men.[1] Although the unit had permanent organization, it was very loose.[1] The army was organized into divisions that grouped parish companies, with no intermediate units.[2]
The army successfully stormed Saumur on 9 June 1793.[1] On June 12, Jacques Cathelineau was elected the army commander.[1] Then, the highest-level Royalist commanders decided to attack Nantes, but the attack in the end of June failed due to the lack of coordination between the army of Anjou and Haut-Poitou and the army of Pays de Retz and Bas-Poitou.[1] Cathelineau died in the fighting in Nantes.[1]
| Division of | Divisional general | Strength |
|---|---|---|
| Saint-Florent-le-Vieil | Charles de Bonchamps, later Jacques Cathelineau | 12,000 |
| Cholet and Beaupréau | Maurice d'Elbée | 9,000 |
| Maulévrier | Jean-Nicolas Stofflet | 3,000 |
| Châtillon-sur-Sèvre | Henri de la Rochejaquelein | 7,000 |
| Bressuire | Louis Marie de Lescure | 6,000 |
| Argenton-les-Vallées | de Laugrenière | 2,000 |
| Loroux | François Lyrot | 3,000 |