Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: The bombardment which the Prussians commenced on the “forts of the east,” as they are called, that is to say, upon the forts of Romy, Nogent, Noisy, Remanville, Aubervilliers, and the East, as well as upon the Plateau of Avion, on the 27th ultimo, has continued to the present time, save some brief intervals. It has been violent and long continued, and with the exception of driving the French from the Plateau of Avron, very little damage has been done, if we are to give credence to the official reports. On Wednesday night, the 4th instant, a bombardment “en règle” was commenced against the “forts of the south”—that is, against Issy, Vaunes, Montrouge, Bicêtre, and Ivry. This bombardment has continued up to this time with great fury, though with some short interruptions. It is, therefore, now nearly five days since the Prussian batteries opened their lire on these forts. The cannonading of some of them, particularly Vannes, has been terrific, but the military reports, while acknowledging the extreme violence of the [Page 279] fire, do not confess to any material damage. Whatever injury may have in reality been inflicted upon any of the forts, one thing is certain, no fort has yet been taken or even silenced, but on the other hand some of them have replied with great spirit, and, it is claimed, with considerable effect. But what is more serious is the bombardment of the city. A great many shells have fallen in the city, on the left bank of the river, particularly in the neighborhood of the Luxemburg and the Panthein. Some twenty or thirty people have been killed and wounded, including women and children, but no very great damage has been done to the buildings. This bombardment of the city must be considered as an incident to the bombardment of the forts, (the shells passing the forts and coming into the city,) for, I take it, no premeditated bombardment of the place would be commenced until due notice thereof had been given, and a surrender demanded. And I assume further that the diplomatic corps remaining near the government in Paris would be duly notified in case a regular bombardment were to be commenced. And yet it may be said that, in point of fact, the city is under bombardment to-day. The matter is assuming a grave aspect, and Mr. Kern, the doyen of the diplomatic corps, will call the body together to-morrow to determine what action may be necessary in the premises.
There is no doubt that the people of Paris are greatly surprised to find that the enemy can send his shells into the very heart of their city, for it has always been contended that such a thing was impossible without the possession of one of the French forts. I am quite confident that my residence can now be reached by the Prussian batteries, but it is doubtful whether the legation is within the reach of any battery yet opened. If the shells begin to fall in a too close proximity to us, we shall have to remove to some safer place, provided it can be found.
There has been a good deal of discontent in the city during the past week. It has not, however, taken the direction of a cry for peace, or surrender, but resulting in a sharp arraignment of the government for a failure to perform its whole duty. On Thursday last an address to the people of Paris, signed by a large number of persons, calling themselves “Delegates of the twenty arrondissements of Paris,” was placarded in a large red handbill. I send the address herewith as cut from one of the journals. Although a great many people said the arraignment was partially just, yet but few were willing to accept the remedy proposed by replacing the government of the national defense by the revolutionary commune. They evidently adopted Mr. Lincoln’s theory, that it was no time to swap horses while swimming a river. The consequence was that the handbills were torn down as fast as they were put up, even in the most turbulent parts of the city. General Trochu made this trouble the occasion of issuing another proclamation, a copy of which I also inclose, and in which he declares “that the governor of Paris will not capitulate.”
The bombardment has been the great subject of interest and conversation during the past week. As I am writing I learn that it was excessively violent the latter part of last night, and that it has continued equally violent during to-day. Many people are reported to have been killed. There is apparently not the alarm felt that one might suppose amid all this danger. So far the people have accepted it with a calm and nonchalance almost amounting to recklessness. When it shall become more terrible, however, a panic might seize the population and great trouble may come.
The cold has moderated and the suffering of the people in that respect has been very sensibly ameliorated. The number of deaths for the last [Page 280] week is three thousand six hundred and eighty, which is quite an increase over the number of the week before. The number of Germans seeking aid from me is still increasing. Nobody could have supposed there were so many left here when the gates of the city were shut. Cases of terrible, suffering are brought to my notice every day. I heard a few days ago of a family in the last stage of destitution, absolutely perishing of cold and hunger. I immediately sent my messenger with a small quantity of wood, some wine, chocolate, sugar, confiture, &c. He found a family of seven persons, consisting of the father and mother and five children, cooped up in a little seven-by-nine attic, entirely without fire and nothing to eat but dry bread. They had already burned their last bedstead as a last resource. On a little pallet of straw on the floor was a little boy, seven years old, so weakened, by hunger as to be unable to sit up, or scarcely to lift his head. I directed some money to be given them, and I now hope to get them through, unless this siege shall last forever. The number that we are now assisting is two thousand and thirty-nine, an increase of two hundred and eighty-six in one week.
I have not yet received my dispatch-bag which should have left London on the 30th ultimo. My latest London dates are of the 23d, and I have dates of the 10th ultimo.
I have, &c.,
E. B. WASHBURNE.
P. S.—Monday evening, January 9.—Since waiting the above I have heard of an accident that befel a young American last night, Charles M. Swazor, of Louisville, Kentucky, was struck by a shell in his own room, No 7, Rue Cassimir de la Vigne, Hotel St. Sulpice. The shell burst in the room and a fragment struck his foot and injuring it to such an extent that amputation was found necessary. He was taken to the American ambulance and the operation was performed by Doctors Swinburne and Johnston this afternoon. The patient is doing well.