Born into a noble family and a pupil from the engineers' school, Du Taillis joined the Volontaires Nassau-Siegen corps in 1779. On 1st September, 1789, he was capitaine-adjudant-major in the 3rd Battalion of the 6th division of the Garde nationale de Paris. On 3rd August, 1791, he was incorporated into the 14th light infantry battalion and took part in the campaigns of 1792 and 1793 within the army of the North commanded by Dumouriez. He was in the avant-garde at the battles of Valmy (20 September) and Jemmapes (6 November). He became close to Berthier, and the latter took Du Taillis on in 1795. Du Taillis rose (provisionally) to the rank of Chef de bataillon on 16 April, 1796. After distinguishing himself at the victory at Castiglione, He received from Bonaparte the mission to carry the captured enemy standards back to Paris, to Marmont's great disgust, then Bonaparte's ADC. On 13th November, 1796, Du Taillis received a pair of honour pistols from the Directory and was confirmed in his provisional rank, back dated to April. Du Taillis then fought at Arcole, Rivoli, and Bassano. He was ordered to join Joubert in the Tyrol, and to bring him the order to attack Bolzano and Bressanone. At the end of these two combats, Du Taillis returned to Bonaparte forcing his passage and reaching Berthier's headquarters.
He was appointed chef de brigade on 13 November, 1797, and three years later fought brilliantly at Marengo in 1800. His aptitude for service at headquarters struck Berthier and Bonaparte, and Du Taillis was detailed to the War Minister and was to remain there until his promotion to the rank of Brigadier General and chief of staff of the camp at Montreuil under Ney on 29 August, 1803. He was subsequently to participate under Ney as chief of staff of the 6th corps of the Grande Armée in the campaigns in Austria, Prussia and Poland, in 1805, 1806 and 1807. He was appointed to receive the arms from the surrendered garrison at Ulm. During the Prussian/Polish campaigns, he received the capitulation of Magdeburg and lost his arm to a cannonball at the battle of Guttstadt, 9 June, 1807. He was appointed Général de division on 29 June, 1807 and the following year became comte d'Empire by letters patent dated 23 May, 1808 (the preceding decree, dated 10 March, granted him a rent of 30,000 livres in the kingdom of Westphalia). During the Wagram campaign, du Taillis was appointed military governor of Munich. After being made Chevallier of the Couronne de Fer and Grand Cross of the military order of Bavaria, he was then detailed to Paris in December 1809. In 1811, he was candidate, but not selected for the Seine-et-Marne Electoral College in the Senate. As part of the Russian campaign in 1812, he was appointed military governor of Warsaw (15 April, 1812). On the death of the comte de Narbonne, 17 November, 1813, he was made military governor of Torgau which he defended heroically before capitulating on 26 December, 1813. Taken prisoner on 10 January, 1814, he was returned to France in May 1814 where he was discharged. Two months later however (19 July, 1814) he was made chevalier de Saint-Louis. Allowed to go into retirement (wounded) on 18 October, 1815, Du Taillis became a peer of France in 1832 and received the Grand Cross of the Légion d'Honneur, 19 July, 1845. He died in Paris on 4 February, 1851. His name is inscribed on the east side of the Arc de Triomphe.
Source:
Jean Tulard (ed.), Dictionnaire Napoléon (Paris: Fayard), 2nd ed. 1999, p. 693, s.v., “Du Taillis”, author: Baron Gourgaud, ed. P.H.