Adrián Woll
Woll in 1865
Born	(1795-12-02)December 2, 1795 Saint-Germain-en-Laye, French First Republic
Died	February 1875(1875-02-00) (aged 79) Montauban, French Third Republic
Allegiance	France  Mexico
Branch	Army
Rank	General
Conflicts	Mexican War of Independence Battle of Tampico Texas Revolution Battle of the Salado Dawson massacre Mexican–American War Reform War Battle of Guadalajara Second French intervention in Mexico
Awards	Legion of Honour
Other work	Governor of Tamaulipas

Adrián Woll (December 2, 1795 – February 1875) was a French-Mexican military officer and politician. He served alongside Antonio López de Santa Anna during his presidency, as well as during the Mexican War of Independence, the Texas Revolution, the Mexican–American War, the Reform War. He distanced himself from Santa Anna after he declared himself dictator of Mexico. He later fought alongside the French in the Second French intervention in Mexico and helped install the Second Mexican Empire.

Woll was born on December 2, 1795, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye. He pursued education for a career in the military. He was a lieutenant of a lancer regiment in the First French Empire. By 1815, he was an adjutant major of the National Guard, and during the Bourbon Restoration in France, he travelled to the United States and brought letters to Winfield Scott. He stayed in North America and joined the revolutionaries in the Mexican War of Independence, by suggestion of Scott.^[1]

Woll joined the revolutionaries in the Mexican War of Independence on July 3, 1816, serving as a lieutenant general under Martín Francisco Javier Mina y Larrea. His first deployment was off the Soto La Marina River, on April 15, 1817. On April 18, Woll and the army captured Soto la Marina, Tamaulipas. Though, the force later disbanded, and he then joined under Antonio López de Santa Anna. He remained with Santa Anna until the war's end, afterward remaining in the Mexican army. After the war, he married Lucinda Vautrey Griggi.^[1]

Woll was promoted to colonel in 1828, under Santa Anna. He was Santa Anna's aide-de-camp, as which he participated in the Battle of Tampico; he earned the Cross of Tampico in 1832.^[1]

In 1832, Woll was promoted to brigadier general, as which he helped capture a Spanish flag and present it to the Mexican government. He conspired in the Plan of Veracruz, with him commanding in the Batalla de Taxinastla [es] and instating coupists into government offices. In 1835, he helped quash revolts against the Centralist Republic of Mexico, including those led by Juan Álvarez and Francisco García Salinas.^[1]

In 1836, Woll was promoted to quartermaster general under Santa Anna. During the Texas Revolution, Santa Anna ordered the Goliad massacre, which in 1842 Woll claimed to have coaxed Santa Anna not to follow through with it, though his order did not reach Santa Anna in time. During the Texas Revolution, he was stationed at Presidio San Antonio de Béxar and took commands from Vicente Filísola. One of these commands was, alongside Joaquín Ramírez y Sesma, to march an army east to Anahuac. When they reached the Colorado River, they faced an army led Sam Houston, who retreated. On April 26, 1836, he became Chief Of Staff under Filísola. Following the Mexican defeat in the Battle of San Jacinto, Woll was ordered to determine the strength of the Texan Army, though carried a surrender flag to avoid conflict. Despite using the flag, he was captured by Thomas Jefferson Rusk. As a prisoner of war, he was transported to Velasco then Goliad, where he was released.^[1]

During the Pastry War, Woll attempted to resign to avoid fighting the French, and he was instead placed on inactive duty. He returned to active service afterward, repressing revolts against the Centralist Republic of Mexico. Throughout the early 1840s, he served in northern Mexico, such as in early June 1842, when he was named leader of Coahuila y Tejas and second-in-command of the Army of the North. He was the commanding Mexican officer during the Battle of the Salado, in 1842, in which he was defeated. Despite losing, he was promoted to major general of the Army of the North and earned the Cross of Honor. From February 1843 to December 6, 1844, he led the Army of the North. He left the force after its soldiers became coupists against Santa Anna. He was held a prisoner of war during the revolt, being released by the Mexican government on May 24, 1845.^[1]

Woll played a role in the peace agreement between Mexico and Texas, with armistice being signed by both parties February 15, 1844. However, the Texas government was conspiring to capture Mexican land for the United States, so on June 19, 1844, he delivered a declaration of war to Sam Houston, which led to the Mexican–American War. During the Mexican–American War, he fought alongside Santa Anna until they were defeated in 1847, then he travelled to Europe, where he remained until the end of the war and some years. In 1852, he travelled to Havana, where he and Santa Anna planned a return to Mexico. They returned, and after Santa Anna was elected president in 1853, he was made Governor of Tamaulipas, which he served as from 1853 to 1855; he served a second nonconsecutive term again in 1855. Though, Woll left the country after Santa Anna declared himself dictator of Mexico.^[1]

From then until 1859, he supported the presidency of Miguel Miramón and visited Mexico irregularly. He returned to Mexican military service on March 27, 1859 and fought alongside the conservatives in the Reform War. After Miramón the liberals won the war and Benito Juárez was elected president, Woll returned to France. He returned during the Second French intervention in Mexico and fought against Juárez. He was a member of the Junta Superior de Gobierno [es], the group which appointed the Asamblea de Notables [es], the legislative body under French control. In 1863, the Junta Superior de Gobierno and the Asamblea de Notables agreed to establish the Second Mexican Empire, and chose Austrian archduke Maximilian I as emperor; he was crowned on April 10, 1864.^[1]

Under Maximilian, Woll organized the French Army and was named adjutant general of the French forces and an aide-de-camp. He was also awarded the Legion of Honour. In fall 1865, he travelled to France to speak to Napoleon III to have François Achille Bazaine return to active duty, by request of Maximilian. Though, he stayed in France after learning Napoleon was considering withdrawing French forces. He remained in France until his death, in February 1875, aged 79, in Montauban.^[1]