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diff --git a/old/51195-0.txt b/old/51195-0.txt deleted file mode 100644 index fa6428b..0000000 --- a/old/51195-0.txt +++ /dev/null @@ -1,6223 +0,0 @@ -The Project Gutenberg eBook, Camp Court and Siege, by Wickham Hoffman - - -This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere in the United States and most -other parts of the world at no cost and with almost no restrictions -whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of -the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll have -to check the laws of the country where you are located before using this ebook. - - - - -Title: Camp Court and Siege - A Narrative of Personal Adventure and Observation During Two Wars: 1861-1865; 1870-1871 - - -Author: Wickham Hoffman - - - -Release Date: February 13, 2016 [eBook #51195] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: UTF-8 - - -***START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMP COURT AND SIEGE*** - - -E-text prepared by John Campbell and the Online Distributed Proofreading -Team (http://www.pgdp.net) from page images generously made available by -Internet Archive (https://archive.org) - - - -Note: Images of the original pages are available through - Internet Archive. See - https://archive.org/details/campcourtsiegen00hoffiala - - -Transcriber's note: - - Text enclosed by underscores is in italics (_italics_). - - A detailed transcriber's note can be found at the end of - the book. - - - - - -CAMP COURT AND SIEGE - -A Narrative of Personal Adventure and Observation During Two Wars -1861-1865 1870-1871 - -by - -WICKHAM HOFFMAN - -Assistant Adj.-Gen. U. S. Vols. and Secretary U. S. Legation at Paris - - - - - - - -London -Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington -Crown Buildings, 188 Fleet Street. -1877 - - - - - Dedication. - - TO - - THE HON. E. B. WASHBURNE, - - MINISTER OF THE U. S. AT PARIS, - THESE PAGES ARE CORDIALLY DEDICATED, - IN ADMIRATION OF THE STERLING QUALITIES OF MANHOOD - DISPLAYED BY HIM DURING THE DARK DAYS OF THE SIEGE - AND COMMUNE, AND IN RECOLLECTION OF MANY - PLEASANT HOURS PASSED TOGETHER DURING - AN OFFICIAL CONNECTION OF - NEARLY SIX YEARS. - - - - -CONTENTS. - - - CHAPTER I. - - Hatteras.--"Black Drink."--Fortress Monroe.--General Butler. - --Small-pox.--"L'Isle des Chats."--Lightning.--Farragut.--Troops - land.--Surrender of Forts Page 11 - - - CHAPTER II. - - New Orleans.--Custom-house.--Union Prisoners.--The Calaboose. - --"Them Lincolnites."--The St. Charles.--"Grape-vine Telegraph." - --New Orleans Shop-keepers.--Butler and Soulé.--The Fourth - Wisconsin.--A New Orleans Mob.--Yellow Fever 23 - - - CHAPTER III. - - Vicksburg.--River on Fire.--Baton Rouge.--Start again for Vicksburg. - --The _Hartford_.--The Canal.--Farragut.--Captain Craven.--The - _Arkansas_.--Major Boardman.--The _Arkansas_ runs the - Gauntlet--Malaria 35 - - - CHAPTER IV. - - Sickness.--Battle of Baton Rouge.--Death of Williams.--"Fix - Bayonets!"--Thomas Williams.--His Body.--General T. W. Sherman. - --Butler relieved.--General Orders, No. 10.--Mr. Adams and Lord - Palmerston.--Butler's Style 47 - - - CHAPTER V. - - T. W. Sherman.--Contrabands.--Defenses of New Orleans.--Exchange - of Prisoners.--Amenities in War.--Port Hudson.--Reconnoissance - in Force.--The Fleet.--Our Left.--Assault of May 27th.--Sherman - wounded.--Port Hudson surrenders 59 - - - CHAPTER VI. - - Major-general Franklin.--Sabine Pass.--Collision at Sea.--March - through Louisiana.--Rebel Correspondence.--"The Gypsy's Wassail." - --Rebel Women.--Rebel Poetry.--A Skirmish.--Salt Island.--Winter - Climate.--Banks's Capua.--Major Joseph Bailey 74 - - - CHAPTER VII. - - Mistakes.