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The Road to Rivoli: Napoleon's First Campaign
In the spring of 1796 the 26-year-old Napoleon took command of the Army of Italy - a collection of some 60,000 ill-fed, poorly-clothed and disillusioned men. He had never even served through a whole campaign, nor been involved in a major battle, much less conducted one as the commander of an army. Yet within just two months he and his scarecrow army had knocked the Piedmontese out of the war, driven the Austrians half way across Italy, and laid siege to the fortress of Mantua, the capture of which was essential for the control of northern Italy. Over the course of the next ten months Napoleon led his men to victory after victory, making them virtual masters of northern Italy, and marching them to within 95 miles of Vienna. It was a campaign of such audacity, skill and ingenuity that it entirely baffled his opponents, and firmly established for the first time the strategic and tactical genius of the young Bonaparte.
In this new account, Martin Boycott-Brown follows the campaign from the first Austrian attack on Napoleon's troops right through to the climactic battle of Rivoli, which at one time Napoleon said he prized more highly than any other of his victories. Using eyewitness accounts from the memoirs and letters of participants and observers, he describes the war from both the Austrian and French sides, from the highest strategic level right down to the experience of the front line soldier, and even of the civilians caught in the cross-fire. The result is a comprehensive and gripping description of the campaign which first created the legend of Napoleon Bonaparte.
In this new account, Martin Boycott-Brown follows the campaign from the first Austrian attack on Napoleon's troops right through to the climactic battle of Rivoli, which at one time Napoleon said he prized more highly than any other of his victories. Using eyewitness accounts from the memoirs and letters of participants and observers, he describes the war from both the Austrian and French sides, from the highest strategic level right down to the experience of the front line soldier, and even of the civilians caught in the cross-fire. The result is a comprehensive and gripping description of the campaign which first created the legend of Napoleon Bonaparte.
560 pages, Hardcover
First published June 30, 2001
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
July 8, 2021
Napoleon’s 1796 Italian Campaign ranks as one of the most brilliant campaigns in military history. Martin-Boycott Brown’s twenty year old work on the topic is not only the best treatment available (in English) on the topic, it is just plain a very good military history book in general.
Young General Bonaparte (at the time he was only 26) took command of the hard luck, run down, logistically starved Army of Italy. Within a matter of weeks he had not only turned the Army’s attitude and dispositions around, but he had begun to push back the Austrian forces in the opening moves of the campaign that made him famous.
Prior to this, as Brown details, Napoleon had begun his career as an artillery commander, where he had served with incredible distinction at Toulon. Toulon, under siege by British, and Royalist forces, had been a boil in the side of the Republic for some time. Napoleon, essentially, became de facto commander of the Reoublican forces there, and was instrumental in securing a major success, at a time when Republican forces were largely getting trounced on all fronts.
Toulon brought him to the attention of the Directory in Paris, and his service in both the Topographical Bureau (a form of General Staff, where Napoleon honed many of his strategic and operational ideas), as well as the incident known as the ‘Whiff of grapeshot’ (where Napoleon commanded artillery which protected the Directory against rioting, pro-Royalist citizens) ingratiated him enough to the Directory, that after Napoleon’s own pleading, bought him a field commission.
Upon taking command, Napoleon had to deal with a serious strategic position. Allied forces, Austrian and Piedmontese (Savoy) forces were encroaching upon southern France herself, his command was broken down, low on morale, low on equipment, and low on hope. They were also seriously outnumbered. Through boundless energy, and a ruthlessly efficient mind, Napoleon turned the logistical situation around, began to drill and retrain his forces to a point where some of their self confidence was restored, and he made astute plans to test out his own operational and strategic ideas that he had formulated while in the Topographical Bureau, in the field.
Brown makes the convincing case, though it's not exactly original, that Napoleon's art of war was moulded in Italy in 1796. The unrelenting energy and aggression, the aggressive, massed, use of field artillery. The operational offensive to split the enemy's strategic center, the tactical flanking turn, the aggressive use of cavalry in both creating breaks and exploiting enemy defeats (though the French weren't ever as proficient in using cavalry for intelligence either here, or the rest of the era, as some of their foes).
While all of this has been discussed in other works, Brown uses the narrative of the Campaign itself, detailed here in a level never before, or since, seen in English, to analyze how Napoleon's art of war evolved, and was solidified.
At times the narrative can get bogged down in a little too much detail, and if it was tactical detail, it's doubtful that many would complain, rather the detail is largely in describing logistical issues, or of stopping the narrative to insert precise orders of battle for one side or the other. Though, to be fair, that's one of the only two complaints that can be levied at this work.
The other is the maps. This is a common complaint amongst military historians and students, so I won't belabor it, but the maps here aren't all that useful. And the level of detail in describing the several major battles fought, especially Castiglione and Rivoli, is a tad stunted.
