During the French invasion of Russia he served in the light cavalry of Davout's 1st corps. On 30 June he fought Barclay de Tolly's vanguard at Soleschniki, and on 23 July commanded marshal prince d'Eckmuhl's vanguard, made up of the 3rd regiment of chasseurs and one infantry regiment. At the head of that vanguard he captured Mohilev, 900 prisoners, the enemy magazines and baggage train, and over 600 oxen intended for prince Bagration. He fought again at Smolensk on 15 April 1812, at Borodino on 7 September (receiving a broken-jaw from a long-range "biscaïen" shot) and at Krasnoë (where he took 8 cannons after capturing a corps of 1,500 men, broken an infantry square, taken 300 more prisoners and leaving the 9th Polish lancers gravely compromised).