On 4 June 1799, the 100th Demi Brigade fought in the 4th Division at the First Battle of Zurich. Laval was promoted to general of brigade less than a week later on 10 June 1799. At the Second Battle of Zurich on 25 and 26 September 1799, he led a brigade in Nicolas Soult's 3rd Division. Soult's 11,000 troops crossed the Linth River, surprising and defeating 13,000 Austrian and Russian defenders. The success resulted in the death of Austrian commander Friedrich Freiherr von Hotze and the severing of Alexander Suvarov's escape route. Under the command of Honoré Théodore Maxime Gazan, the 3rd Division participated in the unsuccessful effort to trap Suvarov's army in the Alps. From 30 September through 5 October, actions were fought at Klöntalersee, Muotathal, Näfels, and Schwanden.