Jules Alexandre Milz
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Jules Alexandre Milz (10 September 1861 – 1 October 1902) was a Belgian soldier who was active in exploring the northeast of the
Congo Free State The Congo Free State, also known as the Independent State of the Congo (), was a large Sovereign state, state and absolute monarchy in Central Africa from 1885 to 1908. It was privately owned by Leopold II of Belgium, King Leopold II, the const ...
. He traveled extensively in
Uele District Uele District (, ) was a district of the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo. It roughly corresponded to the current provinces of Bas-Uélé and Haut-Uélé. Landscape The Uele District, shown as the Uellé District on an 1897 map of the Congo ...
, where he resolved the question of whether the
Uele River The Uele, also known by the phonetically identical Uélé, Ouélé, or Welle River, is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Course The Uele forms at Dungu, at the confluence of the Dungu and Kibali rivers, which both originate ...
was the upper portion of the
Ubangi River The Ubangi River (; ; ; ), also spelled Oubangui, is a river in Central Africa, and the largest right-bank tributary of the Congo River. It begins at the confluence of the Mbomou River, Mbomou (mean annual discharge 1,350 m3/s) and Uele Rivers (mea ...
. He was second in command of an expedition to the
Nile The Nile (also known as the Nile River or River Nile) is a major north-flowing river in northeastern Africa. It flows into the Mediterranean Sea. The Nile is the longest river in Africa. It has historically been considered the List of river sy ...
in 1891–1892, and took over command after the leader died.


Early years (1861–1888)

Jules Alexandre Milz was born in
Virton Virton (; Gaumais: ''Viertån''; ) is a city and municipality of Wallonia located in the province of Luxembourg, Belgium. It is also the administrative centre of the district (''arrondissement'') of the same name, as well as the principal town ...
in
Belgian Lorraine Belgian Lorraine is the part of Lorraine that lies in the south of the Belgian province of Luxembourg, in Wallonia. The term is used solely in a geological context, as the region borders the geologically-distinct Ardennes, to the north. Cultura ...
on 10 September 1861. His parents were Jacques Milz and Joséphine Philippart. He joined the 2nd Mounted Chasseurs on 20 August 1880, and was appointed second lieutenant to the 4th Lancers on 29 June 1883. He entered the service of the Congo Free State in 1888.


Roget Expedition (1888–1891)

