The son of an officer who, in 1821, had joined Santorre di Santarosa in the constitutional motions in Piedmont, Giuseppe Galliano entered the Military College in Asti on 24 October 1854. In 1864 he entered the Military School, which he left two years after as second lieutenant in the arm of Infantry, and was assigned to the 24th Regiment Como with which he participated to the war against Austria in 1866. In 1870 he was promoted to the rank of Luogotenente (Lieutenant) and in 1873 he was moved to the new Alpini body; on 19 July 1883 he became a captain, and was sent to the 58th Infantry regiment Abruzzi. In 1884 he passed to the 82nd "Turin" Infantry Regiment; on 6 November 1887 he left for Eritrea under the command of General Alessandro Asinari di San Marzano, to avenge the Dogali massacre. Since the Abyssinians “disappeared like fog in the sunlight” the expedition corps was repatriated. On 10 March 1888 Captain Galliano returned to his Regiment and stayed in Turin two years; in 1890, he obtained to be sent again to Eritrea.