Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: They have come in. At 9 o’clock this a. m. three blue hussars entered the Port Maillot, proceeded up the avenue of the Grand Army, and walked their horses slowly down the magnificent avenue of the Champs Elysées, with carbines cocked and fingers upon the trigger. These hussars looked carefully into the side streets and proceeded slowly down the avenue. But few people were out at that early hour in the morning. Soon after, six more made their appearance by the same route, and every few minutes thereafter the number increased. Then came in the main body of the advance guard, numbering about one thousand men, consisting of cavalry and infantry, Bavarian and Prussian, forming part of the eleventh corps, under the command of General Kamichi. By this time the crowd on the Champs Elysées had increased and met the advancing Germans with hisses and insult. A portion of the German troops then halted and with great deliberation loaded their pieces, whereat the crowd, composed of boys and “roughs,” incontinently took to their heels. According to a previous understanding among the French, all the shops and restaurants along the route had been closed, but notwithstanding their vigorous asseverations, that no consideration whatever [Page 303] would induce them to look upon or speak to the “Prussians,” I found, on going to the Champs Elysées at half-past nine o’clock, a large number of them attracted thither by a curiosity which they were unable to resist. In walking down the avenue to the point where the main body of the force had halted, in front of the Palace of Industry, notwithstanding the vehement protestations that had been made that no Frenchman would look at or speak to a German soldier, I counted a body of twenty-five French people, men, women, and children, in the most cordial fraternization with the German soldiers. Stopping for a moment to listen to the agreable conversation which appeared to be carried on, a German soldier advanced to salute me, and addressed me by name; he turned out to be the clerk at a hotel at Hamburg les Bains, where I had lodged during my visit to that place in 1867 and 1869. From what I learn this evening the great body of the troops were reviewed by the Emperor of the new German Empire at Long Champs, before their entry into Paris. Instead, therefore, of the great mass of the troops entering at ten o’clock, as had been previously announced, it was not until about half past one o’clock in the afternoon that the royal guard of Prussia, in four solid bodies, surrounded the Arc of Triumph. Then a company of Uhlans, with their spears stuck in their saddles and ornamented by the little flags of blue and white, headed the advancing column. They were followed by the Saxons, with their light blue coats, who were succeeded by the Bavarian riflemen, with their heavy uniform and martial tread. Afterward followed more of the Uhlans, and occasionally a squad of the Bismarck cuirassiers, with their white jackets, square hats and waving plumes, recalling to mind, perhaps, among the more intelligent French observers, the celebrated cuirassiers of Nansousty and Le Tour Maubourg, in the wars of the First Napoleon. Now come the artillery, with its pieces of six, which must have extorted the admiration of all military men by its splendid appearance and wonderful precision of movement. Next fell into line the royal guard of Prussia, with their shining casques and glittering bayonets, which had been massed around the world-renowned Arc of Triumph, erected (and with what bitter sarcasm it may now be said!) to the glory of the grand army. I witnessed this entry from the balcony of the apartment of Mr. Cowdin, at the head of the Champs Elysées. A good many French people were on the sidewalks, on either side of the avenue. At first the troops were met with hisses, cat-calls, and all sorts of insulting cries, but as they poured in thicker and faster, and forming by companies, as they swept down the avenue to the strains of martial music, the crowd seemed to be awed into silence, and no other sound was heard but the tramp of the soldiery and the occasional word of command. The only disturbance I saw was occasioned by some individual advancing from the sidewalk and giving his hand to a German cavalryman, whereat the crowd “went for” him; but his backing seemed so powerful that the discontents soon dispersed without inflicting any injury. The entry of the main body of the troops occupied about two hours, and, after that, they began to disperse into the various quarters of the city to which they had been assigned, in search of their lodgings. We were busily engaged at the legation almost the entire day, endeavoring to secure protection for American apartments and property, and which will be made the subject of another and further communication. At 5 o’clock I went to see Mr. Jules Favre, in relation to the sudden and indiscriminate billeting of the German soldiers upon the American residents, and learned from him of the probabilities of the ratification of the treaty of peace by the assembly at Bordeaux this evening, and of his hopes that everything [Page 304] would be settled before to-morrow morning, and that the German troops would be withdrawn from the city to-morrow. He seemed to think there was no doubt of the ratification of the treaty. He had been in hopes that it would have been ratified last night, and thus have prevented the entry of the Germans into Paris at all. But Mr. Thiers had been unfortunately delayed in reaching Bordeaux, which necessitated the postponement of action until to-day. Mr. Favre said he would send me notice of the ratification of the treaty the moment he received it, in order that I might telegraph you of the result. Starting to return to my residence on the other side of the Seine, I found the bridge guarded by French soldiers, who resolutely refused to let me pass. Soon a large crowd of “roughs” appeared and attempted to force the guard, and for a time it looked as if a sharp little battle was to be improvised. After standing around for about an hour, I was enabled, by the courtesy of a French officer, to slip through the guard and finally to reach my residence. My coachman was so thoroughly penetrated with fear of the “Prussians,” that he utterly refused to harness his horses during the day, and, as I have been obliged to be upon my feet most of the time since morning, you can well imagine my fatigue as I sit down to write this dispatch in the evening.
As I now write it is eleven o’clock at night. The day opened cloudy, and somber, with a raw and chilly atmosphere. A little after noon the sun came out bright and warm, and the close of, the day was magnificent. Colonel-Hoffman and Mr. Harrisse, who have been through the city this evening, have come in to report as to the situation. From the Boulevard du Temple to the Arc of Triumph not a store or a restaurant is open, with the exception of two of the latter on the Champs Elysées, which the Germans have ordered to be kept open. There are no excited crowds on the boulevards, and, what is very remarkable and without precedent in the memory of the “oldest inhabitant,” not an omnibus is running in the whole city and every omnibus office is closed. Neither is there a private or a public carriage to be seen, unless a hearse shall be deemed and taken as a “public, carriage;” unfortunately, too many of which are to be seen now every hour of the day. Paris seems literally to have died out. There is neither song nor shout in all her streets. The whole population is marching around as if under a cloud of oppression. The gas is not yet lighted, and the streets present, a sinister and somber aspect. All the butchers’ and bakers’ shops in that part of the city occupied by the Germans are closed, and if the people had not provided themselves for the emergency, there would have been much suffering. The Bourse has been closed by the order of the syndics of change. No newspaper has appeared to-day, except the Journal Officiel. No placards have been posted upon the walls of Paris, and, up to this moment, I can hear of no act of violence of any significance. I have, this evening, sent you a telegraphic dispatch stating that the entry of the German troops has been quiet and peaceful, and that all is calm in Paris. I do not know that it will reach you The headquarters of General Kamichi, in command of the troops of the ocupation, is in the splendid hotel of Christina, ex-Queen of Spain. It is but just to say that the people of Paris have borne themselves-to-day with a degree of dignity and forbearance which does them infinite credit. I propose dispatching a special messenger to London to-morrow to take this and other dispatches, so that they may go by the steamer which leaves Liverpool on Saturday next at noon.
I have, &c.,