Of all the marshals, undoubtedly the one regarded most synonymously with the word itself is Ney. Indeed, to many laymen he is inevitably called 'Marshal Ney' as if it were a Christian name. He is perhaps the epitome of all the marshals, recklessly brave yet woefully inadequate.
Early Career
Ney was born at Sarrlouis (Moselle) on January 10th 1769. His father was a barrel maker and a veteran of the Seven Years War. Receiving a bilingual college education with the aim of a career in the civil service, Ney already thirsted for glory. In 1787, before the revolution, he enlisted in the Colonel General des Hussards Regiment and by the age of 23, six years later he had been promoted to regimental sergeant major. eight months later he was commissioned.
In 1794 he held a small cavalry command under Kleber, being badly wounded in the left shoulder at the siege of Maastricht on December 22nd, 1794.
On August 1st, 1796 Ney was made a General de Brigade following the capture of Wurzburg, and just over a year later he was captured at Giessen by the Austrians. Following his release Ney was further promoted to General de Division in 1799 and the following year he served at Hohenlinden with Moreau, with whom who was most friendly.
Marriage and a Baton
Despite this, Ney found favour with Bonaparte through the unusual expedient at this time of marriage. Ney wisely fell in love with one of Josephine de Beauharnais' protégées Aglaee Louise Auguiee, the daughter of one of Louis XVI's financial advisors. She was considerably too good for him but Ney undoubtedly swept her off her feet.
This marriage, it would seem, did Ney no harm in becoming the twelfth senior marshal in 1804, despite not having served with Napoleon. He was, however, given VI Corps for the proposed invasion of England, stationed at Montreuil. It was here that he met the Swiss military theorist Antoine-Henri Jomini. His college education was such that he was fascinated by Jomini's Treatise on Grand Military Operations, taking Jomini onto his staff and causing the work to be published.
Triumphs and Blunders
Ney's VI Corps won him his ducal title at Elchingen on October 14th 1805, and although he missed Austerlitz he fought at Jena exactly a year after Elchingen. Here he showed in command that he had lost none of his hussar's rashness, leading his cavalry prematurely into danger. Gently castigated by the Emperor, Ney made reparation by taking Erfurt and Magdeburg.
At the start of January 1807 Ney found himself garrisoned in East Prussia and very short of supplies. On his own initiative he moved east to look for forage and encountered Lestocq's Prussians, from whom he was obliged to retreat. This information came into the hands of the Russian commander-in-chief, Bennigsen who believed a genuine French offensive had been blunted. With this information, the Russian decided to remove the French from Poland completely.
Ney again felt Napoleon's wrath for bringing about this offensive, which culminated in the savagely brutal battle of Eylau on February 8th. Ney's part in the battle consisted of arriving late behind Lestocq, although his presence convinced Bennigsen to retire. On June 14th, however, Ney was fully reinstated to the Emperor's pleasure leading the right wing at Friedland. Even Berthier later paid tribute to Ney's "brilliant courage". The praise was not universal, though. Davout for one criticised the ill discipline of VI Corps on the march.
On August 2nd 1808 Ney was sent to Spain. The following two and a half years revealed everything bad about Ney the Soldier. Immediately the Emperor left the scene, he became irascible, insubordinate and extremely bellicose.
Massena
On November 23rd 1808 at Tudela, Ney first showed signs of tardiness which were to have far more critical consequences in 1813. Ordered to cut off the Spanish retreat, he was nowhere to be found. Subsequently, under the command of both Soult and Massena he drove them to distraction by his uncooperative attitude. Ney certainly hated Massena, and envied his position of command. This was encouraged by Massena's current lack of drive and his continual gold-hunting.
Ney and Massena clashed again at the siege of Ciudad Rodrigo in June 1810. Junot had sent a highly trained engineer, one Colonel Valaze to Ney, who had promptly sent him back with a derogatory reply. Massena then returned Valaze to Ney who once more returned him with an even more insulting letter for Massena! Valaze subsequently returned to be badly wounded in July.
In September 1810 Ney performed badly at Bussaco, as did most of the French general staff. Ney led too close to the action, as was his want, and subsequently had no control over the engagement. Massena's poor cavalry reconnaissance did not help, it must be said.
The pair clashed again when Coimbra was looted. Massena received back a telescope he had sent to Ney with an attached message making reference to handling stolen property. In fact, Ney saved his best performance for the retreat where he led the rear guard. again a portent of things to come. At the end of the retreat, Ney's dissent became insufferable to the rapidly ageing Massena who dismissed him from the army.
To Russia and Final Glory
Following a spell in charge of the camp at Boulogne, Ney was given III Corps for the invasion of Russia. He fought hard, being wounded in the neck at Smolensk. He was full of fire at Borodino but he saved the highlight of his entire life for the retreat, and so earn that enduring nickname, the Bravest of the Brave.
Saddled with the rearguard, Ney left Moscow on November 3rd 1812, fifteen days after Napoleon's departure. It was already snowing. By November 18th, he commanded only 6,000 men and 12 guns. Nevertheless, when Miloradovitch cut him off, the Russian officer sent with a demand to surrender received the following rejoinder: "A Marshal of France does not surrender. One does not parley under the fire of the enemy. You are my prisoner."
