Military career of Napoleon Bonaparte

The military career of Napoleon Bonaparte spanned over 20 years. As emperor, he led the French armies in the Napoleonic Wars. Widely regarded as a military genius and one of the finest commanders in history, his wars and campaigns have been studied at military schools worldwide. He fought more than 70 battles, losing only nine, mostly at the end.[1] The great French dominion collapsed rapidly after the disastrous invasion of Russia in 1812. Napoleon was defeated in 1814 and exiled to the island of Elba, before returning and was finally defeated in 1815 at Waterloo. He spent his remaining days in British custody on the remote island of St. Helena.[2]

Emperor of the French

Napoleon
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries by Jacques-Louis David, 1812
Nickname(s)"General Vendémiaire", "The Little Corporal", "Napoleon the Great"
Born(1769-08-15)August 15, 1769
Ajaccio, Corsica
DiedMay 5, 1821(1821-05-05) (aged 51)
Longwood, St. Helena
AllegianceFrance
Service/branchTrained as an artillerist
Years of service1779–1815
RankCommander in Chief (Head of State)
Commands heldArmy of Italy
Army of the Orient
French Army
Grande Armée
Battles/warsFrench Revolutionary Wars

Napoleonic Wars

AwardsGrand Master of the Legion of Honour
Grand Master of the Order of the Reunion
Grand Master of the Order of the Iron Crown
Grand Master of the Order of the Three Golden Fleeces
RelationsHouse of Bonaparte
Other workSovereign of Elba, writer
Battles of Napoleon Bonaparte
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  Napoleon not listed first as commander
  Napoleon listed first as commander

History

Early career

Napoleon's early career is well covered.[3][4] The most thorough coverage of his campaigns is by David G. Chandler.[5] The Naval Losses at the Nile and Trafalgar caused huge problems for Napoleon and crucially undermined his military dominance .

1769

August 15 – Born Nabulione di Buonaparte in Ajaccio, Corsica

1778

December 15 – Leaves Corsica for mainland France

1779

January 1 – Enters a religious school at Autun

May 15 – Enters cadet school at Brienne-le-Château

1784

October 30 – Enters the École Militaire in Paris

1785

September 1 – Graduates from the École Militaire and is commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant of Artillery

October 30 – Reports to first posting with the La Fère Artillery Regiment at Valence-sur-Rhône

1786

September 1 – Goes to Corsica on long furlough until June 1788

1788

June – Rejoins his regiment at Auxonne, attached to the School of Artillery

1789

September 15 – Goes on second leave to Corsica, becomes involved in revolutionary activities and attempts to gain favour with Pasquale Paoli

1791

February 10 – Returns from Corsica to regimental duty at Auxonne

April 1 – Promoted to 1st Lieutenant

September 1 – Third furlough to Corsica

1792

February 6 – Promoted to Captain (antedated)

April 1 – Elected Lieutenant Colonel of the 2nd Battalion, Corsican Volunteers. Is implicated in a riot in Ajaccio

May 28 – Returns to Paris, instead of rejoining his regiment

September 15 – Escorts his sister, Elisa, back to Corsica

1793

February 22–25 – Commands artillery during an abortive French landing on Maddalena Island, Sardinia

March 3 – Breaks with Paoli, blaming the failed landing on him

June 13 – Arrives with his family in Toulon, having been banished from Corsica by Paoli

August 27 – Toulon handed over to the British by Royalists

September 16 – Given command of the artillery besieging Toulon

October 18 – Promoted to Major

December 17–19 – Leads the successful recapture of Toulon from the British and Royalists

December 22 – Promoted to Brigadier General.

Battles

For comprehensive coverage, see Chandler (1973).[6] For an overall view of the military history of the era see Trevor N. Dupuy and R. Ernest Dupuy, The Encyclopedia of Military History (2nd ed., 1970) pp. 730–770.

