Riesch helped win the First Battle of Stockach on 25 March 1799 by leading a brilliant cavalry charge that overthrew Jean-Joseph Ange d'Hautpoul's French cavalry reserve. For his Stockach exploit, he received the Knight's Cross of the Military Order of Maria Theresa in August 1801. He again commanded a cavalry division under Olivier, Count of Wallis at the First Battle of Zurich on 4 June. On this occasion, he led 12 squadrons of the "Nassau-Usingen" Cuirassiers # 9 and the "Mack" Cuirassiers # 10.