He participated in the Crimean (1687, 1689) and Azov campaigns (1695–1696) of Peter the Great against the Ottoman Empire during the Russo-Turkish War.

He was involved in the revival of Russian artillery, which had been lost to the Swedish forces along with its commander, Prince Alexander of Imereti at Narva in 1700.

[2] He was commander of artillery in the Battle of Poltava (1709), for which he was made a knight of the Order of St Andrew.

Among Muscovites, Bruce gained fame as an alchemist and magician, due in part to the innovative design of the Sukharev Tower, which was very unusual in 18th century Moscow.

It was rumored that the greatest black magic grimoires of his collection had been bricked up into the walls of the Sukharev Tower.