Lawrence-Archer was gazetted second lieutenant in the 39th Regiment in 1840, later serving with the 24th Regiment during the Second Anglo-Sikh War from 1848 to 1849. He served with the 60th King's Royal Rifle Corps, being gazetted Captain in 1855, and went on half-pay with the rank in 1869; later holding the rank of Major, he remained on the half-pay list until his death.