Although he did not participate in the battle of Austerlitz, he did take part to the campaigns in Prussia and Poland in 1806–07. At the battle of Eylau, seeing his horse grenadiers lowering their heads as bullets whistled around, Lepic uttered the famous words: "Heads up, gentlemen, these are bullets, not turds !" ("Haut la tête, messieurs, la mitraille ce n'est pas de la merde !"). The ensuing heroic charge at the head of his horse grenadiers, where he was seriously wounded, brought him the rank of "général de brigade". Seeing Lepic after the battle, Napoleon went to him and said: "I thought you had been captured, general Lepic. I was feeling deeply sorrowful about it." Lepic retorted: "Sire, you will only ever hear of my death." That evening, Lepic, who had been seriously wounded in action that day, received 50,000 francs, which he immediately distributed to his horse grenadiers. Five days later, he would be promoted to general and given an annuity of 30,000 francs.