József Alvinczi

[1] An ethnic Magyar[citation needed], he was born in Transylvania in a place called Alvinc (German: Alwintz), and spent his boyhood in the household of Graf Franz Gyulai before joining his regiment as a Fähnrich aged 14.

During the Seven Years' War, Alvinczi distinguished himself leading a grenadier company in the battles of Torgau and Teplitz, where his courageous leadership won him a promotion to second major.

Alvinczi fought under Ernst Gideon Freiherr von Laudon in the Ottoman War of 1787, but did not accomplish his mission of capturing Belgrade.

He took command of an Auxiliary army which supported the British under the Duke of York and Albany, fighting at Landrecy and in the Battle of Fleurus, before being wounded at Mariolles.

On his recovery and promotion to Feldzeugmeister, Alvinczy advised the William VI of Orange in the successful relief of Charleroi in June 1793, losing two horses under him in the process, and earning the reward of the Grand cross of the MTO.