Chef d'état-major of the Imperial Guard in 1860, he was promoted to général de division in 1866 before becoming emperor's aide-de-camp in 1868. In 1870, he was given a diplomatic mission to Vienna before becoming chief aide-major-général of the armée du Rhin in 1870. He then commanded XII Corps in 1870, heading it in the battles of Beaumont, Mouzon, Bazeilles (where he commanded the Blue Division) and finally Sedan. He was held as a prisoner of war on the Iges peninsula (wishing to remain with his men) then in Germany at Koblenz then Aix-la-Chapelle. On his release he served in several roles, such as member of the Mixed Commission on Public Works, inspector general to the staff training school, president of the commission de révision du règlement sur le service des places, member of the defence committee and president of the commission on reorganisation of the army staff. He was also the author of several documents and books. He took command of III Corps from 1873 to 1879, when he retired, dying ten years later and being buried at the cemetery in his birthplace.