Tactically during the retreat Ney was superb. Napoleon believed he was lost and his final return was greeted like another Marengo. For at least a while he would become a living legend. By December 13th Ney's command was down to about 100 men, yet he still held the bridge at Kovno. He was the last man to leave Russian soil.
Germany 1813
On March 25th 1813 Ney was created Prince de la Moskowa, elevating him to the same status as Davout and Massena. Sent back to Paris on a morale boosting exercise, Ney showed that vanity and pride did not always go together. He hated it.
However, his return to III Corps in Germany shows perhaps the first signs of his distrust of Napoleon's judgement. He opposed fighting in Germany at all. Whilst a lion in battle, Ney appears to have been similar to Murat away from the cannon, allowing others to ride roughshod over him. He became detached and surly, and his lack of co-operation returned.
Ney was hit in the right leg at Lützen, where his performance is again suspect. He was worse at Bautzen, when commanding IV corps he demonstrated that such command was beyond him. Indeed, it has been argued that his behaviour at Bautzen was the single most decisive act in nailing down the coffin of the First Empire.
Ney then lost Jomini, who deserted when facing arrest by Berthier over trumped up charges. The vicious little chief of staff reciprocated Ney's dislike.
Ney fought far more capably under direct control at Dresden but given command of the advance on Berlin, he was crushed at Dennewitz by Bülow as a result of negligent reconnaissance. He is rumoured to have been so distressed that he considered suicide.
The enmity with the Emperor came to a head after Dennewitz. Napoleon had learnt that amongst others Bernadotte, commanding the allied Army of the North, had been in correspondence with Ney. Along with Murat, they nearly came to blows.
At Leipzig, Ney was badly wounded in the shoulder and returned to France, rejoining the Emperor in 1814 for the French campaign, during which he would command the Young Guard. Despite his usual brave battlefield performances, Ney was at the head of the group of Marshals who cornered Napoleon at Fontainebleau demanding his abdication.
The Turncoat Showing a distinct lack of loyalty, Ney was perfectly happy to serve under the returned Bourbons where he became the premier soldier in France. He did, however, clash loudly with the new officers brought up by the Bourbon regime. He was just about to fall foul of the spiteful Duchess of Angouleme when news came of Napoleon's escape from Elba. In the ensuing panic, all eyes turned to Ney. Famously, and rashly, Ney promised to bring Napoleon back "in an iron cage."
On March 13th 1815, Ney received a message from Napoleon ordering him to meet his Emperor at Chalons. The ever-changeable Ney agreed. His reputation may have been dented by his second defection, but it put an end to Bourbon ideas of victory. They fled.
Napoleon initially did not intend to use Ney during the 100 Days campaign, obviously not trusting either his judgement or loyalty. At the last minute he changed his mind, and ordered Davout as minister of war to send Ney back to the colours. This was in theory a good move from a morale point of view. The soldiers adored Ney, and he them. From that point on, things went down hill.
Heroic Despair
Napoleon undoubtedly was not the general he once had been. If he were, he surely would not have given 'Le Rougeaud' command of the left wing. At Quatre Bras, Ney was so laid back that he was practically horizontal, and he again failed to co-operate with another commander - this time his Emperor. He also failed to occupy the crucial cross-roads village.
Ney's part at Waterloo is known to every schoolboy historian. His incredibly inept use of unsupported arms can be a lesson to any wargamer although of course his personal bravery was as usual above all others. His final attack with the Old Guard is indeed blood curdling stuff - "... see how a Marshal of France can die!" It would not be long before he did.
Following the defeat at Waterloo, Ney returned to France, but fatally delayed his decision to go into exile. On August 3rd 1815 he was arrested near Aurillac. He was returned to Paris to face trial. An attempt by his lawyers to suggest that as Sarrlouis was no longer French the same applied to its offspring was wrecked by the defendant proudly stating his Frenchness for all to hear. It would have made little difference. He was condemned by his peers.
On December 7th 1815, Michel Ney was executed by firing squad at the Carrefour de l'Observatoire in the Jardins du Luxembourg. His final order to French troops was to "... fire straight at the heart..."
Conclusions
Ney is without doubt a fascinating character. Perhaps the most interesting of all the marshals. On the plus side his personal bravery is an inspiration to all who value such commodities in men. Tactically he was a good commander, particularly under the eye of Napoleon himself. His faults, regrettably do much to adulterate this. As an independent commander he was most often hopeless. He was uncooperative in the extreme, prone to bouts of unreasonable envy and jealousy. His lack of loyalty is also distasteful, although by no means unique.
The suggestion of shell shock after Russia has been condemned by some. I am not so certain. He went through what few others can imagine, especially in this day and age. The effects of this should not casually be rejected. It has also been suggested that Ney's qualities complemented Napoleon's. This may be true in earlier years, but I suggest that the best thing that could have happened for France and Ney is that after 1812 he should have been retired and never held command again.
Back to Table of Contents -- First Empire #21
Back to First Empire List of Issues
Back to MagWeb Master Magazine List
© Copyright 1997 by First Empire.
This article appears in MagWeb (Magazine Web) on the Internet World Wide Web. Other military history articles and gaming articles are available at http://www.magweb.com