[1] Born in Genoa to Lorenzo Bruzzo and Teresa Profumo, he entered the it: Accademia Reale di Torino in 1835, graduating in 1842 as a second lieutenant in the army of engineers.

Promoted to captain in 1848, he took part in the campaign of 1849 during the First Italian War of Independence; he was then a teacher in the school of the artillery corps, and from 1854 to 1859 director of the military engineers of Cuneo.

Promoted to lieutenant general in 1876, he was attached to the Artillery and Engineers Committee, then made commander of the Rome division.

[3] In March 1878 Benedetto Cairoli chose four ministers from outside parliament, whose appointment would help him garner political support from the historical right under Quintino Sella.

[2] In 1881 he was a member of the commission charged by War Minister Emilio Ferrero with studying the fortifications on the northwest border.