About four o'clock
There was a bridge over the Thoué , close to the town of Saumur , called the bridge of Fouchard . This bridge was between Bournan and the town , as also between the camp and the town , and the possession of this bridge would be of great advantage to the royalist army . Stofflet was charged to obtain this advantage , if he did not find that the cannons from the town prevented him . About four o'clock the army was on the move from Montreuil , and by eight they were again in front of the camp at Varin ; the portion of the road which they had passed in such confusion the night but one before , and where they had left their cannon and their waggons , was now stripped of all signs of the encampment , which had been made there , nothing but the deep ruts , made by the cannon wheels , were to be seen ; everything which they had brought with them , the trophies of all their victories , the white flags which the ladies of La Vende had worked for them ; the provisions , the wine and meat , which the kindness of their landlords had sent with them , were all gone -- were in the hands of the republicans ; these reflections served to rouse the anger of the peasants , and made them determined to get back what they had lost , though they pulled down the walls of Saumur with their nails . At a few moments after eight , the attack commenced ; the first assault was headed by Cathelineau , who rushed into the trenches , accompanied by the Curé of St. Laud . Father Jerome held a large crucifix in his hands , and as he followed Cathelineau , he lifted it high above his head , to encourage the men who were about to make the assault ; hundreds of them were on the verge of the trench as he did so ; others were following them closely ; they were already within fire of the republican batteries , the balls from which were falling among them ; but , regardless of the firing , they all fell on their knees , with their faces towards the earth , as soon as they saw the crucifix in the hands of their priest ; and there , on the very field of battle , offered up a prayer that they might that day be victorious . `` They will be cut down like grass , simpletons that they are , '' said Stofflet ; `` besides , the first moment is everything ; two hundred should by this time have been within the camp . ''