Colonel Jacques François Marc Mazas

Colonel of the 14th of the Line who was killed at Austerlitz

Born: April 25, 1765

Place of Birth: Marseille, Bouches-du-Rhône, France

Died: December 2, 1805

Cause of Death: Killed in action

Place of Death: Austerlitz, Austria

Arc de Triomphe: MAZAS on the east pillar

Pronunciation:

Jacques François Marc Mazas first joined the army when he enlisted in 1781 in the regiment of Bourbonnais. The next year he transferred to the regiment of Champagne and then served in the American Revolutionary War. Years later, as the French Revolution got underway in 1790 Mazas left the military, but he then returned in 1793 when he joined the 11th Battalion of Volunteers of Gironde. Elected as a capitaine by his battalion, Mazas and his men were sent to become part of the Army of the Western Pyrenees. Promotions followed for in 1794 Mazas was promoted to chef de bataillon and then the following year he was promoted to chef de brigade. In 1798 Mazas was sent to the Army of Italy where he would remain for a few years and go on to distinguish himself at the Battle of Novi .

In 1803 Mazas became the colonel of the 14th Ligne and then in 1804 he was recognized as an Officer of the Legion of Honor. When war broke out in 1805, Mazas and his regiment were stationed at the camp of Saint-Omer and then became part of Marshal Soult's IV Corps. Colonel Mazas participated in the campaign of 1805 and fought at Austerlitz where he was killed by a shot at 11:00 in the morning.

Bibliography

Quintin, Danielle, and Bernard Quintin. Dictionnaire des Colonels de Napoléon. Paris: S.P.M., 1996.

Updated August 2016