He entered the army as sub-lieutenant in the King's Infantry Regiment (régiment d'infanterie du roi) in 1780 and on 28 August 1790 found himself caught up in the Nancy affair (he was one of the 16 officers to defend General Malseigne against the mutineers), in which he was wounded. He joined the émigré party and commanded the Salm-Kirburg hussar regiment in the Army of Condé and served alongside Charles François de Virot de Sombreuil, who promoted him to command the 2nd Division of the force sent to land at Quiberon.