Before the arrival of M.de Larochejaquelin, the blues, as the republican troops were called by the Vendeans, had been driven out of Vihiers by a party of royalists under the direction of Stofflet, who had raised himself to distinction soon after the commencement of the revolt.

This man was a gamekeeper in the employment of an emigrant nobleman, and though he was a rough, harsh, uneducated, quarrelsome man, nevertheless, by his zeal and courage, he had acquired great influence among the people, and was now at the head of a numerous, and, for La Vendee, well-armed body of men.
Our friends accordingly found the road open for them as far as Doue.
After their junction with Stofflet, their army amounted to about 7,500 men; and at Done they were to meet M.Bonchamps and M.de Lescure, who, it was supposed, would bring with them as many more.

They marched out of Vihiers early on the Tuesday morning, having remained there only about a couple of hours, and before nightfall they saw the spire of Doue church.

They then rested, intending to force their way into the town early on the following morning; but they had barely commenced their preparations for the evening, when a party of royalists came out to them from the town, inviting them in.

M.de Lescure and M.Bonchamps were already there.