Charles François La Halle
La Halle entered joined the French artillery as a cannoneer in 1764 and was promoted repeatedly, attaining the rank of lieutenant in 1780. In 1787 he was promoted to captain and sent on Neapolitan service with the Pommereul mission. In 1792 he was promoted major, in 1796 lieutenant-colonel, in 1798 colonel – a rank he reacquired in the Cisalpine artillery in 1803 (Cf. EBA, b. 41, f. 1).