Girard was severely wounded at Ocaña (November 1809), where he led a division of the V Corps under Marshal Mortier.

[1] He commanded French forces at Arroyo dos Molinos (October 1811).

He commanded the Franco-Allied troops in the Battle of Hagelberg which resulted in a French defeat and Girard becoming a prisoner of war until 1814.

He was mortally wounded in the Battle of Ligny, where his division bore the brunt of the fighting on the French left.

However, the letters patent were not delivered, and thus the title was not recognized by the Second Bourbon Restoration.