MenuGeneral Jacques Alexandre François Allix
Born: December 21, 1768
Place of Birth: Percy, Manche, France
Died: January 26, 1836
Place of Death: Varzy, France
Pronunciation:
Joining the army as a sous-lieutenant of artillery in 1792, Jacques Alexandre François Allix de Vaux was promoted to lieutenant only six months later. Serving in the Army of the Moselle and then the Army of the Rhine, he was promoted to capitaine in October of 1793 and chef de bataillon in June of 1794. When the army was reorganized, Allix then joined the Army of the Sambre de Meuse. That October he was named chief of staff of the artillery of the Army of the Sambre and Meuse, and then in June of 1795 he became deputy director of artillery at Metz. Allix was next sent to the camp of Grenelle to command the artillery there and then in June of 1796 he received a promotion to chef de brigade. Two years later in 1798 he was designated for the Army of England, and Allix served as chief of staff of the artillery of the right wing. In May of 1799 he served at the defense of Ancona and then in July he was sent on a mission by General Monnier during which he captured Russian General Wöinowich.
In March of 1800 Allix was named chef de brigade of the 1st Foot Artillery and employed in the Army of the Reserve. He served at the crossing of the Great Saint Bernard pass and then at the Battle of Marengo. Next Allix was named director of artillery at Turin and then in December he served at the attack of Verona. In 1801 he commanded the 1st Artillery at Turin during the regiment's mutiny and he was later named director of artillery at Perpignan. Next Allix was sent to Saint-Domingue as director of artillery in October of 1801, but then a year later he was removed from command. Allix was accused of irregularities and embezzlements of the funds for the artillery and sent back to France. Once back in France, he was ordered to retire to his home and leave the army.
Six years later in 1808 Allix was authorized to pass to the service of the Westphalia where he was named a général de brigade. In 1809 he took command of the artillery of the X Corps of the Army of Germany that served under King Jérôme Bonaparte. In 1812 Allix joined the campaign against Russia by serving as commander-in-chief of the artillery and engineers of the VIII Corps of the Grande Armée, again serving under King Jérôme. That year Allix was promoted to général de division and he was named a Knight of the Legion of Honor. In 1813 Allix defended Cassel which he surrendered in September and he then returned to France, rejoining the French army in November as a général de brigade. In February of 1814 he commanded the city of Sens where he pushed back the enemy before then evacuating the city. Next Allix reoccupied Melun, drove out the Austrians and cossacks from the forest of Fontainebleau, and seized Nemours. A week later he was promoted to général de division and then given command of the 18th military division. Allix organized the levée en masse of the département of Yonne and then had to fall back to Auxerre.
After the abdication of Napoleon and the restoration of the Bourbon monarchy, Allix was put on non-activity. When Napoleon returned to power in 1815 for the Hundred Days, Allix rallied to him and was initially given command of the 1st Division of Drouet d'Erlon's Corps. However, he did not take the command, instead becoming president of the commission of higher police of the 16th military division established at Lille. After the loss at the Battle of Waterloo, Allix was ordered to fortify and defend Saint-Denis and he then served on the Loire. He was named in the royal ordonnance of July 24th, 1815 and then imprisoned at Besançon. Finally he was authorized to leave the country and he retired to Westphalia until he was allowed to return to France in December of 1818.
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Updated August 2017
© Nathan D. Jensen