PELISSIER, AIMABLE-JEAN-JACQUES, DUKE (DUC) DE MALAKOFF

born Nov. 16, 1794, Maromme, Fr. died May 22, 1864, Algiers French general who distinguished himself in the conquest of Algeria and was the last French commander in chief in the Crimean War. Educated at the military schools of La Flche and Saint-Cyr, Plissier was commissioned as an artillery second lieutenant in 1815. After brief service in Algeria in 1830, he returned there in 1839 to take part in the campaign against the patriot emir of Mascara, Abdelkader. He fought with distinction, being promoted to general in 1846, and served as military commander of the coastal province of Oran from 1848 to 1851. During the 1852 coup d'tat of Napoleon III, he was interim governor of Algeria. Subsequently, he played a leading role in the subjugation of the tribes of southern Algeria. In January 1855 Plissier was given command of an army corps in the Crimea. He defeated a Russian attack on the Traktir Ridge on August 16 and captured the fort of Malakhov and the city of Sevastopol on September 8. Four days later he was made marshal of France, and in July 1858 he was created Duke de Malakoff. From March 1858 to April 1859 Plissier was French ambassador to London. He was governor of Algeria from 1860 until his death.