Achille Francois Bazaine

Bazaine, Achille François (1811–88) French general. During the FRANCO-PRUSSIAN WAR he was appointed commander-in-chief, but was reluctant to give battle. He withdrew to Metz with 176,000 French troops and capitulated to BISMARCK on 27 October 1870. Convicted of treason (1873), he was sentenced to death, but this was commuted to 20 years' imprisonment. After one year he escaped to Italy and then Spain, where he died.

Achille François Bazaine , 1811-88, French army officer. He served in Algeria, Crimea, Lombardy, and Mexico, and in the Franco-Prussian War he was given (Aug., 1870) the supreme command by Emperor Napoleon III. Unequal to the task, Bazaine allowed his army, which was entrenched at Metz, to be surrounded by the Prussians. The attempt of Marshal MacMahon to rescue him led to the disaster of Sedan. Bazaine then entered questionable diplomatic intrigues with the Germans, which led to his capitulation at Metz (Oct. 27). Convicted of treason in 1873, he was sentenced to 20 years of seclusion but escaped. He spent the rest of his life in Italy and Spain.

Bibliography: See P. Guedalla, The Two Marshals: Bazaine, Pétain (1943).