On 27 February, Napoleon followed Blucher's army which had moved northwest toward Meaux. At this time, Gruyer's brigade, under Boyer, was attached to Napoleon's army. Boyer's other brigade was left in the south with the army of Marshal Jacques MacDonald. Boyer's brigade was involved in a skirmish with Russian forces on 6 March. The next day during the Battle of Craonne, Boyer's brigade operated with Marshal Michel Ney's Young Guard corps. That morning Ney prematurely launched the divisions of Boyer and Claude Marie Meunier against the Russian left flank. Because Ney failed to provide artillery support, the initial attacks failed. When the French guns arrived, Meunier and Boyer's troops fought a costly battle with their enemies for several hours. At 2:30 pm, Boyer's men finally captured the village of Ailles on the extreme French right flank. For the rest of the day, Boyer followed up the Russian withdrawal.