--Affair at Mansfield.--Peach Hill.--Freaks of the - Imagination.--After Peach Hill.--General William Dwight.--Retreat to - Pleasant Hill.--Pleasant Hill.--General Dick Taylor.--Taylor and - the King of Denmark.--An Incident 87 - - - CHAPTER VIII. - - Low Water.--The Fleet in Danger.--We fall back upon Alexandria. - --Things look Gloomy.--Bailey builds a Dam in ten Days.--Saves - the Fleet.--A Skirmish.--Smith defeats Polignac.--Unpopularity - of Foreign Officers.--A Novel Bridge.--Leave of Absence.--A - Year in Virginia.--Am ordered again to New Orleans 98 - - - CHAPTER IX. - - Visit to Grant's Head-quarters.--His Anecdotes of Army Life.--Banks - relieved.--Canby in Command.--Bailey at Mobile.--Death of - Bailey.--Canby as a Civil Governor.--Confiscated Property.--Proposes - to rebuild Levees.--Is stopped by Sheridan.--Canby appeals.--Is - sustained, but too late.--Levees destroyed by Floods.--Conflict - of Jurisdiction.--Action of President Johnson.--Sheridan abolishes - Canby's Provost Marshal's Department.--Canby asks to be recalled.--Is - ordered to Washington.--To Galveston.--To Richmond.--To - Charleston.--Is murdered by the Modocs.--His Character 105 - - - CHAPTER X. - - The Writer appointed Assistant Secretary of Legation to Paris. - --Presented to the Emperor.--Court Balls.--Diplomatic Dress.--Opening - of Corps Législatif.--Opening of Parliament.--King of the Belgians. - --Emperor of Austria.--King of Prussia.--Queen Augusta.--Emperor - Alexander.--Attempt to assassinate him.--Ball at Russian - Embassy.--Resignation of General Dix 119 - - - CHAPTER XI. - - Washburne appointed Minister.--Declaration of War.--Thiers opposes - it.--The United States asked to protect Germans in France.--Fish's - Instructions.--Assent of French Government given.--Paris - in War-paint.--The Emperor opposed to War.--Not a Free - Agent.--His _Entourage_.--Marshal Le Bœuf 134 - - - CHAPTER XII. - - Germans forbidden to leave Paris.--Afterward expelled.--Large - Number in Paris.--Americans in Europe.--Emperor's Staff an Incumbrance. - --French Generals.--Their Rivalries.--False News from the Front. - --Effect in Paris.--Reaction.--Expulsion of Germans.--Sad - Scenes.--Washburne's Action.--Diplomatic Service.--Battle of - Sedan.--Sheridan at Sedan 145 - - - CHAPTER XIII. - - Revolution of September 4th, 1870.--Paris _en Fête_.--Flight of the - Empress.--Saved by Foreigners.--Escapes in an English Yacht. - --Government of National Defense.--Trochu at its Head.--Jules Simon. - --United States recognizes Republic.--Washburne's Address.--Favre's - Answer.--Efforts for Peace.--John L. O'Sullivan 159 - - - CHAPTER XIV. - - Belleville Demonstrates.--Radical Clubs.--Their Blasphemy and Violence. - --Unreasonable Suspicion.--Outrages.--Diplomatic Corps.--Some of them - leave Paris.--Meeting of the Corps.--Votes not to Leave.--Embassadors - and Ministers.--Right of Correspondence in a Besieged Place. - --Commencement of Siege, September 19th.--Besiegers and Besieged. - --Advantages of Besieged 170 - - - CHAPTER XV. - - Balloons.--Large Number dispatched.--Small Number lost.--Worth. - --Carrier-pigeons.--Their Failure.--Their Instincts.--_Times_ - "Agony Column."--Correspondence.--Letters to Besieged.--Count Solms. - --Our Dispatch-bag.--Moltke complains that it is abused.--Washburne's - Answer.--Bismarck's Reply 182 - - - CHAPTER XVI. - - Burnside's Peace Mission.--Sent in by Bismarck.--Interview with - Trochu.--The Sympathetic Tear.--Question of Revictualment.--Failure - of Negotiations.--Point of Vanity.--Flags of Truce.--French - accused of Violation of Parole.--Question of the Francs-Tireurs. - --Foreigners refused Permission to leave Paris.--Washburne - insists.--Permission granted.