Napoleon Bonaparte: Military Career

The military career of Napoleon Bonaparte spanned over 20 years. As emperor, he led the French Armies in the Napoleonic Wars.

Early Career

1769

August 15 - Napoleon born Nabulione di Buonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica.

1778

December 15 - Napoleon leaves Corsica for France.

1779

January 1 - Napoleon enters religious school at Autun.

May 15 - Napoleon enters cadet school at Brienne.

1784

October 30 - Napoleon enters École Militaire in Paris.

1785

September 1 - Napoleon graduates from École Militaire and is commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Artillery.

October 30 - Napoleon reports to first posting with the La Fère Artillery Regiment at Valence-sur-Rhône.

1786

September 1 - Napoleon goes to Corsica on long furlough till June 1788.

1788

June - Napoleon rejoins his regiment at Auxonne, attached to School of Artillery.

1789

September 15 - Napoleon goes on second leave to Corsica, becomes

involved in revolutionary activities and attempts to gain favour with Pasquale Paoli.

1791

February 10 - Napoleon returns from Corsica to regimental duty at Auxonne.

April 1 - Napoleon promoted to 1st Lieutenant.

September 1 - Napoleon's third furlough to Corsica.

1792

February 6 - Napoleon promoted to Captain (antedated).

April 1 - Napoleon is elected Lieutenant Colonel, 2nd Battalion, Corsican Volunteers. Is implicated in a riot in Ajaccio.

May 28 - Napoleon returns to Paris, instead of rejoining his regiment.

September 15 - Napoleon escorts his sister, Elisa, back to Corsica.

1793

February 22-25 - Napoleon commands artillery during an abortive French lading on Maddalena Island, Sardinia.

March 3 - Napoleon breaks with Paoli, blaming the failed landing on him.

June 13 - Napoleon and his family arrive in Toulon, having been banished from Corsica by Paoli.

August 27 - Toulon handed over to the British by Royalists.

September 16 - Napoleon given command of artillery besieging Toulon.

October 18 - Napoleon promoted to Major.

December 17-19 - Successful recapture of Toulon from British and Royalists.

December 22 - Napoleon promoted to Brigadier General.

Battles

Victories

• Siege of Toulon (1793)
• 13 Vendémiaire (1795)
• Montenotte (1796)
• Second Dego (1796)
• Mondovì (1796)
• Lodi (1796)
• Lonato (1796)
• Castiglione (1796)
• Bassano (1796)
• Rovereto (1796)
• Bridge of Arcole (1796)
• Rivoli (1797)
• Chobrakit (1798)
• Pyramids (1798)
• El Arish (1799)
• Jaffa (1799)
• Mount Tabor (1799)
• Abukir (1799)
• Marengo (1800)
• Ulm (1805)
• Austerlitz (1805)
• Jena-Auerstedt (1806)
• Poland Uprising (1806)
• Eylau (1807)
• Friedland (1807)
• Somosierra (1808)
• Teugn-Hausen (1809)
• Abensberg (1809)
• Landshut (1809)
• Eckmühl (1809)
• Wagram (1809)
• Smolensk (1812)
• Borodino (1812)
• Lützen (1813)
• Bautzen (1813)
• Dresden (1813)
• Hanau (1813)
• Brienne (1814)
• Champaubert (1814)
• Montmirail (1814)
• Château-Thierry (1814)
• Vauchamps (1814)
• Mormans (1814)
• Montereau (1814)
• Craonne (1814)
• Rheims (1814)
• Saint-Dizier (1814)
• Ligny (1815)

Defeats

• Caldiero (1796)
• Second Bassano (1796)
• Acre (1799)
• Aspern-Essling (1809)
• Krasnoi (1812)
• Berezina (1812)
• Leipzig (1813)
• La Rothière (1814)
• Laon (1814)
• Waterloo (1815)

Source