[1] When describing the French position in the Franco-Prussian War, in particular, the shortcomings of the military organisation; incoherence of the first operations; and the incompetence of command, which were described as a "harbinger of inevitable disasters",[2] Bazaine-Hayter stated "We had no preparation: no horses to haul the artillery reserves and the bridge equipment, no tools to dig the trenches; our machine guns arrived directly from the factories and those using them were not properly trained in their use; our artillery was inferior in number, in effectiveness and in reach, in summary, we were powerless against the Prussian artillery.

Our battle formations, already old in 1859, were old-fashioned and stuck in a rut; our procedures and regulations had not been reviewed for over 30 years; our orders, brave beyond doubt, were ignorant, without doctrine and without initiative.

[1] Despite France's loss and his familial connection with François Achille Bazaine, who was eventually convicted of treason for his role in the Franco-Prussian War, Bazaine-Hayter had a successful military career of his own.

He was one of the early pioneers of military aviation and a keen supporter of the Wright brothers when they visited Camp d'Auvours, Le Mans in 1908.

However powerful weapons become, the victory will go to the offensive which stimulates moral forces, disconcerts the enemy and deprives him of his freedom of action"[7] Bazaine-Hayter died on 30 January 1914 in Morcote (Switzerland).