In an effort to determine conclusively whether or not Peter Stuart Ney was in fact Napoleon's Marshal Ney, his body was exhumed from Third Creek Presbyterian Church cemetery and examined. Evidence of trepanning was sought, specifically the thin silver plate that would have been placed in the skull at the time of surgery. No silver plate was found. Transcription: Jim, yours of yesterday received. I went to Third Creek, found some bones, the skull had crumbled to a degree, that made it impossible to tell if it had been trepanned (trephined). The skull measured just above the eyes twenty four inches in circumference. Dr. Ramsey states to the crowd the reason why the skeleton was exhumed to be as follows Viz. Dr. Wood, through letter, asked Dr. Draper if he had any history that Marshel Ney had been trephined as he, Dr. Wood, though it probable from visable scars on P. S. Ney's head, that he had been trephined. Dr. Draper got the idea that Wood had history that Marshal Ney had been trephined and asked that an examination of the skull be made. There was a large crowd there, for principall ?. Mr. W. Gray, and daughter Mattie, were ?. I suppose tho newspapers will have a good deal to say about Ney in connection with today's examination. There was a reporter there ? NY World Reporters from Washington City, Raleigh and other places over. Jim 11am May 6th 1883. Dr. Sill with me last night and as usual we talked all night or until 1/2 after 3 o'clock this morning. Weather was ?. 12 A. M. I will now go to dinner and mail this. Jim