In the year 1785, Napoleon left the Military School at Paris, and was admitted as a Second Lieutenant in the regiment of La Fère. At this time he signed like his father: “Buonaparte, younger son, gentleman, at the Royal Military School of Paris.” [Illustration: _Buonaparte, younger son, gentleman, at the Royal Military School of Paris._] Napoleon obtained a company in 1789, and in 1792 he was sent at the head of a battalion of Volunteer Infantry, which was to take part in an expedition against Sardinia. On returning from this expedition, he commanded the artillery at the siege of Toulon. His signature then was as follows: [Illustration: _Buonaparte_] After the capture of Ollioules, the 3rd of December, 1793, Napoleon was made General, and in 1794 he commanded the artillery of the Army of Italy. At the commencement of the year 1795 he was ordered to join the Infantry in the Vendée, but he refused and remained in Paris, where he was attached to the Minister of War. The 5th of October of this year, he commanded under Barras, the Army of the Convention, against the Sections of Paris, and became, thanks to him, General of Division. A little later Barras gave him the Commanding Chief of the Army of the Interior. Up to this time Napoleon had not changed the spelling of his name. The heading of his letters read “_Buonaparte, general en chef de l’armée de l’interieur_,” and he signed “_Buonaparte_.” [Illustration: _Buonaparte_] The next signature is at the end of a note on the Army of Italy dated January 19, 1796, _Le Général Buonaparte_. [Illustration: _Le Général Buonaparte_] In the Memorial from St. Helena, Napoleon says that in his youth he signed _Buonaparte_ like his father, and having obtained the command of the Army of Italy, he changed this spelling, which was Italian, but some years later, being among the French, he signed _Bonaparte_. Napoleon was made General-in-Chief of the Army of Italy, the 23rd of Feb., 1796, and he signed _Buonaparte_ up to the 29th of the same month. He left Paris to join the Army towards the middle of the following month, and in the first letter he addressed to the Directory, dated Nice, the 28th of March, from his headquarters, he informed them that he had taken command of the Army the day before, and he signed himself _Bonaparte_. [Illustration: _Bonaparte_] From this time the change was generally adopted, and the official letters bear the signature “_Bonaparte, General-in-Chief of the Army of Italy_.” From his headquarters at Carcare, Napoleon addressed to the Directory at Paris his reports on the battle of Montenotte, which opened the Italian campaign. This letter was dated April 14, 1796, and signed _Bonaparte_. [Illustration: _Bonaparte_] In his celebrated proclamation from Milan, the 20th of March, 1796, Napoleon thus addressed his army: “Soldiers, you have precipitated yourselves like a torrent from the top of the Apennines, Milan is yours!” and he signed _Bonaparte_.