Then again, this is more of an operational narrative than a tactical one, and there's a ton of moving parts involved, and Brown does a very credible job of highlighting them all. In his deft hands, Napoleon forces Piedmont out of the war, splits the Austrian forces, survived numerous Austrian counter offensives, seizes Milan, besieges Mantua, and breaks the back of Austrian resistance in Northern Italy.
Brown asserts that this is Napoleon's greatest campaign.
It's an assertion I cannot share, though he makes a good argument for it. This was a largely green army, and Napoleon was as yet a green general, and he makes a fair share of mistakes. None of his battlefield victories are easy ones, at this stage, the Imperial Army isn't even a thought yet, and the Republican forces aren't exactly superior to any of their foes.
And yet, despite it all, he conquers.
This is a wonderfully well written book, an easy to read tome (it's a bit of a doorstopper) that never gets truly dull. Here you meet a young Napoleon, see the beginning of his relationship with Berthier, Bessieres, Lannes, Marmont, Desaix, and more than a few others who will go on to glory with the young Corsican over the course of the generation.
This is an easily, highly recommended work, and hopefully there's more works on the Napoleonic Wars in this style coming down the pike.
Young General Bonaparte (at the time he was only 26) took command of the hard luck, run down, logistically starved Army of Italy. Within a matter of weeks he had not only turned the Army’s attitude and dispositions around, but he had begun to push back the Austrian forces in the opening moves of the campaign that made him famous.
Prior to this, as Brown details, Napoleon had begun his career as an artillery commander, where he had served with incredible distinction at Toulon. Toulon, under siege by British, and Royalist forces, had been a boil in the side of the Republic for some time. Napoleon, essentially, became de facto commander of the Reoublican forces there, and was instrumental in securing a major success, at a time when Republican forces were largely getting trounced on all fronts.
Toulon brought him to the attention of the Directory in Paris, and his service in both the Topographical Bureau (a form of General Staff, where Napoleon honed many of his strategic and operational ideas), as well as the incident known as the ‘Whiff of grapeshot’ (where Napoleon commanded artillery which protected the Directory against rioting, pro-Royalist citizens) ingratiated him enough to the Directory, that after Napoleon’s own pleading, bought him a field commission.
Upon taking command, Napoleon had to deal with a serious strategic position. Allied forces, Austrian and Piedmontese (Savoy) forces were encroaching upon southern France herself, his command was broken down, low on morale, low on equipment, and low on hope. They were also seriously outnumbered. Through boundless energy, and a ruthlessly efficient mind, Napoleon turned the logistical situation around, began to drill and retrain his forces to a point where some of their self confidence was restored, and he made astute plans to test out his own operational and strategic ideas that he had formulated while in the Topographical Bureau, in the field.
Brown makes the convincing case, though it's not exactly original, that Napoleon's art of war was moulded in Italy in 1796. The unrelenting energy and aggression, the aggressive, massed, use of field artillery. The operational offensive to split the enemy's strategic center, the tactical flanking turn, the aggressive use of cavalry in both creating breaks and exploiting enemy defeats (though the French weren't ever as proficient in using cavalry for intelligence either here, or the rest of the era, as some of their foes).
While all of this has been discussed in other works, Brown uses the narrative of the Campaign itself, detailed here in a level never before, or since, seen in English, to analyze how Napoleon's art of war evolved, and was solidified.
At times the narrative can get bogged down in a little too much detail, and if it was tactical detail, it's doubtful that many would complain, rather the detail is largely in describing logistical issues, or of stopping the narrative to insert precise orders of battle for one side or the other. Though, to be fair, that's one of the only two complaints that can be levied at this work.
The other is the maps. This is a common complaint amongst military historians and students, so I won't belabor it, but the maps here aren't all that useful. And the level of detail in describing the several major battles fought, especially Castiglione and Rivoli, is a tad stunted.
Then again, this is more of an operational narrative than a tactical one, and there's a ton of moving parts involved, and Brown does a very credible job of highlighting them all. In his deft hands, Napoleon forces Piedmont out of the war, splits the Austrian forces, survived numerous Austrian counter offensives, seizes Milan, besieges Mantua, and breaks the back of Austrian resistance in Northern Italy.
Brown asserts that this is Napoleon's greatest campaign.
It's an assertion I cannot share, though he makes a good argument for it. This was a largely green army, and Napoleon was as yet a green general, and he makes a fair share of mistakes. None of his battlefield victories are easy ones, at this stage, the Imperial Army isn't even a thought yet, and the Republican forces aren't exactly superior to any of their foes.
And yet, despite it all, he conquers.
This is a wonderfully well written book, an easy to read tome (it's a bit of a doorstopper) that never gets truly dull. Here you meet a young Napoleon, see the beginning of his relationship with Berthier, Bessieres, Lannes, Marmont, Desaix, and more than a few others who will go on to glory with the young Corsican over the course of the generation.
