▁the ▁first ▁Cav our ▁government . ▁He ▁was ▁admitted ▁in ▁the ▁Royal ▁Military ▁Academy ▁in ▁ 1 8 5 9 , ▁and ▁graduated ▁in ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁as ▁an ▁art illery ▁sub - lie utenant . ▁In ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 2 ▁was ▁attached ▁to ▁the ▁Art illery ▁Staff , ▁then , ▁a ▁year ▁later , ▁assigned ▁to ▁the ▁ 5 th ▁Art illery ▁Regiment . ▁On ▁ 3 1 ▁December ▁ 1 8 6 3 ▁was ▁promoted ▁to ▁lieutenant . ▁During ▁the ▁ 1 8 6 6 ▁Ital o - A ust rian ▁War ▁he ▁commanded ▁a ▁supply ▁column , ▁and ▁by ▁December ▁was ▁moved ▁to ▁the ▁Army ▁Staff . ▁A ▁year ▁later ▁he ▁entered ▁the ▁newly ▁founded ▁School ▁of ▁War ▁for ▁a ▁two - year ▁special ization ▁course . ▁Prom oted ▁captain ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 8 , ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 0 ▁he ▁started ▁teaching ▁courses ▁of ▁Military ▁History ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁institution . ▁ ▁Army ▁Staff ▁and ▁Academ ic ▁career ▁ ▁D ab orm ida ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁professor ▁in ▁the ▁School ▁of ▁War ▁for ▁eight ▁years , ▁until ▁promoted ▁Infantry ▁major ▁in ▁ 1 8 7 8 . ▁Qu ite ▁a ▁pro l ific ▁writer , ▁he ▁published ▁S unt i ▁sul lo ▁svol g imento ▁stor ico ▁dell ' arte ▁della ▁guerra ▁prima ▁della ▁riv ol uzione ▁francese ▁( trans . ▁" E ss ays ▁on ▁the ▁history ▁of ▁the ▁art ▁of ▁war ▁before ▁the ▁French ▁revolution ") ▁in ▁ 1