On 17 June 1888 Milz left
Antwerp Antwerp (; ; ) is a City status in Belgium, city and a Municipalities of Belgium, municipality in the Flemish Region of Belgium. It is the capital and largest city of Antwerp Province, and the third-largest city in Belgium by area at , after ...
as an officer of the ''
Force Publique The ''Force Publique'' (, "Public Force"; ) was the military of the Congo Free State and the Belgian Congo from 1885 to 1960. It was established after Belgian Army officers travelled to the Free State to found an armed force in the colony on L ...
''. He arrived in Boma on 25 July 1888 and was assigned to the Bangalas District, where Willem Frans Van Kerckhoven was preparing the vanguard of the Léon Roget expedition. The task was to establish entrenched camps on the
Aruwimi River The Aruwimi River (, ) is a tributary of the Congo River, located to the north and east of the Congo.Stanley, H.M., 1899, Through the Dark Continent, London: G. Newnes, Vol. One , Vol. Two The Aruwimi begins as the Ituri River, which rises near ...
and
Sankuru River The Sankuru River () is a major river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Its approximate length of 1,200 km"Sankuru River" in '' The New Encyclopædia Britannica''. Chicago: Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., 15th edn., 1992, Vol. 10, p. ...
for defense against Arab slavers. Milz left Bangala on 24 October 1888 with the column led by
Francis Dhanis Baron Francis Ernest Joseph Marie Dhanis (11 March 1861 – 13 November 1909) was a Belgian colonial civil servant and soldier noted for his service for the Congo Free State during the Congo Arab War and Batetela Rebellion. Early life and ...
. The column founded posts at Umangi,
Upoto Upoto was a village on the right bank of the Congo River, now a district of Lisala in the Mongala province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. History Captain Hanssens of the International Association of the Congo founded the Upoto station, ...
and
Yambuya Yambuya is a community in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, on the Aruwimi River, roughly due north of Yangambi. The river is navigable as far as Yambuya, but is blocked by cataracts further upstream. Yambuya was made a base for the Emin Pash ...
. On 8 February 1889 the column was at the confluence of the Aruwimi with the
Congo River The Congo River, formerly also known as the Zaire River, is the second-longest river in Africa, shorter only than the Nile, as well as the third-largest river in the world list of rivers by discharge, by discharge volume, following the Amazon Ri ...
, where the
Basoko Basoko is a town on the Congo River in the Tshopo Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. As of 2009 it had an estimated population of 47,970. Climate Notable people *George Grenfell George Grenfell (21 August 1849, in Sancre ...
station was established, capital of the new
Aruwimi-Uele District Aruwimi District (, ) was a district of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo. It went through various changes in extent before being absorbed into other districts. Congo Free State Article 3 of the decree of 16 April 1887 provided for the Congo ...
. Roget took command there on 28 July 1889. The expedition then founded the posts of Bomane, Bassoa and Yambisi. Milz was put in charge of Bomane, then of Bassoa. In April 1890 Milz and Joseph Duvivier accompanied Roget to found a post in Djabir ( Bondo) on the Uele. They established the Ibembo station on the
Itimbiri River The Itimbiri River () is a right tributary of the Congo River, which it joins above Bumba. At one time it was important as a navigable waterway for transporting good from the northeast of the country down to the Congo. Course The Itimbiri Rive ...
, where they left Duvivier in command. Milz went on with Roget to the Go rapids, then overland to the Likati River where they founded the Ekwangatana post. They entrusted this post to an African officer. They returned to Ibembo, then went NNE towards the upper Likati and Djabir, crossing the Tinda River basin. They founded Mopocho between Ibembo and the Likati on 23 May 1890, which they also entrusted to an African officer. On 25 May 1890 they crossed the Likati and on 27 May 1890 reached the
Uele River The Uele, also known by the phonetically identical Uélé, Ouélé, or Welle River, is a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Course The Uele forms at Dungu, at the confluence of the Dungu and Kibali rivers, which both originate ...
opposite Sultan Djabar's village. Sultan Djabir signed a treaty with Milz and a post was established on the site of the former Egyptian zeriba of Deleb. Milz began construction of the station while Roget, guided by Sultan Djabir, tried unsuccessfully to join
Alphonse van Gèle Alphonse van Gèle, also written van Gele or Vangele (25 April 1848 – 23 February 1939), was a Belgians, Belgian soldier who served as the List of colonial governors of the Congo Free State and Belgian Congo, Vice-Governor General of the Congo F ...
in Yakoma. Roget had gone north as far as Mbili and Gangu, having heard that the country downstream was too dangerous. On 9 June 1890 he returned to Djabir. Roget left Djabir in July to return to Basoko, the Pool and Boma, leaving Milz in command with instructions to attempt the liaison with Yakoma. In July–August 1890 Milz and his assistant Mahutte and Sultan Djabir led 100 fusiliers and 400 lancers in an attempt to push through the non-submissive people along the right bank, but were forced to return to Djabir after nine days. In September Milz had to repel an attack by the Arabs under Kipanga-Panga. There are conflicting reports about who took the initiative, but it seems that Van Gèle heard of the presence of a European in Djabar on November 18 and set out via a roundabout route up the Uele, reaching the village of Gamanza on 2 December. The next day he met Milz, who was coming to meet him. This resolved the Ubangi-Uele question. Milz and Van Gèle heard that the Arabs were operating in the lower Bima River and on the
Rubi River The Rubi River () is a left tributary of the Itimbiri River, which forms where the Rubi joins the Likati River. Course The Rubi River originates in the southeast of the Bas-Uélé province, then flows west until it meets the Likati near Djamba. Th ...
and set out for that region. In December 1890 they succeeded in expelling the Muslim traders.


Nile Expedition (1891–1892)

