He was sent by the National Convention to Southern France under the command of General Jean François Carteaux, to pursue the Federalist insurgents.

Appointed colonel of the 88th Infantry Regiment [fr] on 12 Frimaire year XII, he received the decoration of the Legion of Honour on the 19th of the same month, that of officer on 25 Prairial, and served with distinction at the Battle of Austerlitz.

His conduct during the battle earned him the cross of commander of the Legion of Honour, which he received on 4 Nivôse year XIII, and the rank of colonel-major of the 2nd regiment of chasseurs-à-pied of the Imperial Guard [fr].

He took part in the French invasion of Russia in 1812, commanding the Fusiliers-Chasseurs Regiment of the Imperial Guard [fr], once more demonstrating great personal courage.

Curial was one of the first general officers to announce their obedience to the acts of the Sénat conservateur and give their support to Louis XVIII on the Bourbon Restoration.

Employed in the army as Inspector General of Infantry, he resumed his seat as a peer at the Luxembourg Palace, where he voted for exile in the trial of Marshal Michel Ney.

In 1823 Curial commanded the 5th division deployed to Catalonia as part of the Hundred Thousand Sons of Saint Louis, under the orders of Marshal Bon-Adrien Jeannot de Moncey.

As revolution threatened, Curial opposed the appointment of Marshal Auguste de Marmont to command Paris's defence, and warned the king not to place his confidence in him.