The Vancouver independent. (Vancouver, W.T. [Wash.]) 1875-1910, 1879-03-20
The Marshal Ney Romance.

light bearing on the romantic story
which assumes that Marshal Ncy, the
popular hero of the French army in Ma
poeon Bonapartc's time, and commander
of the Old Guard at Waterloo. died an
exile in North Carolina. The story,w;th
some notifications and unimportant Nd
ditions, comes up at regular intervals TO
lay hold on the sympathy and iinagira-
ton Of those vino delight Ill mystery,
and who find i'll the career of the dash
ing French Marshal all the charms of
romantic narrative. As this is the case,
the latest contributions as to the posi-
bilities of The Marshal's life in America,
will interest many readers.
History paints Marshal Ney, Duke Of
Elchington and Prince Of Moskva, as
the ideal soldier, as the 'brayest Of the
brave" He was among Napoleon's fav.
orites, and distinguished himself in al
the great battles of the Napoleon era.
When the Emperor abdicated, Ney for
mally accepted the Bourbon dynasty,
but when Bonapartc returned from Elba,
the MAJ shall joined his old leader, and
was with him to the last When the
allies occupied Paris after Waterloo.
Ney vas arraigned before the Chamber
of Peers on the charge of treason. He
was pronounced guilty, and was publicly
shot in the garden Of the Luxembourg,
Dec. :. 1915. Ten balls, it was said,
entered his body, and death was instant
aneous The people, the soldiers and
the officials present all knew Marshal
Ney, and there could be no question as
to the identity Of the man executed.
a few months after this execution, Or
in January, 1916, a distinguished look
ing Frenchman landed at Charleston, S.
G.. This man bore so striking re-
semblance to Marshal Ney that Philip
Petrie, one Of his old soldiers, employed
on the vessel, recognized him and ac
costed him as his old commander. The
stranger, without admitting or denying
his identity, said gruffiy, "Marshal Ney
was shot in Paris. sir, and kept to his
cabin during the remainder OF the voyage.
The North Carolina correspondent gives
Petrie's residence, if living. as Eavnston,
H., Milwaukee, Wis, or Detroit, Mich.
The Frenchman who resembled Mar
shall Ney went from South Carolina to
North Carolina in 1912, where he was
known as Peter Stuart Ney. He taught
school for many years, and was well
known in Ircdell county. Several
times, when under the influence OF
wine, he spoke of himself as Marshal
Ney. and enlarged upon the incidents of
his army career. On one occasion he
told the story of the supposed execution.
and said that the soldiers detailed to
shoot him had private instructions to
aim high. They fired above him, but he
fell, and the attending physicians, being
in the conspiracy, pronounced him dead,
and turned the body over to his friends,
He was conveyed to Bordeaux. from
whence he sailed 10 America.
On one occasion the North Carolina
Ney was visited by a mysterious ,tran
ger, who received from him many docu-
ments. When he received the news of
the death OF Napoleon's son. the Duke
of Reichstadt. in 1882, he wa, in the
school-room. He lost hi, sclf-control,
and, after passionate outburst, said:
"The Prince Imperial is dead, and my
hopes are blasted" He dismissed school,
and remained in his room for several
days, destroying in the meantime large
number OF private papers. In verse,
written in an album three years later, he
put in words his disappointment and the
growing up of the hope that he might be
recalled to France.
On one occasion, when drunk. he was
laid across Il horse to be carried home.
This aroused him from stupor, and he
exclaimed: what put the Duke Of
Elchingen on 4 horse like a sacl, Let
me down"
Peter Stuart Ncy removed to Rowan
county, Nor.h Carolina, where he died
in 1916. In his fits of delirium he raved
about his old comrades and the old
battles. Among his last words were
g Bessieres has fallen, and the Old Guard
is defeated-now let me die" He died
October IL, 1916, and the remains were
inferred in the graveyard of the Third
Greek Meeting House.
The new facts brought out by the cor