Victories

Defeats

Indecisive

Battle record summary
No Date Battle Opponent Location Outcome
1. 29 Aug-19 Dec 1793Siege of ToulonFrench RepublicVictory
2. 24-28 Apr 1794SaorgioKingdom of SardiniaVictory
3. 5 Oct 179513 VendémiaireFrench RepublicVictory
4. 11-12 Apr 1796MontenotteKingdom of SardiniaVictory
5. 12-13 Apr 1796MillesimoKingdom of SardiniaVictory
6. 14-15 Apr 1796Second Battle of DegoKingdom of SardiniaVictory
7. 16 Apr 1796CevaKingdom of SardiniaVictory
8. 21 Apr 1796MondoviKingdom of SardiniaVictory
9. 7-9 May 1796FombioHabsburg ItalyVictory
10. 10 May 1796LodiHabsburg ItalyVictory
11. 30 May 1796BorghettoHabsburg ItalyVictory
12. 4 Jul 1796-2 Feb 1797Siege of MantuaHabsburg ItalyVictory
13. 3-4 Aug 1796LonatoHabsburg ItalyVictory
14. 5 Aug 1796CastiglioneHabsburg ItalyVictory
15. 4 Sep 1796RoveretoHabsburg ItalyVictory
16. 8 Sep 1796BassanoHabsburg ItalyVictory
17. 6 Nov 1796Second BassanoHabsburg ItalyDefeat
18. 12 Nov 1796CaldieroHabsburg ItalyDefeat
19. 15-17 Nov 1796ArcoleHabsburg ItalyVictory
20. 14-15 Jan 1797RivoliHabsburg ItalyVictory
21. 16 Jan 1797La FavoriteHabsburg ItalyVictory
22. 16 Mar 1797ValvasoneHabsburg ItalyVictory
23. 16 Mar 1797TagliamentoHabsburg ItalyVictory
24. 21-23 Mar 1797TarvisHabsburg ItalyVictory
25. 10-12 Jun 1798MaltaMaltaVictory
26. 2 Jul 1798AlexandriaMameluk EgyptVictory
27. 13 Jul 1798Shubra KhitMameluk EgyptVictory
28. 21 Jul 1798PyramidsMameluk EgyptVictory
29. 21-22 Oct 1798Revolt of CairoFrench EgyptVictory
30. 11-19 Feb 1799Siege of El ArishMameluk EgyptVictory
31. 3-7 Mar 1799Siege of JaffaOttoman EmpireVictory
32. 20 Mar-21 May 1799AcreOttoman EmpireDefeat
33. 16 Apr 1799Mount TaborOttoman EmpireVictory
34. 25 Jul 1799AbukirFrench EgyptVictory
35. 31 May 1800Combat of TurbigoKingdom of SardiniaVictory
36. 14 May-1 Jun 1800Siege of Fort BardKingdom of SardiniaVictory
37. 14 Jun 1800MarengoKingdom of SardiniaVictory
38. 15-20 Oct 1805UlmElectorate of BavariaVictory
39. 2 Dec 1805AusterlitzArchduchy of AustriaVictory
40. 14 Oct 1806JenaKingdom of PrussiaVictory
41. 9 Nov 1806-15 Jun 1807Greater Poland UprisingKingdom of PrussiaVictory
42. 23 Dec 1806CzarnowoKingdom of PrussiaVictory
43. 7-8 Feb 1807EylauKingdom of PrussiaIndecisive
44. 14 Jun 1807FriedlandKingdom of PrussiaVictory
45. 30 Nov 1808SomosierraSpainVictory
46. 19 Apr 1809Teugen-HausenKingdom of BavariaVictory
47. 20 Apr 1809AbensbergKingdom of BavariaVictory
48. 21 Apr 1809LandshutKingdom of BavariaVictory
49. 21-22 Apr 1809EckmühlKingdom of BavariaVictory
50. 23 Apr 1809RatisbonAustrian EmpireVictory
51. 21-22 May 1809Aspern-EsslingAustrian EmpireDefeat
52. 5-6 Jul 1809WagramAustrian EmpireVictory
53. 26-27 Jul 1812VitebskRussian EmpireVictory
54. 16-18 Aug 1812SmolenskRussian EmpireVictory
55. 7 Sep 1812BorodinoRussian EmpireVictory
56. 15-18 Nov 1812KrasnoiRussian EmpireDefeat
57. 26-29 Nov 1812BerezinaRussian EmpireVictory
58. 2 May 1813LützenKingdom of SaxonyVictory
59. 20-21 May 1813BautzenKingdom of SaxonyVictory
60. 22 May 1813ReichenbachKingdom of SaxonyVictory
61. 26-27 Aug 1813DresdenKingdom of SaxonyVictory
62. 16-19 Oct 1813LeipzigKingdom of SaxonyDefeat
63. 30-31 Oct 1813HanauDuchy of FrankfurtVictory
64. 29 Jan 1814BrienneFrench EmpireVictory
65. 1 Feb 1814La RothièreFrench EmpireDefeat
66. 10 Feb 1814ChampaubertFrench EmpireVictory
67. 11 Feb 1814MontmirailFrench EmpireVictory
68. 12 Feb 1814Chateau-ThierryFrench EmpireVictory
69. 14 Feb 1814VauchampsFrench EmpireVictory
70. 17 Feb 1814MormantFrench EmpireVictory
71. 18 Feb 1814MontereauFrench EmpireVictory
72. 5 Mar 1814Berry-au-BacFrench EmpireVictory
73. 7 Mar 1814CraonneFrench EmpireVictory
74. 9-10 Mar 1814LaonFrench EmpireDefeat
75. 12-13 Mar 1814ReimsFrench EmpireVictory
76. 20-21 Mar 1814Arcis-sur-AubeFrench EmpireDefeat
77. 26 Mar 1814Sain-DizierFrench EmpireVictory
78. 16 Jun 1815LignyUnited Kingdom of the NetherlandsVictory
79. 18 Jun 1815WaterlooUnited Kingdom of the NetherlandsDefeat

