The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1881-04-16

interviews between Ney and the former
were no difficulties to Ney. How he
must have smiled in his sleeve at the
tedious process Of rendering in French
for his benefit what he was already in pos
session of. Now why should Ney seek
a stranger with whose language he pre-
tended to be totally unfamiliar-seek him
frequently and conduct his conversation
through an interpreter when all the
while he knew the language of the per-
son he spoke with Just as we'll as the lat
ter" Why the mystery 1t may some
what account for it to remember that the
stranger was from the land of Rudolph S
birth. that he came from part of the
country in which Rudolph not only served
for a considerable time. but in which he
resided for a time. where he had formed
several intmacies, and where he had rela-
| tions still. That distinguished French
officer, General Lallemand. resided about
| the years 1918 and 1919 in the neighbor-
| hood OF Philadelphia, and when the ru-
NOR was in circulation which announced
the identity of Ney with Rudulph. he
said he concurred in the description of
/ the personal appearance Of Ney, and de-
clared his conviction that the persons
were the same. The declaration was made
! by Lallemand to the relations of Rudulph
themselves, then living at Elkton. Mary
land, the place of his nativity, and they
have affirmed it to other persons
The matter became currently known in
and around Philadelphia about that time,
and the statement to this effect. and from
which we borrow this portion of our facts,
is from a highly respected citizen of that
| place. Other facts are to be taken in
connection with this Lallemand. among
other particulars, said that when spoken
of by his enemies in the army Of Napo-
leon. Ney was commonly called 1.-The
| foreign tobacco merchant That Ne,
understood and spoke the English Ian
! suage fluently there is no sort of doubt
The portrait of Ney. as published by
his family, presents us with u face which
is anything but French in style and ex-
preston; it belongs to the Saxton caste,
! and would be recognized as such all the
world over.
1t was highly desirable to submit this
portrait to such Americans as had known
Rudlph; but the number remaining when
this counterfeit presentment reached
us was small. But we have the words OF
one who, though a boy only when Rudolph
was in America. had learned to watch
his countenance with admiration. :" Be-
fore my God. - is the language of the
venerable Mr.. Spaldins, II think til,
upper part of the face, in the engraving
ing you have sent me. might be such a.
Michael RuduIph's wunEd have been Il,
the distance of time that has interviewed
between the periods. \ nephew of Ru-
dulph commands the revenue cutter ON
the Georgia station. I think the upper
part Of his face bears some shade of re-
semblancc TO the portrait, &c" And
such was the opinion of other gentlemen
of character who examined the engraved
portrait of Marshal Ney. We have now
given a hasty glance at the general pre-
sumptires upon which the opinion is
founded in portions of the United States.
that Ney and Rudulph were one and the
same person.
1t is not merely that Ney spoke bad
French, but that he spoke good English:
that he concealed his English when with
Americans, though he was known among
the French to be familiar with the Ian
guagc. That he was pronounced foi-
eigner among the French, sneered at as
Il = tobacco trader believed by some of
his most distinguished associates to be
an American. and possessed qualities OF
intellect. character, and person CORE
spending with all that is known of Michael
Rudulph, the American.
We do not say that we are satisfied
with the story, but we think it case
that deserves inquiry.
Such with some other articles in the
Souther" Literary VI Ssengsr of 1871. etc.
were the theory and facts as given by the
writer quoted. and they are manfestly
of curious interest to us.
The undersigned would add to these
curious specuations what he knows and
l,ar col In, hand -, ~
ton.
First, with regard to the striking like
ness of Ney to Rudulph. he remembers
to have heard the late J. B. -. of Bal
timnre, who married Il niece of Michael
Rudulph. several times say: That Gen.
Rewbell who was one of the Directory
of France, and who accompanied Jerome
Bonapartc when he visited Baltimore
land when the latter married Miss Pat
terson. that during hunting trip. snipe
shooting at or near Elkton, Cecil county
Maryland, he was reported to have seen
a picture Of Michael Rudulph. in the
hands of some of his family residing
there probably, and at once pronounced
it the very picture Of Marshal Ney, who
was well known to him" General Rev
bell.) The members of his family who
possessed this picture long since removed
to Tennessee, and may still possess it.
Then as to the family likeness alluded
to between the revenue-cutter nephew
and Rudulph Cor Ney.) The daughter
of the late J. b. above alluded to. and
WHO'S grand. niece Of Michael Rudolph.
now of Baltimore, bears a striking like
ness to the picture of Marshal Ney as pub
lished by Iieaciley in his " Napoleon and
+The legend of Rudolph $ identity with
Ney was never very cordially received by
his Immediate relatives here in Elkton
because of the circumstances under winch
he left his nome. 1t is certain that neither
he nor the vessel. nor any of the crew
were ever heard of aiterwMd IL, as it
is supposed. they ran into some port in
France aud joined the revolutionary army,
then they must all have persisted, unless
bound by some terrible oath, exacted of
them by Rudulph, never to reveal his his
tory. II Ney was Rudolph. it is very
certain that he took extraordinary pains
to conceal his American origin. Although
it was known he could speak English flu
entity. he never would speak it in the