After the outbreak of the French Revolution, he remained in the army and rose in rank to become colonel of the Bercheny (or Berczeny) Hussar Regiment.

[1] Two days later, he commanded his cavalrymen at the Battle of Hohenlinden in Paul Esterházy's brigade of Prince Friedrich Karl Wilhelm Hohenlohe-Ingelfingen's division in Ludwig Baillet de Latour-Merlemont's Right Center column.

Prince Heinrich XV of Reuss-Plauen defeated Verdier's other brigade under Jacques Brun and came dangerously close to forcing the French into the river.

[7] Hiller immediately detached Nordmann to observe the approach of André Masséna's corps, while he took the VI Armeekorps north to Mainburg on 19 April 1809.

While Hiller's left wing was being defeated at the Battle of Abensberg on 20 April, Masséna's advance forced Nordmann's brigade back to Moosburg an der Isar.

On 12 May, the bulk of Vienna's defenders withdrew to the north bank of the Danube where Nordmann's force was left to observe the French.

[13] At the Battle of Aspern-Essling on 21 and 22 May, Nordmann led an infantry brigade in Friedrich Kottulinsky's VI Armeekorps division that included one battalion of the Saint George Grenz, the 1st and 2nd Vienna Volunteer battalions, the remnant of the Broder Grenz Regiment # 7, and a 3-pounder brigade battery.

In an unsupported attack about 2:30 PM on the 21st, he tried to force his way into the village from the southwest and failed to dislodge the single French battalion then occupying the place.

[16] Under his command were four brigades under Friedrich Riese, Joseph Mayer, Peter von Vécsey, and Franz Frelich.

[17] At the Battle of Wagram on 5 and 6 July, Charles assigned the Advance Guard and the VI Armeekorps to cover the river bank while the rest of the corps assembled farther inland.

Nordmann took position on the Austrian left flank, in rear of Prince Franz Seraph of Orsini-Rosenberg's IV Armeekorps.

[22] He was one of four Austrian generals killed or mortally wounded at Wagram, the others being Josef Philipp Vukassovich, Konstantin Ghilian Karl d'Aspré, and Peter von Vécsey.