He was commissioned as an artillery officer working on the manufacture of armaments at Mutzig, near Strasburg, from 1854 to 1864. However during this period he continued with his mathematical studies and in 1864 he resigned his commission and returned to the École Polytechnique as a tutor.
Siya ay commissioned artilerya bilang isang opisyal ng trabaho sa paggawa ng armaments at Mutzig, malapit Strasburg, 1854-1864. Subalit panahon na ito siya ang patuloy sa kanyang pag-aaral at sa matematika 1864-ayon siya ng kanyang komisyon at ibabalik sa École Polytechnique bilang isang propesor.