Napoleon was the commander of the French army.
The Grande Armée ( [ ɡʀɑ̃d aʀme ] ; French for Great Army ) was the army commanded by Napoleon during the Napoleonic Wars . Napoleon Bonaparte ( [ nəˈpoʊliən_ˈboʊnəpɑrt ] [ napɔleɔ̃ bɔnapaʁt ] ; 15 August 1769 -- 5 May 1821 ) was a French military and political leader who rose to prominence during the French Revolution and led several successful campaigns during the French Revolutionary Wars . When the Revolution broke out in 1789 , Napoleon was serving as an artillery officer in the French army . The resulting campaign witnessed the collapse of the Grand Army , the destruction of Russian cities , and inspired a renewed push against Napoleon by his enemies .