He rose in rank to command an infantry division during the Wars of the French Revolution.

At age 16 he enlisted as a simple soldier in the King's army, and two years later he became second lieutenant in the regiment of Bassigny.

In 1794 he was transferred to the army of the Rhine to fight in Germany, and was noticed at Gorick and Forsheim.

He commanded the rear guard during the retreat of General Moreau through the Black Forest from Freiburg im Breisgau.

Colonel Ferru had it restored and completed after his arrival in the area at the head of the 63rd infantry regiment in 1861.