Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1847-03-17
From the st. Louis Reveille. Il
gfSassaal Ney an Americana

We condense from the Southern Liter |
airy Messenger, the following very inter
esling and not improbable Identification Of
the Celebrated Marshal Ney, Prince Of
Moscow, with .Micheul Rudolph, distin-
gaiihed soldier Of the American revolu.
tion. Fnr.hsr enquiry may YET nnravel
the mystery, and give TO the western con. !
tinent' the honor Of having furnished Eu- |
rope withone Of the greatest Of her mod-
srn heroes.
Micheal Rudolph was born at Elkton,
in tie State Of Maryland. His parents
we're either German, or Of German ex.
traction. They are represented as very
worthy people, but in humble circumstan-
ces, and mol able, in consequence, 10 con-
fer upon lheir children many cfaihss adj
yantsgcsof education OF society. Micheal
grew up hardy and promising in person
and spirit; eager, intelligent and bold, but
i,literate. He Joined the American army
at very early period, as common SOL
der, and when he was . little more than
sixteen years Of age. We have reason
to believe that he was with corps un-
der Ii. Colonel Lee, while that brave par
lisan was only Captain, and sometime
before the formation Of that celebrated Le-
gion. To have been captain in such a
body OF men at its fret formation, argues
a reputation already well recognized, and
the possess sion of qualities for service
which were well known te the Comman-
der-in-chief. This was the commission
held by Rudolph in the Legion, when our
attention is first drawn to his achieve
ments. In 1890 he was chosen as the lea
der Of the forlorn hope when the British
post at Paulus Hook was to be attacked.
This post was held by strong body Of
British undert the command Of Maj. South
erland. Tie fort was taken by surprise
and storm, and the conduct of Rudolph at
the head Of the assailing party, amply JUS
titled the confidence Of his commander.
The Legion being ordered to the south,
Rudolph assisted Marion in his descent
upon Georgetown. He led one Of the at
tscking parties, and was successful, tho
the expedition partially failed, The Brit
ish commandant Of the place was taken in
his bed, many Of his troops were slain,
but the lack Of cooperation baffled the
full desires of the assailanis. The par.
played on this occasion by Rudolph was
true 10 his well known skill, courage and
audacity.
Garden, a lieutenet in the same CON-
msnd, writes. "There was not an officer
Of the same grade in the Southern army
whose activity and daring spirit produced
such essential advantages TO the service;
yet in the page. Of history he is scarcely
named.''
At the battle Of Guilford under Greene
his bravery was the subject Of special ap-
plause. At the siege Of fort CRANKY he
Was the first to occupy its principal basti-
on, and passing from thi. point towards
towards the post Of Ninety Six" then
under Colonel Cruger, with equal rapidity
and stealth had nearly succeeded in sur-
prising it. He afterwards assaulted and
captured Fort Galphin, an Indian trading
post, filled with royal presents for the H.
dians. He followed up this success by
the capture Of Forts CORVALLIS and Girl
erson. With the Legion under General
GreeneI he participated in the attack up
on upon the British fortress Of "Ninely
Six" The storning party, led by Ru
dolph, succeeded in entering the fort, but
the other was less successful, ard the A
mericahs were forced to retire. At tile
battle Of Entaw he led the Legion Infant.
ny, and broke the British line, and in MI.
merous daring feats afterwards signalized
himself, among which was the capture oil
one Of the enemy's galleys.
With the retiring Of the British from the
south, Rodolph's career in the American
Revolution closes. In 1895 we again
trace him, at the head Of the cavalry with
Wayne in the northwest, where he again
served with distinguished reputation
From there he returned come. and the
revelation Of . domestic calamity of the
most humiliating character drove him forth
on the very next day. In small vessel
laden with tobacco, he sailed from the
Chesapeake for St. Domingo or France,
and here he is lost sight Of during the tnr-
moil Of the revolution. At length a let
ter is received from him, BY Major McIn-
tosh, Of Georgia, urging the latter to seek
fame in revolutionary France; and here
all trace Of Micheal Rudolph is lost, & the
before unknown JNicheal My appears as
a meteor in The military history Of France.
Gen. Pinckney, while in France, learn
ed that there was an American officer
in the French army, in Italy-he was
inKleber's German Legion and Rudolph
born of German parents in America, spoke
the language Of his father. Ney's char
acter in war was the very counterpart Of
thai. Of Rudolph, and like him he was un-
Uttered. On the trial Of that celebrated
Marshall his counsel called upon the court;
to remember and make all allowance for.
one who was foreigner. Many won
dered why the Marshall did not fly to
America with the rest Of Napoleon's fol-
lowers; but it may well be supposed that
the causes which drove him from home
prevented his returning, and made him
rather resolve to front the storm. Mar
.Jnu Evo,,chv vhen in thia coi,ofrv said