When Milz's term was over he went to
Stanley Pool The Pool Malebo, formerly Stanley Pool, also known as Mpumbu, Lake Nkunda or Lake Nkuna by local indigenous people in pre-colonial times, is a lake-like widening in the lower reaches of the Congo River.
. There, in March 1891, Van Kerckhoven asked him to return to the Uele to become second in command of his expedition to the Nile. Milz accepted and was in Basoko by 26 March 1891. At the start of July most of the Van Kerckhoven expedition had gathered in Djabir, consisting of 15 Europeans and 500 Africans of the ''Force Publique''. The vanguard, led by Pierre Ponthier, set off upstream on 7 July 1891. In August Milz was sent to visit Sultan Semio to obtain his help for the expedition. Milz sent Van Kerckhoven a message on 25 November announcing that Semio was now an ally, and on 25 November Milz and Semo arrived at Bomokandi camp with 600 soldiers and 500 porters. Orders were given for the march to the Nile. Ponthier, Semio and his soldiers would go by land, while Milz would accompany Van Kerckhoven with the provisions by water. The columns left on 12 December and rejoined at
Amadi Amedi or Amadiye (; ; ) is a town in the Duhok Governorate of Kurdistan Region of Iraq. It is built on a mesa in the broader Great Zab river valley. Amedi is known for its celebrations of Newroz. Etymology According to ibn al-Athir, the Arab ...
on 22 December, where they started to build a post. On 30 December 1891 Van Kerckhoven, Milz, Ponthier and others left Amadi and headed south. They were at the Mbe- Bomokandi confluence on 1 January 1892, where Ponthier fell sick and had to return via Djabir to Boma. After having obtained the submission of the main chiefs of the region, who had given them enough canoes, the expedition returned to Amadis on 24 January and moved out on 29 January. The flotilla was on the Bomokandi on 2 February 1892. Milz, Gustave Gustin, Clément-François Van de Vliet and Semio, who had traveled by land along the south bank of the Uele, were attacked by the . They continued, making contact with the local chiefs and selecting sites for new posts, and reached the confluence of the Gada River with the Uele on 18 March, where they chose to build a new station at the village of Mbegu, named
Niangara Niangara is a town in the Haut-Uele Province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, lying on both sides of the Uele River. It is the headquarters of the Niangara Territory. The town has a hospital operated by Médecins Sans Frontières. As o ...
. Van Kerckhoven arrived there on 25 March 1892, and Jean-Hubert Cloesen was placed in charge of the post. On April 7 the vanguard continued its march, leaving Van Kerckhoven, who was bedridden, behind in Niangara. Milz and Van de Vliet, who had come from Niangara to Bomokandi, left Bomokandi on 22 April and reached Mbittima on 2 June. Semio was sent in advance to prepare the populations. On 6 June Van Kerckhoven, Milz, Montangie and Van de Vliet left Mbittima by canoe. They reached Surur on 10 June and decided to go up the Nzoro River, but found it blocked by rapids, which were called the Milz Falls. The column was divided, leaving 200 of the less able-bodied men at the foot of the rapids, while the others went ahead in search of the Gustin-Semio advance guard. On 11 July Van Kerckhoven and Milz left by land along the south bank of the Nzoro through difficult country, with the soldiers carrying their loads for lack of porters. They reached Tagomolanghi on 25 July 1892. Van Kerckhoven died in Djebel Watti on 10 August 1892. He was accidentally killed by a shot from the gun his boy was reloading. He was buried there and Milz took command. Leaving Mount Beka on 12 August 1892, the expedition soon reached the Khor Arave, a tributary of the Nile. They made camp and sent a scouting party towards the Nile. On 19 August Milz was at Mount Lehmin, among the Kakwas. On 24 August he found the Kibbi River, where he set up a camp named Fort Lehmin. He continued northeast, and reached the old Egyptian zeriba of Ganda where he installed Gustin. In October 1892 he reached
Wadelai Wadelai was a boma at a narrow point on the Albert Nile in what is now northern Uganda. There were several shortlived colonial stations there, the first being the final chief station of Emin Pasha when Governor of Equatoria. Wadelai gives its ...
on the Nile to the north of Lake Albert. He enlisted soldiers of
Emin Pasha Mehmed Emin Pasha (born Isaak Eduard Schnitzer, baptized Eduard Carl Oscar Theodor Schnitzer; March 28, 1840 – October 23, 1892) was an Ottoman physician of German Jewish origin, naturalist, and governor of the Egyptian province of Equatoria ...
whom he found remaining in the region, but they proved unreliable. Under pressure from the Mahdists he was forced to withdraw. Milz made his way west towards the
Dungu River The Dungu River is a river that flows through Haut-Uele province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. It passes through the town of Faradje, and joins the Kibali River at Dungu to form the Uele River. The river flows between the town of Dun ...
. He left Semio in Ndirfi, and continued towards Faraki on the upper Dungu. He set up the
Faradje Faradje is a town in the Haut-Uele province of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and is the administrative center of Faradje Territory. It lies on the Dungu River, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Dungu River. It had a population of about 25,0 ...
post a small distance upstream from Mundu. On 18 December 1892 he reached the Dungu- Kibali confluence, the head of the Uele, where Florimond Delanghe was waiting to take over command of the expedition. Milz began to develop a post that was named Dungu.


Later career (1893–1901)

On 20 January 1893 Milz officially handed over command of the Nile and Haut-Uele posts to Delanghe. He went with Delanghe to Niangara, which he reached on 17 February. He returned to Boma on 23 October 1893, and embarked from Cabinda on 28 October. Milz was appointed captain of the 1st Regiment of Guides. On 30 June 1900 he left again for Africa, charged with a special mission to delimit the Belgian-German border in
Kivu Kivu is the name for a large region in the eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo that borders Lake Kivu. It was a ''Région'' (read 'province') of the country under the rule of Mobutu Sese Seko from 1966 to 1988. As an official ''Région'' ...
. He returned to Europe on 27 July 1901. He died in Brussels of
angina pectoris Angina, also known as angina pectoris, is chest pain or pressure, usually caused by insufficient blood flow to the heart muscle (myocardium). It is most commonly a symptom of coronary artery disease. Angina is typically the result of part ...
on 1 October 1902.


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* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Milz, Jules Alexandre 1861 births 1902 deaths Belgian soldiers Congo Free State people Deaths from coronary artery disease