[1] He became an adjutant to the then lieutenant general, later field marshal, Count von Kalkreuth, who gained dubious fame in Prussian military history.

Promoted to lieutenant colonel on May 21, 1807, after the Battle of Friedland, he had to cover the retreat of L'Estocq's Corps on the road to Königsberg, suffering significant losses in his brigade.

However, an instruction he issued on March 10, 1810, “for the troops attached to the line infantry,” revealed that he was not yet fully aligned with modern military concepts, as he showed only a limited understanding of the training of skirmishers.

His brigade, belonging to Blücher's Corps, played a distinguished role in the Battle of Lutzen, fighting particularly for the possession of Kleingörschen with varying success.

He significantly contributed to the decision at Kulm by covering the rear of Kleist Corps, engaging in a lively skirmish with Marshal Saint-Cyr at Glashütte, and blocking the road by occupying the southern edge of the Jungfernwald behind Nollendorf amid persistent and difficult fighting due to the deteriorating road conditions.

[3] In the following winter campaign on French soil, Zieten, now part of Kleist Corps of Blücher's army and since December 8, 1813, a lieutenant general, repeatedly found himself in action at crucial moments with his newly formed troops (mainly Silesians), particularly on February 14, 1814, in the Battle of Vauchamps, where, after driving Marmont back to Fromentieres the day before, he was encircled by Napoleon himself at Vauchamps and had to retreat to the main body after exceedingly brave and prudent resistance under heavy losses that nearly exhausted his brigade.

[1] On March 9 at Laon, at the head of the cavalry of Yorck's and Kleist's Corps (30 squadrons), he executed a large-scale night flanking maneuver through marshy terrain in a brilliant manner, leading to a complete victory.