six o'clock in the morning
They no longer felt any confidence in their power to resist the onslaught of the peasants . Quetineau himself had no hope of making a successful resistance . He had repeatedly written urgent letters to the authorities at Paris , saying that nothing could be done without large reinforcements of disciplined troops ; and that the National Guard and volunteers were worse than useless , as they frequently ran at the first shot , and excited the hostility of the people , generally , by their habits of plundering . Nevertheless , the old soldier determined to resist to the last , however hopeless the conflict ; and when the Vendeans approached , at six o'clock in the morning , they found that the bridge of Viennes was barricaded and guarded . As soon as they attacked , the general reinforced the defenders of the bridge by his most trustworthy troops ; a battalion , three hundred and twenty-five strong , of Marseillais , and a battalion of the National Guard of Nievre . So stoutly was the post held that the Vendean general saw that the bridge could not be taken , without terrible loss . He therefore contented himself with keeping up a heavy fire all day , while preparing an attack from other quarters .