Bonaparte and the Italian Army

The army of italy was the poorest and most demoralized of the french armies. It now controlled all of northwestern italy, some of the richest land in europe. His men were now not only paid on time, they were paid in hard pecie, metal coins, not worthless paper. They no longer starved. They ate like kings. Now it was the best gig in the whole war. But while the directory got its fair share, bonaparte and his senior offi s peeled off quite a bit of all this for themselves.