LA 'ROCHEJAQUELIN, HENRI du VERGIER, conte di. - Vendéan general, b. at the château of La Durbellière (Châtillon-sur-Sèvre) on 3 Aug. 1772, d. at Nouaillé on 4 March 1794. A pupil of the military school of Sorèze and an officer of the royal guard in 1791, he joined the Vendéans in revolt against the Revolution and distinguished himself in their ranks for military ability and personal heroism.
The severe reverse suffered by the royalists at Cholet on 17 Oct. 1793 brought L. to the supreme command of the insurrection.
By skilful manoeuvring he defeated the republicans at Entrâmes on 27 Oct., but a few days later he was heavily defeated before Granville (13 Nov.) and then again at Le Mans a month later, because of the numerical disparity between his forces and those of the three armies of Westermann, Marceau, and Kléber. Nevertheless, the very young general organized the retreat beyond the Loire, and after the decisive defeat at Savenay, began a fierce guerrilla war which continued, in vain expectation of English aid, until the following spring. Caught in an ambush, he lost his life there.