He entered the Marines at age 16 and qualified there to become a doctor and surgeon.

He also visited a course taught by Aimé Paris, who propagated a music notation system inherited from Pierre Galin that is now known as the Galin-Paris-Chevé system.

This system is still used in China and other countries, known as the numbered musical notation.

His son Amand Chevé carried forth his interest in the system.

Under John Curwen it came into the English-speaking world, and was carried by Lowell Mason into the United States.