He entered the Bavarian army in 1866, took part in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-1871, and was severely wounded during the siege of Paris. Having frequented the Kriegsakademie (war academy) in Berlin, in 1877-1880, he was detailed to the department of military history in the great general staff, in 1882, but retired as captain in 1887 to devote himself exclusively to his literary work. He died, aged 55, in Lindau.