Ney, Michel

b. 1769; d. 1815

Marshal of the first French Empire, born at Saarlouis, the son of a cooper. He was a non-commissioned officer in a hussar regiment when the Revolution began, and soon became famous for his personal courage. For the capture of Mannheim he was made a general of division in 1799. After the Peace of Lunéville, Bonaparte, anxious to win Ney to his party, arranged his marriage with a young aristocratic friend of Hortense Beauharnais, and appointed him inspector-general of cavalry.

On the creation of the Empire he was made a marshal. In 1805 he stormed the entrenchment of Elchingen, and was created Duke of Elchingen. He afterwards rendered important services in the Tirol; contributed much to the French successes of 1806 and 1807; and served in Spain with great ability in 1808 and 1809, but quarrelled violently with Masséna, his superior officer in the invasion of Portugal of 1810-11. In 1812 he received the command of the third corps d'armée, and distinguished himself at Smolensk and the Moskwa, being created Prince of the Moskwa.

It was largely due to his devotion in command of the rearguard that some remnants were saved in the 1812 retreat. He had a principal part in the campaigns of 1813 and 1814, and subsequently went over to the Bourbons. On Napoleon's return from Elba, Ney was sent against Napoleon at the head of 4000 men, but went over to his side. He commanded at Quatre-Bras, and in the battle of Waterloo commanded the centre, and had five horses shot under him. After the capitulation of Paris he tried to escape to Switzerland; but was arrested, condemned to death for high treason and shot.

Ney was fundamentally a simple soldier, at his best in the height of battle, or in moments of military crisis (as in 1812), when his great bravery acted as an inspiration to all around him: he was, however, a quarrelsome officer, and an indifferent strategist. His sons published his Mémoires, 1833.

© JM Dent/Historybookshop.com

Related articles