Following the campaign in Prussia, he served briefly in the Peninsular War after he which he was transferred back to northern Europe and participated in the French Invasion of Russia in 1812.

[1] The son of a former sergeant of the guard of King Stanislas Leszczynski, he proved himself a bright student in school, and was placed in a cavalry regiment.

Appointed aide-de-campe to the Duke of Aiguillon (9 June 1792),[2] he later he transferred to the staff of General Adam Philippe, Comte de Custine.

With command of a brigade, and as inspector of cavalry, Bourcier participated in the campaigns of the War of the Second Coalition in southwestern Germany, Switzerland, and northern Italy.

Six weeks later, at the Battle of Austerlitz, he made several brilliant and timely charges,[3] including one observed by several parishioners of the town of Mönitz, who had climbed the church tower to watch the action.

[6] After the defeat of Prussia in 1807, Bourcier was sent to Spain to support the French efforts there, but he returned to the northern European theater in time for the Battle of Wagram in July 1809.

[2] He was also part of Napoleon's Russian campaign, but escaped the rigors of the retreat from Moscow, having been previously sent back to Berlin to reorganize the French cavalry.