be promoted to admiral. Franco-Prussian War After the defeat of Napoleon III and his French Imperial Army by the Prussian Army in the summer of 1870, colonial officers such as Faidherbe were recalled to France and promoted to higher ranks to command new units and replace generals killed or captured in the war. Faidherbe was promoted to divisional general in November 1870, and in December appointed as commander-in-chief of the Army of the North by the Government of National Defence. Faidherbe quickly proved himself to be the most able of the generals fighting Prussian forces in the French provinces, and won several small victories against the Prussian First Army at the towns of Ham, Hallue, Pont-Noyelles, and Bapaume. Despite his military skills, Faidherbe was never able to form an army strong enough to seriously worry the Prussians, as his army, composed of raw recruits, suffered immense supply difficulties and low morale in the freezing winter of 1870–1871. The Army of the North performed remarkably well by striking isolated enemy forces and then retreating behind the belt of fortresses around Pas-de-Calais. Ultimately, however, Faidherbe was ordered by Minister of War Leon Gambetta to attack the Prussians – Faidherbe rushed into an open battle at St Quentin and his army was destroyed. Political life and retirement During the course of his military career Faidherbe was decorated with the five degrees of the Legion of Honor: the Chevalier in 1852, the Officier in 1855, the Commandeur in 1861, the Grand Officier in 1871 and the Grand Croix in 1880. Faidherbe was named as candidate for the legislature on several lists in the Somme department in the elections of 8 February 1871, and was elected. He decided not to accept his election while retaining his military command in the north. After he resigned from the army he was reelected on 2 July 1871 as representative for the Somme, for Pas-de-Calais and for Nord. He chose to represent Nord. However, he resigned on 26 August 1871 after voting against giving the Assembly the power to define a constitution, because he said the Assembly had given itself that right rather than receiving it from the electors. On 8 October 1871 he became a member of the departmental Council of Nord for the canton of Lille center. Between October 1871 and May 1872 Faidherbe undertook a scientific mission to Upper Egypt, where he studied the monuments and