Ney,
from very modest origin his father is a wet cooper gives up a
peaceful clerical work to engage in a regiment of hussars in
1787. Under the Revolution, he fights at the borders where he
is noticed by Kléber in 1794. His men already gave him
a nickname: «the Untiring one». The loads of the
body of hussars which he controls in 1797 contribute to the victories
of Neuwied and Dierdoff.
When the war begins again in 1798, Ney is made famous by curious
feat of arms: he seizes Manheim by the trick, with only 150 men.
He is promoted major general. After new exploits in the Army
of the Danube, he is invested provisional command of the Army
of the Rhine. He is useful under the commands of Lecourbe when
he learns the strike of state from the 18-Brumaire. Convinced
republican, he is not delighted any but not made nevertheless
act by adhesion to the Consulate.
In 1800, under the command of Moreau, he again makes speak about
him for his participation in the battle of Hohenlinden, December
3. His striking down attack made 10000 prisoners. The First Consul
is interested then of close with this General. He is married
with a friend of Hortense de Beauharnais and appoints him ambassador
in Switzerland. In 1803, he entrusts VIth to him army corps of
the camp of Boulogne. The following year, he does him marshal.
Ney does not have his similar to conduct the attacks. He however
makes a poor strategist and the Emperor will always have care
to direct him closely. In 1805, Ney launches out to shift to
the head of VIth body. In Elchingen (October 14, 1805), he drives
back the Austrians towards Ulm, victory which will be worth to
him in 1808 the ducal title. He goes then on the Tyrol from where
he drives out the archduke Charles.In 1806, he takes part in
the campaign of Prussia. Present with Iéna, October 14,
he takes along his divisions to the attack of the Prussian lines.
But, carried by his dash, he is found encircled. Lannes draws
him from this bad step. The following day, Ney takes Erfurt and
a few days later starts the head office of Magdeburg, sits which
will last less than 24 hours.
He
is everywhere; in Eylau (8 February 1807) where he arrives late
on the battle field, but constrained Russians to be folded up,
in Guttstadt, where he fights 70 000 men with only 14 000 soldiers,
in Friedland, where he attacks the left wing of the enemy army
and throws it in Alle. The marshal enjoys now an immense reputation
and worship his soldiers.
From 1808 to 1811, Ney is used in Spain and for Portugal. After
several successes, he starts the seat of Villa-Franca. When the
army of Masséna carries out his retirement, continued
by Wellington, he carries out the rearguard actions, with the
6 000 men who remain of his body.He badly supports to be placed
hierarchically under Masséna, to receive instructions
of others that the Emperor. The quarrels are frequent. Ney grumbles
as long as Napoleon ends up relieving him in March 1811. Returned
to France, he is given the responsability to prepare one of the
army corps which will invade Russia.
This campaign will be most glorious of the marshal. He takes
an active part in the catch of Smolensk, where he receives a
ball in the neck. At the time of the battle of Borodino (September
7, 1812), his attack of large fears is decisive. He obtains the
title of prince of Moskowa and the nickname, by Napoleon, of
«brave man of the brave men». At the time of the
retirement, he makes wonders. Responsible for the back keeps,
badgered by the enemies, he miraculously manages to join Napoleon
before the passage of Bérézina. To save 3 000 men
of the disaster, he did not hope the efforts and the sacrifices.
He is one of the last French to leave the Russian ground.
The
two following years, Ney is placed at key positions, present
at Lützen (May 2, 1813), in Bautzen (May 20-21, 1813), in
Dennewitz (September 6, 1813), where he is beaten by Bernadotte,
in Leipzig finally (October 16-19, 1813). After the defeat, he
judges that the ambition of Napoleon is the principal cause of
the disaster. In April 1814, he is one of those which require
of the Emperor to abdicate, one of those which bring to the tsar
the first abdication.
With the return of the King, Ney addresses his allegiance to
him. Louis XVIII makes him good greeting and names him controlling
Royal Guard and Even of France. Ney starts a life of broker but,
wounded by the coldness which one affects for his commoner origins,
ends up withdrawing himself in his grounds. When the new of the
return of Napoleon reaches Paris, he offers to the King to bring
back the Emperor «in an iron cage». On the way, he
discovers a Bonapartist France. When he meets Napoleon, Ney is
again acquired with his cause. He takes part in the campaign
of Belgium of June 1815, at the sides of his former Master.
A Quatre-Bras (June 16, 1815), his attacks miss strength. At
Mont-Saint-Jean (June 18), his loads are badly organized, directed
to the bad places. Soon Ney seems to search death. After the
defeat, he presents to the Room Pars to try to be justified.
In spite of the passport provided by Fouché, he refuses
to flee. Taken refuge in a village, he lets exposed the Turkish
saber that the Emperor offered to him for his marriage. Thus
he is noticed and arrested, August 3, 1815. The jury charged
to judge him, made up of marshals including one good share acted
like him, declares himself inefficient. The Room of the Pars
takes the business in hand and issues the capital punishment
(among the voters, Chateaubriand).
When one awakes him in his cell to read him the sentence, Ney
understood. He stops the long enumeration of his titles. «Pass.
Say Michel Ney is soon a little of dust». December 7, instead
of carrying out him on the plain of Grenelle, as it is the habit,
one takes along him on the avenue of the Observatory, to avoid
the sways in the crowd. Ney refuses the headband, thunders «Soldiers,
right to the heart!»and fall, shot. Monarchy made an example.
Four years later, it will exonerate the other marshals.
