After entering the in August 1781 and in 1782, Joseph Hélie Désiré Perruquet de Montrichard transferred to the artillery school at Besançon. In 1783, he was commissioned as a sous-lieutenant and joined the artillery regiment at Strasbourg. In 1786, Montrichard was promoted to lieutenant and then in 1791, he was promoted to captain. He served at Metz and then Besançon and then in 1793, he joined the Army of the Rhine and was promoted to chef de bataillon. In 1795, Montrichard was promoted to chef de brigade and in June of 1796 he was ordered to prepare for the crossing of the Rhine at Strasbourg. Later that month, he played an important part in the crossing and then two months later he was promoted to général de brigade. Next Montrichard served at the crossing of the Lech and then in September he was ordered to protect the retreat of General Jean Victor Marie Moreau at Ulm. In October, he served at the Battle of Schliengen and then in November he served at the siege of Kehl. In April of 1797, Montrichard began serving in the division of and then at the end of the year he became chief of staff of the Army of Mainz.
