After the French Revolution, the great dynastic powers of Europe tried to reverse the outcome of the revolution and restore the French monarchy. In 1792, Prussian troops attempted to march on Paris, but were stopped by an army of French levies and commenced a rapid retreat. Michel Ney, who later became one of Napoleon's leading generals, commanded the advanced guard that followed the Prussians in their retreat, and made a great number of French emigrants prisoners. He succeeded in saving all their lives, although the laws condemned them all to death.
After Waterloo, Ney was arrested by the Bourbon police and tried for treason. Two of those he saved in 1792, now peers of France, were the bitterest enemies Ney had at his trial.
法國大革命之後，歐洲各大王國欲扭轉革命成果，使法國復辟。一七九二年，普魯士軍隊進犯巴黎，途中為法國徵募的軍隊所阻，迅速退卻。米歇爾．內伊當時還未成為拿破崙手下大將，率前衞部隊追逐，俘虜了大批逃到國外的法國人。根據法律，這些法國人都要處死，賴內伊營救，全部得免。
滑鐵盧戰役之後，內伊遭波旁王朝的警察拘捕，以叛國罪名審訊。一七九二年獲他相救者，有兩人當時已是法國貴族，在法庭上，對內伊最為狠毒。