This is an easily, highly recommended work, and hopefully there's more works on the Napoleonic Wars in this style coming down the pike.
June 13, 2009
This book on Napoleon's Italian campaign of 1796 by Martin Boycott-Brown is a great story of Napoleon Bonaparte's first military campaign. In over 500 pages of text the author presents a fluid and easy to follow account of the actions and maneuvers of this military genius.
He starts the book with a number of chapters outlining the French and Austrian armies, their weapons and tactics, and a brief account of Napoleon's rise to the command of the French armies in Italy. From there the author takes us on a journey with Napoleon and his army as they march and battle against the combined forces of the Allied armies in Italy. The narrative is easy to follow, is well written and researched and has numerous first-hand accounts throughout.
The only major problem that I have with this book is the maps. I think that there could have been a few more and they should have been placed in the relevant areas of the narrative. I also think that the standard of those supplied could have been of a higher quality. Further, considering that the author lived in the area of these battles, I would have liked to have seen a few photographs of the region and personalities involved.
Those criticisms aside, overall this is an excellent book covering a period of Napoleon's career that is usually glossed over in most current studies. I am sure that the majority of readers who enjoy this period of history or who like good solid accounts of military history will thoroughly enjoy this book.
"The most detailed and coherent account of the campaign that I have ever read.... A truly first-rate study." - Philip Haythornthwaite
He starts the book with a number of chapters outlining the French and Austrian armies, their weapons and tactics, and a brief account of Napoleon's rise to the command of the French armies in Italy. From there the author takes us on a journey with Napoleon and his army as they march and battle against the combined forces of the Allied armies in Italy. The narrative is easy to follow, is well written and researched and has numerous first-hand accounts throughout.
The only major problem that I have with this book is the maps. I think that there could have been a few more and they should have been placed in the relevant areas of the narrative. I also think that the standard of those supplied could have been of a higher quality. Further, considering that the author lived in the area of these battles, I would have liked to have seen a few photographs of the region and personalities involved.
Those criticisms aside, overall this is an excellent book covering a period of Napoleon's career that is usually glossed over in most current studies. I am sure that the majority of readers who enjoy this period of history or who like good solid accounts of military history will thoroughly enjoy this book.
"The most detailed and coherent account of the campaign that I have ever read.... A truly first-rate study." - Philip Haythornthwaite
February 22, 2026
A very fine and detailed history of General Bonaparte's (as he was known at the time) Italian Campaign, his first military campaign where he was commander-in-chief. It is the best account of the campaign that that I have read and points out the importance of the campaign. The author regards it as Napoleon's most successful of his many campaigns and of which he makes some compelling arguments. Very nicely done, but it loses points for having very poor maps almost none of which show troop movements. I have read a number of Napoleonic histories, but still my knowledge of the area where the actions occur requires good maps especially for the time period where Italy was not yet a unified country and there were so many various municipalities. The main foe of the French in this campaign was the Austrian Empire, not the Italians. Luckily, I have a Napoleonic atlas which helped a great deal (thanks Mark!)...
August 8, 2012
Since Aussie Rick has already shared an excellent & thorough review of The Road to Rivoli, I'll simply reinforce what he said about the book's maps. To fully appreciate this great narrative, you'll need to look elsewhere for helpful maps of the areas in which the campaign took place. I kept A Military History and Atlas of the Napoleonic Wars (by Esposito & Elting) close to hand as I read Boycott-Brown's book.
June 7, 2022
Great, comprehensive book about the 1796-97 campaign in Italy. As often is the case in these larger napoleonic tomes, the maps are lacking. It really hurts the reading experience. At least I would like to see all the mentioned towns ect. represented on the smaller scale maps of a certain area of operations, but no, I was often left guessing. I wouldn't have minded some pictures of the terrain too. The book is quite thick in detail and perhaps not the easiest read, but there are enough period citations and analysis to keep one invested until the end.
August 8, 2025
March of the F*ckin Eagles!
Napoleon was 26 (I am 26) when he took command of the beleaguered Army of Italy, transforming it into an instrument blessed by Victory herself (Yes, I am a glazer for the Top G).
Excited to pull another book into the endless list of currently reading but relatively confident I'll be done by tomorrow :)
Napoleon was 26 (I am 26) when he took command of the beleaguered Army of Italy, transforming it into an instrument blessed by Victory herself (Yes, I am a glazer for the Top G).
Excited to pull another book into the endless list of currently reading but relatively confident I'll be done by tomorrow :)
November 24, 2025
This is a long and detailed book about Napoleon's first campaign as a general en chef under the age of 30. Napoleon was tasked with resolving issues in northern Italy: Piedmont and the Austrians. He commanded the French Army of Italy in 1796 and secured control of the entire territory within a year, despite facing strong opposition.
