The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1884-02-09
Marshal Ney an American.

was making that terrible retreat from
Moscow there was one who shared with
the great leader the credit due for the
safe return of what was left of the proud
and gigantic army that less than year
before invaded Russian territory. That
man was Marshal Michel Ney, the
trusted counselor and bravest General
of the ambitious Emperor. Every stu
dent of history remembers with feeling
of admiration the gallant conduct of
NeY at the battle of BorodinO; how he
was told to guard the rear while the
army crossed the Moskva, and how he
was the last man to leave Russian soil.
Although he was shot as a traitor after
the defeat at Waterloo, Ney won for
himself the title, ''the bravest of the
brave" conferred upon him by Napo-
leon, and there is no one but who
would be proud to claim him for a
countryman.
While Ney's biographers have re-
counted in glowing language his deeds
of daring on the battlefield, they pay
but little attention to his birth and
early history, of which very little is APP
parentlv known. French writers say
he was born at Saarlouis, France, but
give no details, showing that they. do
not know very much about it. A
Leader reporter few days since gained
possession of information which not
only goes to show that there is some
probability that he was an American,
but that he was possibly great-uncle
of Mrs. Garfield, the wife of the late
President Garfield. Some time prior
to, and during the War of the Revolu-
ton, there lived in the beautiful Shen-
andoah Valley of Virginia a family by
the name of Rudolph. In this family
the father of Mr.. Il. Rudolph,
of Mentor, the father of Mrs.
Garfield. Another brother named
Michael, during the War of the
Revolution, left his young wife at home
and Joined the Colonial army. OF
more than average ability. it is said he
soon became an officer and rose to con-
siderable prominence. When the war
was almost over and he was thinking
of returning to his home, he received
the intelligence that his wife had proved
unfaithful Maddened by this informa-
ton, he at once left the army and quit
the country, and was never heard from
thereafter. Some eight or ten years
later Michael Ney, serving in a regi-
ment of French hussars, was promoted
to Sub-Lieutenant. His brilliant mill
tarv achievements won for him favor in
the eyes of his superiors, and in 1897
he was made Brigadier General in the
Army of the Rhine. Two years later
| he was made a General of Division. In
| 1903 he aided in the preparations for the
invasion of England, and the following
wear was made Field-Marshal of the
army. In 1905 he was conspicuous for
his bravery, and was made Duke of
Elchingen. In 1912 he again assumed
an active position in the army, and
| fought bravely during the Russian CAM
paign, winning fresh laurels. The tide
! then turning, Napoleon, no longer vic
| torious, was deposed, and Louis XVIII,
the Bourbon King, assumed the reins
of government. Ney was created a
| Peer of France and placed in command
of nearly the entire cavalry force.
When Napoleon returned from Elba in
! 1915 Ney again espoused his cause and
| followed him to the field of Waterloo,
where he fought with his accustomed
| bravery. Defeat came, and Ney was
condemned to death In the Garden of
the Luxembourg he was shot, his body
| being riddled with bullets, and mon
ument now marks the spot where the
| hero fell.
Shortly after Ney's execution there
appeared in Baltimore Frenchmen
who made inquiries after the Rudolph
family. stating that among the dead
soldiers private effects there had been
found short autobiography, in which
| he said that he was not a Frenchmen,
as had been supposed, but an Ameri-
can. He said that his name was
Michael Rudolph, and that he was
| born in Maryland. After leaving this
country because of his wife's infidelity,
he went to Ireland. Remaining there
| short time he went to France.
Quickly learning the French language,
he sank his individuality and forgot his
| sorrow in the great French army by en-
listing under the name of Michael Ney,
which he retained to the day of his
death. His wife's conduct may have
induced him to change his name, but
he may have had other reasons. 1t is
known that he married again in France,
but very little is said of his family rela-
tons. About thirty-tive years ago this
story was revived and published in
many papers in this country. Nothing
but the claim that Ney was an Ameri-
can was made prominent, however.
A Leader reporter becoming pos
sessed of the above information yester-
day called upon Mr.. Il. Rudolph, Mrs.
| Garfelds father, at Mentor. The old
gentleman, after hearing the story, said:
Eyes, had an uncle named Michael
Rudolph, and he left the country in the
manner stated. Some sixty years ago,
when ! was a small boy, my parents
received newspaper containing sub
stantially the same story that you have
told me. About forty years ago while
at hotel in Southern town, picked
up Life of Bonaparte' in which /
found an allusion to Ney being of
American birth. kept copy of that
newspaper or clippings from it for q
long time, but have mislaid them some-
where, so cannot find them at present.
MY father always believed that Marshal
Ney was his brother, but l would not
like to claim relationship to such dis
tinguished man without further proof. y
In conversation with a friend in
which he brought up the subject, Mrs.
| Garfield stated that there had been