--Departure of Americans.--Scenes - at Créteil 196 - - - CHAPTER XVII. - - Mob seize Hôtel de Ville.--"Thanksgiving" in Paris.--Prices of - Food.--Paris Rats.--Menagerie Meat.--Horse-meat.--Eatable only - as Mince.--Government Interference.--Sorties.--Are Failures.--Le - Bourget taken by French.--Retaken by Prussians.--French - Naval Officers.--Belleville National Guard.--Their Poetry. - --Blundering.--Sheridan's Opinion of German Army 207 - - - CHAPTER XVIII. - - The National Guard.--Its Composition.--The American Ambulance.--Its - Organization.--Its Success.--Dr. Swinburne, Chief Surgeon.--The - Tent System.--Small Mortality.--Poor Germans in Paris.--Bombardment - by Germans.--Wantonness of Artillery-men.--Bad News from the Loire. - --"Le Plan Trochu."--St. Genevieve to appear.--Vinoy takes Command. - --Paris surrenders.--Bourbaki defeated.--Attempts Suicide 221 - - - CHAPTER XIX. - - Election in France.--Terms of Peace.--Germans enter Paris.--Their - Martial Appearance.--American Apartments occupied.--Washburne - remonstrates.--Attitude of Parisians.--The Germans evacuate - Paris.--Victualing the City.--Aid from England and the - United States.--Its Distribution.--Sisters of Charity 234 - - - CHAPTER XX. - - The Commune.--Murder of French Generals.--The National Guard of - Order.--It disbands.--The Reasons.--Flight of the Government to - Versailles.--Thiers.--Attempts to reorganize National Guard.--An - American arrested by Commune.--Legation intervenes.--His Discharge. - --His Treatment.--Reign of King Mob.--"_Démonstrations Pacifiques._" - --Absurd Decrees of the Commune.--Destruction of the Vendôme - Column 243 - - - CHAPTER XXI. - - Diplomatic Corps moves to Versailles.--Journey there and back.--Life - at Versailles.--German Princes.--Battle at Clamart.--Unburied - Insurgents.--Bitterness of Class Hatred.--Its Probable Causes.--United - States Post-office at Versailles.--The Archbishop of Paris.--Attempts - to save his Life.--Washburne's Kindness to him.--Blanqui.--Archbishop - murdered.--Ultramontanism.--Bombardment by Government.--My Apartment - struck.--Capricious Effects of Shells.--Injury to Arch of Triumph. - --Bas-reliefs of Peace and War 256 - - - CHAPTER XXII. - - Reign of Terror.--Family Quarrels.--The Alsacians, etc., claim - German Nationality.--They leave Paris on our Passes.--Prisoners of - Commune.--Priests and Nuns.--Fragments of Shells.--"Articles - de Paris."--Fearful Bombardment of "Point du Jour."--Arrest of - Cluseret.--Commune Proclamations.--Capture of Paris.--Troops - enter by Undefended Gate.--Their Slow Advance.--Fight at the - Tuileries Gardens.--Communist Women.--Capture of Barricades. - --Cruelties of the Troops.--"Pétroleuses."--Absurd Stories about - them.--Public Buildings fired.--Destruction of Tuileries, etc., etc. - --Narrow Escape of Louvre.--Treatment of Communist Prisoners. - --Presents from Emperor of Germany 271 - - - - -CAMP, COURT, AND SIEGE. - - - - -CHAPTER I. - - Hatteras.--"Black Drink."--Fortress Monroe.--General Butler. - --Small-pox.--"L'Isle des Chats."--Lightning.--Farragut.--Troops - land.--Surrender of Forts. - - -In February, 1862, the writer of the following pages, an officer on -the staff of Brigadier-general Thomas Williams, was stationed at -Hatteras. Of all forlorn stations to which the folly and wickedness -of the Rebellion condemned our officers, Hatteras was the most -forlorn. It blows a gale of wind half the time. The tide runs through -the inlet at the rate of five miles an hour. It was impossible to -unload the stores for Burnside's expedition during more than three -days of the week. After an easterly blow--and there are enough of -them--the waters are so piled up in the shallow sounds