In the years immediately preceding the first empire, Lauriston was, successively, director of the La Fère artillery school and special envoy to Denmark before being selected to convey to England the ratification of the Peace of Amiens in 1802.

[1] At the Battle of Wagram on 6 July 1809, Napoleon ordered Lauriston to form a grand battery to stop the surprise Austrian attack against his left flank.

To provide time, the emperor directed General Étienne Marie Antoine Champion de Nansouty's heavy cavalry to charge.

While Nansouty's cuirassiers and carabiniers sacrificed themselves in futile attacks on the Austrians, Lauriston assembled 112 artillery pieces for his huge battery.

In the face of this terrific blizzard of lead, the Austrian III Armeekorps of General Johann Kollowrat halted and edged back out of the firing range.