No. 97.
Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish.
Sir: I have waited till a very late hour before commencing my dispatch, which I hope to be able to start off at a very early hour to-morrow morning. The day has been one of much excitement and interest. The arrival of M. Thiers, the disgraceful affair of Le Bourget, of yesterday, when the French permitted the Prussians to surprise them and recapture the town, and the terrible news of the fall of Metz, all conspired to create a profound excitement in Paris. It is almost impossible to get at the truth in regard to the state of affairs; but as near as I can learn, some of the dissatisfied national guards and a crowd of the red republicans invaded the Hotel de Ville this afternoon and took the government of the national defense prisoners. They then went to work and organized what they called the “government of the commune,” and fixed upon the candidates to be elected to-morrow by a vote of the people of Paris. I inclose you a card containing a list of the names of the persons to form this new government of the red republic. I went to the Hotel de Ville at 6 o’clock to-night and found that it had been invaded by soldiers. The magnificent hall of the municipal council was densely [Page 134] packed with soldiers, singing, shouting, yelling, and speech-making. All seemed to consider that the revolution was practically accomplished, and that nothing was wanting but a vote of the people of Paris, to be taken to-morrow. I have just learned, however, that General Trochu and Jules Favre escaped early in the evening, and that they are now organizing to put down these new revolutionists. At any rate, the generate is everywhere beating, and gentlemen bring me the intelligence that the center of the city is literally packed with troops, and that everybody is expecting a collision to-night. My messenger is obliged to start so early in the morning, in order to meet the flag of truce, that I can give you no further intelligence before he leaves. I send you several papers, issued this evening, though dated to-morrow, which you will find contain a good deal on this subject.
In all this turmoil and excitement to-day, I have not been able to find out anything in regard to the result of the mission of M. Thiers. He left at 3 o’clock this afternoon to return to Versailles.
I am as yet without any dispatch-bag since the one brought by General Burnside, a month ago, and, of course, without instructions from you.