Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: It is one week ago to-day since actual fighting commenced between the Versailles troops and the insurgents. The latter still hold the forts of Vanvres and Issy, but they have no men outside the walls, except those who are in these two forts. There has been but little cessation of the fighting during the week. The successes have been invariably on the side of the government troops, and the commune forces are now strictly on the defensive. On Friday afternoon last the government troops attacked the insurgents at Neuilly and carried the barricade on this side the Pont de Neuilly. From that point and Mont Valérien they have ever since been shelling a battery of the insurgents at Port Maillot, and a large number of shells have fallen in that part of the city in which the Arc de Triomphe is situated, and in which locality a great many of the apartments are occupied by Americans. One shell fell in the avénue Joséphine, half a square distant from the legation, [Page 327] and several have burst in the rue de Chaillot, between the legation and the Champs Elysées. On going to my house at five o’clock on Friday afternoon last I found that three shells had exploded in the immediate vicinity, one of them striking within fifty feet of my parlor window. Considering it no longer a safe place for my family, I lost no time in removing my wife and children to a less exposed situation. Coming to the legation this morning, I saw two shells burst at the Arc de Triomphe. I do not know how long this business is to continue, but the communists are evidently expecting an attack, for they have great numbers of soldiers in all the streets running out from the Champs Elysées. It is estimated that the losses of the insurgents in the last week amount to more than seven thousand. There continues to be a great deal of dissatisfaction evinced in regard to the direction of their military affairs. General Bergeret, who commanded the army of Paris, is under arrest. The commune has adopted a decree suppressing the grade of general, on the ground that such a grade is incompatible with the democratic organization of the national guard. Cluseret now seems to be the main man, and the Journal Officiel of the insurgents of to-day contains three orders signed by him.
Mr. Hoffman returned from Versailles on Friday evening last, where he had been for several days looking after such matters as required attention at the legation there. He found much difficulty in going and returning. I shall probably send him out again to-morrow instead of going myself, as in the present state of things I think it much more important for me to remain here than to be at Versailles.
I have, &c.,