James Allen (February 15, 1806 – August 23, 1846) was a U.S. Army officer who organized the Mormon Battalion and was commander of Fort Des Moines (1843–1846), the fort from which the City of Des Moines grew. He was also in charge of improvements to the harbor of Chicago as well as producing maps of the U.S. frontier. Allen served as the commanding officer of the Battalion from the July 16, 1846 until his death on August 23, 1846. He was the first officer buried at Fort Leavenworth National Cemetery.