CHOUANS were bands of insurgent royalists, who, the French revolution, organized a reactionary movement in Brittany. They obtained their name from their leader, Jean Cottereau. This person, who had been a smuggler, went by the name of Chouan—a corruption, it is said, of chat-hi/ant (" screech-owl ")--because, while he and his accomplices were engaged in their nocturnal work, they were wont to be warned of their flinger by some one ou the watch imitating the cry of this bird. At the period of the revolt, however, he followed the humble occupation of a clog-maker. The first indi cations of an auti-revolutionary spirit in Brittany manifested themselves in the begin ning of 1791, when several trees of liberty were destroyed at night, and other more serious outrages committed. These disturbances were fomented by seditious priests. In 1792, and insurrection was planned by the marquis de ]a Rouarie, with the sanction and approval of the two brothers of Louis XVI. The agents of the marquis entered into communications with Jean Cottereau—well known for the reckless audacity of his character—and other smugglers; but having the misfortune to be arrested, the carrying out of the insurrection devolved upon the latter. The C'Tfouttnerk, as the insurrection
was called, at first digraced itself, both by the drunken license and the cruelty which marked it. After several successful exploits of the guerrilla sort, Jean Cottereau perished in an engagement which.took place ou the 28th July, 1794, near the wood of Misdon, the theater of his first efforts. Before this, however, other and more illustrious leaders had appeared in Brittany to direct the movement, the chief of whom were Georges Cadou dal (q.v.) and Charette. Through their endeavors it was more widely extended, and for a time seemed likely to imperil the security of France, but was suppressed towards the close of 1799. Petty spurts of insurrection, however, broke out till about 1803, when the Chonetnerie ceased for awhile. In 1814-15, it again made its appearance on both sides of the Loire; and after the July revolution, was once more excited by the duchess of Berry on behalf of the duke of Bordeaux, but crushed by the energetic measures taken by 31. Thiers. •