He enlisted in the Royal French Army in 1752, serving in the Picardie Infantry Regiment.

On 21 March 1794 he was named chef de brigade and gained command of the regiment.

The rank became permanent in the next year and he continued to lead cavalry units; participating in the invasion of southwestern Germany and Switzerland with the Army of the Danube in 1799.

[1] In the later campaign he was assigned to the Artillery Park, under command of Jean Ambroise Baston de Lariboisière.

[citation needed] In 1800 he was made commander of the troops in the Department Mont-Tonnerre.