This was important to Carlo, who ultimately wanted all the Bonaparte children to become nobles in society.
While at the academy for five years Napoleon struggled as he was shy and somewhat of an outcast who was made fun of at many times (Greenblatt 8). The opportunity of a lifetime came for fifteen-year old Napoleon when he was selected to attend the grand military college Ecole Militaire located in Paris (Greenblatt 8). Even here Napoleon felt somewhat of an outsider among some of France's most Nobel families, but he would eventually show great leadership and superiority in his first year at the college (Chandler 2). In 1785, he would graduate early and become a second lieutenant in the artillery division later to become one of the most brilliant military leaders in Europe. At the time of Napoleon's first important command, the French were fighting savagely among each other. Napoleon, seeing this as an opportunity, immediately began working his way up the military chain of commend in the French army and ultimately promoted to major (Greenblatt 17).
His first real test of his abilities was at the Battle of Toulon in 1793. The city was being occupied strongly by the British fleet and thousands of rebels of the French Revolution. Napoleon came up with the idea to gather supply from the countryside and take the harbor from the fort overlooking Toulon (Greenblatt 18). The swift thinking of Napoleon proved to be victorious and the French army won in the battle of Toulon. Napoleon would soon be promoted to a brigadier general of the French army (Greenblatt 18). By the time of his promotion, help was needed in Paris as radical rebels were viciously rioting in the city. Napoleon placed his troops in critical points near Tuileries Palace. When the rebels arrived Napoleon's forces, including cannons, were established (Greenblatt 20). His actions largely saved the city from the rebel forces and Napoleon, now seen as a hero, was promoted to the leader of the entire French army.
