▁to ▁become ▁a ▁lawyer , ▁but ▁his ▁father ' s ▁death ▁when ▁he ▁was ▁still ▁a ▁boy ▁made ▁it ▁necessary ▁for ▁him ▁to ▁seek ▁employ ment , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 8 5 ▁he ▁en list ed ▁as ▁a ▁private ▁in ▁the ▁French ▁inf antry . ▁ ▁The ▁Revolution ary ▁Wars ▁Sou lt ' s ▁superior ▁education ▁ens ured ▁his ▁promotion ▁to ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁ser ge ant ▁after ▁six ▁years ' ▁service , ▁and ▁in ▁July ▁ 1 7 9 1 ▁he ▁became ▁instruct or ▁to ▁the ▁first ▁batt alion ▁of ▁volunte ers ▁of ▁the ▁Bas - R hin . ▁He ▁was ▁serving ▁in ▁this ▁batt alion ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 2 . ▁By ▁ 1 7 9 4 , ▁he ▁was ▁adj ut ant - general ▁( with ▁the ▁rank ▁of ▁chef ▁de ▁brig ade ). ▁After ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Fle urus ▁of ▁ 1 7 9 4 , ▁in ▁which ▁he ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁for ▁cool ness , ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁brig ad ier ▁general ▁by ▁the ▁represent atives ▁on ▁mission . ▁ ▁For ▁the ▁next ▁five ▁years ▁Sou lt ▁was ▁employed ▁in ▁Germany ▁under ▁J ourd an , ▁More au , ▁Kl é ber ▁and ▁Le f eb vre , ▁and ▁in ▁ 1 7 9 9 ▁he ▁was ▁promoted ▁general ▁of ▁division ▁and ▁ordered ▁to ▁proceed ▁to ▁Switzerland . ▁It ▁was ▁at ▁this ▁time ▁that ▁he ▁laid ▁the ▁found ations ▁of ▁his ▁military ▁fame ; ▁he ▁particularly ▁distinguished ▁himself ▁in ▁Mass é na ' s ▁great