four o'clock in the morning
`` Yes , '' said de Lescure , `` and they will have learnt to think that our attacks in that quarter are only feints . '' `` Such may be our good luck , M. de Lescure ; at any rate , if you think of nothing better , we may try it . '' It was thus decided , and arranged that Larochejquelin should , on the following evening , leave the main body of the army with all the mounted men belonging to it , and advance near enough to the camp at Varin to allow of his being seen and heard by the republicans , and that he should almost immediately retreat : that a body of infantry should then move on , and take up a position near to the camp , which should also return after a while , and that as soon as darkness had come on , a third advance should be made by a larger body of men , who should , if possible , approach within musket shot o the trenches , and endeavour to throw the republicans into disorder . At four o'clock in the morning , the real attack was to be made by the combined Vendean forces , of which Cathelineau was to lead the centre , de Lescure the left , consisting of the men brought by himself and Larochejaquelin from the centre of the Bocage ; and d'Elbée the right , which was formed of men chiefly brought by M. Bonchamps from the province of Anjou . M. Bonchamps was himself too ill from the effects of his wounds to accompany the army beyond Doué . Early on the following morning the whole army , with the exception of the men left with Foret , defiled out of Doué , and crossed over to the Montreuil road , dragging with them their cannons , baggage-waggons , and ammunition ; their movements were not made with very great order , nor with much celerity ; but , about six o'clock in the evening , on the 10th of June , Cathelineau took up his position about a league from Saumur . They got possession of one or two farm-houses , and were not long in making their arrangements for the night ; the men were accustomed to sleep out in the open air since the war commenced , and were well content to remain in clusters round the cannons and the waggons .