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.
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.
As General-in-Chief of the Egyptian Expedition, Napoleon signed as follows:
From Cairo, the 30th of July, 1798, he signed himself Bonaparte.
When he first became Emperor, he signed himself Napoleon.