he was born in pau and studied in paris before entering the école polytechnique, from which he graduated in 1812 as an army engineer. he took part in the campaign in the kingdom of saxony, assisted at the battle of leipzig and rose to the rank of lieutenant in 1813 before being captured the following year. during the hundred days he served in the armée du nord and after napoleon's defeat he remained under constant police surveillance until 1818, when he rejoined the army with the rank of captain of engineers, serving at bayonne, grenoble, saint-omer and amiens.