The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-06-17
WAS He MARSHAL NEY 2
The North Carolina Pedagogue Ma.
Have Been Napoleon's Corps Leader.

The North Carolina Pedegogue May
Have Been Napoleon's Corps Leader.
The recent interesting volume by Rev.
Mr.. Weston, which seems to identity the
old French schoolmaster of North Carolina
with Napoleon's great marshal, gives en-
HANGED value and interest to the recollec-
tions of one of Peter S. Ney's most intelli-
gent pupils.
About twelve years ago was called to
the pastorate of the Presbyterian Church
in Holly Springs, Miss. Among my new
parishioners l found an invalid ply sician,
DR.. Shuford. He had been confined to
his room for many years, but these years
of sickness and suffering had not in the
least beclouded his fine intellect or af-
fected his remarkable memory. He had
been student from boyhood, and fon d.
ness for nature had developed habits of
careful and critical observation. His in
teresting personality and character drew
me to him and / often enjoyed a morning
with him in his sickroom, sometimes
deeply interested in his accounts of the
flora of the new region which had then be-
come my home, but more frequently l
was an eager listener to his "reminiscences.
l was only recently from North Carolina
and the emaciated invalid loved to recall
his own boyhood inathe old North State,
from which he had removed to Mississippi
years before.
One day as | sat beside his invalid chair
and our conversation drifted away TO the
people and scenes of his native hills he
turned to me and asked with animation:
"Did you ever hear of the old French
schoolmaster, Peter S. Ney?"
tYes," [ replied; 'often."
"Well," said the doctor, II was pupil
of his for years."
l had been reared in the midst of revo-
lutionary memories, for my early home
was midway between the two battlefelds
that marked the beginning and the end of
the great confiict-Alamance and Guilford
Courthouse. Those historic fields were
only a few miles distant from the old
church of my fathers, where the venerable
pastor was historian as well as preacher.
and his volumes had helped mold my
tastes. Such environment had naturally
fastened in me passionate interest in the
history and prominent characters of my
native State, and so | had often heard OF
the old French schoolmaster OF Catawba,
and had looked with reverence on his
sword, pistols and other relics kept in the
State Museum in Raleigh.
EYES," continued the doctor, che was
my teacher in western North Carolina for
several years, and / knew him intimately.
That was some time in the '30s, for he died
in 1912, when about 70 years old. | have
never doubted that he was Marshal Ney.
There was much about him that was mys-
FERROUS and that indicated an eventful ear
lier history. Moreover, he was a man
among men, brave, manly, chivalrous.
He had come mysteriousiy into the neigh
borhood years. before, made no confidants,
lived alone, was digniied and reserved and
studiously avoided all attempts at inquiry
into his past history. He taught a private
school for boys, carrying us into Latin and
mathematics. He was usually faithful to
his work, but occasionally he INDUCED IN
spree.
cat such times he was accustomed to
ask me and one of my fellows Che always
showed marked confidence in us) to come
to his room and stay with him to take care
of him while in his delirium.
81 shall never forget those occasions
they were indelibly photographed on my
memory. While completely under the in
fuence of intoxicants, often dellrious, the
hitherto reticent, reserved schoolmaster
became an animated, brilliant soldier
striding the floor with Majestic tread and
flashing eye. Often at such times in the
dead of night, as we sat by the 6reside in
wonder and awe, my companion and |
heard him laundering out his orders on
the battlefield 20 imaginary subordinates,
or by turns, with princely Difference, touch
ing his hat and exclaiming, 'Sire' as if he
again stood in the presence OF Napoleon.
Sometimes he seemed to be in confer
ence with Kleber (under whom Marshal
Ney first rose to distinction), then there
would be illusions to Massena, but always
with scowl and look of scorn. Some
times in these drunken sprees he fancied
he was on the field of HohenlindeE or at
jena or Eylau, and he would rush to and
fro, pointing this way and that, as he