Notes
  1. Roberts says his losses came at Siege of Acre (1799), Battle of Aspern-Essling (1809), Battle of Leipzig (1813), Battle of La Rothière (1814), Battle of Laon (1814), Battle of Arcis-sur-Aube (1814), and Battle of Waterloo (1815). Andrew Roberts, "Why Napoleon merits the title 'the Great,'" BBC History Magazine (1 November 2014)
  2. Andrew Roberts, Napoleon: A Life (2014)
  3. Andrew Roberts, Napoleon: A Life (2014)
  4. Frank McLynn, Napoleon: A Biography (1997)
  5. David G. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon (1973) 1172 pp; a detailed guide to all major battles excerpt and text search
  6. David G. Chandler, The Campaigns of Napoleon (1973) excerpt and text search
  7. Jean Tranié et Juan-Carlos Carmigniani, Napoléon : 1814 - La campagne de France, Pygmalion/Gérard Watelet, 1989, 315 p.

Further reading
Main article: Napoleonic Wars § Further reading
  • Bell, David A. The First Total War: Napoleon's Europe and the Birth of Warfare as We Know It (2008) excerpt and text search
  • Bruce, Robert B. et al. Fighting Techniques of the Napoleonic Age 1792–1815: Equipment, Combat Skills, and Tactics (2008) excerpt and text search
  • Chandler, David G. The Campaigns of Napoleon (1973) 1172 pp; a detailed guide to all major battles excerpt and text search
  • Crowdy, Terry. Napoleon's Infantry Handbook (2015)
  • Delderfield, R.F. //Imperial Sunset: The Fall of Napoleon, 1813-14 (2014)
  • Dupuy, Trevor N. and Dupuy, R. Ernest. The Encyclopedia of Military History (2nd ed. 1970) pp 730–770
  • Dwyer, Philip. Napoleon: The Path to Power (2008) excerpt vol 1; Citizen Emperor: Napoleon in Power (2013) excerpt and text search v 2; most recent scholarly biography
  • Elting, John R. Swords Around a Throne: Napoleon's Grand Armee (1988)
  • Esdaile, Charles. Napoleon's Wars: An International History 1803-1815 (2008), 621pp
  • Gates, David. The Napoleonic Wars 1803-1815 (NY: Random House, 2011)
  • Griffith, Paddy. The Art of War of Revolutionary France, 1789–1802 (1998) excerpt and text search
  • Harvey, Robert (2013). The War of Wars. Constable & Robinson. p. 328., well-written popular survey of these wars
  • Haythornthwaite, Philip J. Napoleon's Military Machine (1995) excerpt and text search
  • Hazen, Charles Downer. The French Revolution and Napoleon (1917) online free
  • Kagan, Frederick W. The End of the Old Order: Napoleon and Europe, 1801-1805 (2007)
  • McLynn, Frank. Napoleon: A Biography (1997)
  • Nafziger, George F. The End of Empire: Napoleon's 1814 Campaign (2014)
  • Parker, Harold T. "Why Did Napoleon Invade Russia? A Study in Motivation and the Interrelations of Personality and Social Structure," Journal of Military History (1990) 54#2 pp 131–46 in JSTOR.
  • Pope, Stephen (1999). The Cassel Dictionary of the Napoleonic Wars. Cassel. ISBN 0-304-35229-2.
  • Rapport, Mike. The Napoleonic Wars: A Very Short Introduction (Oxford UP, 2013)
  • Riley, Jonathon P. Napoleon as a General (Hambledon Press, 2007)
  • Roberts, Andrew. Napoleon: A Life (2014) Major new biography by a leading British historian; 926 pp
  • Rothenberg, Gunther E. (1988). "The Origins, Causes, and Extension of the Wars of the French Revolution and Napoleon". Journal of Interdisciplinary History. 18 (4): 771–793. JSTOR 204824. JSTOR 204824
  • Rothenberg, E. Gunther. The Art of Warfare in the Age of Napoleon (1977)
  • Schneid, Frederick C. (2011). The French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars. Mainz: Institute of European History.
  • Schneid, Frederick C. Napoleon's Conquest of Europe: The War of the Third Coalition (2005) excerpt and text search
  • Shoffner, Thomas A. Napoleon's Cavalry: A Key Element to Decisive Victory (2014)
  • Smith, Digby George. The Greenhill Napoleonic Wars Data Book: Actions and Losses in Personnel, Colours, Standards and Artillery (1998)
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