"Did Napoleon’s Favourite Marshal End His Days As An" Topic

….American High School Teacher?

""I AM NEY OF FRANCE!" Those were reportedly the last words of an obscure 77-year-old North Carolina schoolmaster whose death in 1846 touched off a mystery that has consumed historians for more than a century and a half.

Was the deceased Peter Stuart Ney more than just a mild-mannered head master who had taught in and around Rowan County, North Carolina for more than 20 years? Was he also Michel Ney, "bravest of the brave," field marshal to Napoleon, the Duke of Elchingen and veteran of countless battles?

The life story of France's Marshal Ney reads like something out of a Bernard Cornwell novel. The son of a barrel maker who rose from the ranks as a trooper in the French hussars to eventually lead Napoleon's Grande Armée, Ney was a bona fide war hero — wounded in battle, captured, released, decorated and later promoted to general…"
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Probably not… but it is still an interesting end with romantic connotations for such a brave warrior. If you really like the theme …

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Armand

"… Napoleon's Favourite Marshal…"
That will go down well….?

Ummmm …. thats a no …. and a no ….!

Another great post Armand.

This is one of those stories that I want to be true, even if it isn't. The article said no similarities in handwriting were found. Some years ago I read about this and what I read then said that the school teacher Ney had a book about the First Empire in which he had written corrections in the margins. Supposedly handwriting experts compared these marginal notes to known examples of Marshal Ney's handwriting and concluded both were written by the same person.

The article mentioned that Ney became a duke. Unless I read it too hurriedly, it omitted to state that he was also Prince de la Moscowa.

Tom

I would've assumed that, after all those unsupported cavalry charges at Waterloo, the "Dumbest of the Dumb" would've ended his days as a horsie meatball merchant at Ikea.

I thought Bernadotte was his favorite Marshal.
And he didn't end his days as a teacher in America.

As the OFM said, double dealing everyone turned out well for the King of Sweden. I doubt that Bernie was Napoleons fav.

One can be "the bravest of the brave" and an "idiot" at the same same. I think Napoleon has called him both.

Is there any record that Ney spoke English?

One would think that might have been a job requirement.

You would think that he would learn to speak to horses. However, I have it on good authority that horses hated him. In fact, when they caught sight of him, they would immediately whinnie "Neeeeey!" Which is how he got his name…true story.

Glad you enjoyed it Garry…

Armand

Makes one wonder why Nappy didn't stop him? Methinks that reckless as the charges may have been, Nappy was in command, thus it's his fault. Surely Nappy saw the forming up? He also must have witnessed the multiple, fruitless assaults too? But Nappy isn't blamed oh no! Not the great infallible forwardcombinglittlefateffer. He's not to be like other commanders so must be exonerated from guilt.

Good grief.

It is terrible when history gets distorted and a subject that could be a good discussion gets distorted for whatever possible reason.

This has been floating around maybe 20 years?
I doubt it, but then Anastasia might have been a seamstress in Boston too.

I am sure I remember reading about how Marshal Ney came over to the U.S. on the same boat as Louis XVII.

Bit longer than 20 years.

James Weston's Ney-was-a-schoolteacher book (pretty much the Bible of Ney-nuttiness) is available on Hathitrust:

Historic doubts as to the execution of Marshal Ney:

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I think the firing squad, not to mention the officer in charge, would have recognized him.
Someone got shot after all, and the whole idea of a Sidney Carton taking Ney's place is, to quote someone… "ludicrous in the extreme".
It's such a silly idea, I've never bothered to "research" it.

Handwriting "experts". Sure. I watched that "60 Minutes".

I remember this story appearing in Military History Magazine back in the late 90's.

Its on the internet, so it must be true.

Well of course.
Particularly if on Wikipedia.

EDIT: Oh dear. No Wikipedia article on What's his Name Ney!
Well, then. I guess it's all a fraud then.

What I read supporting this story is that both Wellington and Ney were Masons and that is what led to the fake execution. If that were true, the officer in charge and any others with a need to be in on in would likely have been Masons as well.

Maybe wishful thinking on my part.

Tom

Good luck with that theory and connection. Wellington either denied having been a member, or just attended one meeting.
I went down that rabbit hole via the Google Express, and found all kinds of contradictory plots. I won't dignify them by calling them "theories".
If true, what did the plot accomplish?

MGM did a short on the theory as part of the studio's short subject series "The Passing Parade" or another series they did back in the 1930's and '40's.

Big fan of our bravest Marshal that I am not withstanding, I was hoping for an interesting little article even though I am very dubious of this old story. It would be cool though if one of my favorite Marshals made it here. But the "Napoleon's favorite Marshal" part killed it for me.

A few years ago myself and my Princess Walaweska were down in Raleigh visiting, and I suggested she might find a side trip to visit Peter Ney's grave in Rowan to be a fascinating experiance. Sadly, she declined my generous offer and has yet to express any regret at doing so.

John

By the way…

Les maréchaux d'Empire

Here
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Armand