The book is an intriguing story of skill, strategy, preparation, randomness, agility, and pretty much everything related to leadership and large projects. I've been reading books and biographies about modern tech startups, and I find this book about Napoleon to be at least as relevant a source of inspiration and leadership methods. Napoleon's army was agile and fast. Communication was always an issue, but knowing the terrain helped Napoleon make plans that led to more successes than failures.
The author has created a fluid narrative based on multiple sources. It's not a story, but rather, a research paper. The text is enjoyable and well-written, even in the references where the author comments on the sources
The author deserves special recognition for telling the story of Napoleon without emphasizing his domestic issues with Josephine. They are mentioned, but, unlike in many books, they don't steal the focus.
Recommended for history buffs visiting Lake Garda (which is worth a visit, by the way).
The book is an intriguing story of skill, strategy, preparation, randomness, agility, and pretty much everything related to leadership and large projects. I've been reading books and biographies about modern tech startups, and I find this book about Napoleon to be at least as relevant a source of inspiration and leadership methods. Napoleon's army was agile and fast. Communication was always an issue, but knowing the terrain helped Napoleon make plans that led to more successes than failures.
The author has created a fluid narrative based on multiple sources. It's not a story, but rather, a research paper. The text is enjoyable and well-written, even in the references where the author comments on the sources
...source for most of the detailed information regarding the 1796-7 campaign is Schels, but at times he makes strange use of it. Here he says that 'Alvinczy gave instructions to the commanders of the various columns that were so obscure that those of the main columns did not know ..." etc. (See vol Il, p. 281) It remains to be seen whether this is a mistake or a wilful mistranslation intended to make the Austrian commander look foolish.
The author deserves special recognition for telling the story of Napoleon without emphasizing his domestic issues with Josephine. They are mentioned, but, unlike in many books, they don't steal the focus.
Recommended for history buffs visiting Lake Garda (which is worth a visit, by the way).
With few exceptions, he said, it is to the most numerous troops that victory is assured. The art of war therefore consists in finding oneself with superior numbers at the point where one wishes to fight. Is your army less numerous than that of the enemy? Do not leave the enemy time to unite his forces: surprise him in his movements, and moving rapidly on the various corps which you have had the art to isolate, arrange your manoeuvres in such a way that you can oppose your whole army to army divisions in every encounter. It is in this way that with an army half the strength of that of the enemy you will always be stronger than he on the field of battle. It is in this way that I successively annihilated the armies of Beaulieu, Wurmser, Alvinczy and Prince Charles.'
June 11, 2025
Really excellent history on the career defining first campaign of Napoleon. The author has managed to distil both individual accounts and weave in the bigger political considerations into a fast paced narrative.
The one disappointment is the maps. It was only my recent reading of WGF Jackson’s ‘Attack in the West’ which has an abundance of sketch maps inserted into the text, which make understanding the movements of forces and the battles very clear, that I had a clear understanding of the geography and the places mentioned.
I was able to tour the key battlefields and fortresses in 2010 and reading this book has rekindled my interest to make a return trip.
The one disappointment is the maps. It was only my recent reading of WGF Jackson’s ‘Attack in the West’ which has an abundance of sketch maps inserted into the text, which make understanding the movements of forces and the battles very clear, that I had a clear understanding of the geography and the places mentioned.
I was able to tour the key battlefields and fortresses in 2010 and reading this book has rekindled my interest to make a return trip.
December 25, 2023
Comprehensive account of Napoleon Bonaparte’s early career culminating with his Italian campaign which saw him establish himself in the political arena as a force to be reckoned with. Those early myths which helped propel this Corsican outsider and artillery officer to the corridors of power are examined, such as what really happened on or near the bridge at Arcole.
Plenty of use of eyewitness accounts help give this substantial work a gloss of immediacy. Probably one for the specialist but I enjoyed it!
Plenty of use of eyewitness accounts help give this substantial work a gloss of immediacy. Probably one for the specialist but I enjoyed it!
December 19, 2025
Overall a very good read on Napoleon's first campaign. Excellent level of detail, good amount of quotations from primary sources. The only thing lacking really is more maps. Ideally, there would be maps interspersed throughout the main chapters where the battles took place.
June 1, 2022
Excellent history, only needed more maps.
August 23, 2012
Not impressed with this book. Very dense and tough to read at times. Doesn't flow very well. Of the first 150 pages, about 100 are pure primary source quotes....there is almost no analysis for the first half of the book. Too much narrative for me to get interested.
July 21, 2015
Remarkably detailed account of Napoleon Bonaparte's first campaign. The book covers just about everything. From the commanders to the troops, the tactics, and the battles. Overall I read this in a week. I thought it was well written and pretty clear to read.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews