He joined the military as a lieutenant of the grenadier battalion of the Charente volunteers on 1 December 1791. During the years 1792–1793, he served in the armies of the North and Sambre and Meuse. Promoted to lieutenant on 1 April 1793, and to captain on 12 February. At the Arlon, he led a vigorous charge against an Austrian cavalry regiment, taking two guns and forced the Austrians into a complete rout. After 5 January 1798, he resumed his duties in the infantry in the same regiment on 20 April 1799 in the Army of the Danube. In 1800 he campaigned with the Army of the Rhine.