between -Hatteras and the Main, that the tide ebbs without intermission for -twenty-four hours. - -The history of Hatteras is curious. There can be little doubt that -English navigators penetrated into those waters long before the -Pilgrims landed at Plymouth. But the colony was not a success. Of the -colonists some returned to England; others died of want. The present -inhabitants of the island are a sickly, puny race, the descendants of -English convicts. When Great Britain broke up her penal settlement -at the Bermudas, she transported the most hardened convicts to -Van Diemens Land; those who had been convicted of minor offenses, -she turned loose upon our coast. Here they intermarried; for the -inhabitants of the Main look down upon them as an inferior race, -and will have no social intercourse with them. The effect of these -intermarriages is seen in the degeneracy of the race. - -Until within a few years their principal occupation was wrecking. -Hatteras lies on the direct route of vessels bound from the West -Indies to Baltimore, Philadelphia, and New York. The plan adopted -by these guileless natives to aid the storm in insuring a wreck -was simple, but effective. There is a half-wild pony bred upon the -island called "marsh pony." One of these animals was caught, a leg -tied up Rarey fashion, a lantern slung to his neck, and the animal -driven along the beach on a stormy night. The effect was that of a -vessel riding at anchor. Other vessels approached, and were soon -unpleasantly aware of the difference between a ship and a marsh pony. - -The dwellings bear witness to the occupation of their owners. -The fences are constructed of ships' knees and planks. In their -parlors you may see on one side a rough board door, on the other an -exquisitely finished rose-wood or mahogany cabin door, with silver or -porcelain knobs. Contrast reigns everywhere. - -But the place is not without its attractions to the botanist. A wild -vine, of uncommon strength and toughness, grows abundantly, and is -used in the place of rope. The iron-tree, hard enough to turn the -edge of the axe, and heavy as the metal from which it takes its -name, is found in abundance, and the tea-tree, from whose leaves the -inhabitants draw their tea when the season has been a bad one for -wrecks. This tea-tree furnishes the "black drink," which the Florida -Indians drank to make themselves invulnerable. They drank it with due -religious ceremonies till it nauseated them, when it was supposed -to have produced the desired effect. What a pity that we can not -associate some such charming superstition with the _maladie de mer_! -It would so comfort us in our affliction! - -But we were not to stay long on this enchanted isle. Butler had -organized his expedition against New Orleans, and it was now ready -to sail. He had applied for Thomas Williams, who had been strongly -recommended to him by Weitzel, Kenzel, and other regular officers -of his staff. Early in March we received orders to report to Butler -at Fortress Monroe. We took one of those rolling tubs they call -"propellers," which did the service between the fortress and Hatteras -for the Quartermaster's Department; and, after nearly rolling over -two or three times, we reached Old Point. Here we found the immense -steamer the _Constitution_, loaded with three regiments, ready to -sail. Williams had hoped to have two or three days to run North and -see his wife and children, whom he had not seen for months. But with -him considerations of duty were before all others. He thought that -three regiments should be commanded by a brigadier, and he determined -to sail at once. It was a disappointment to us all. To him the loss -was irreparable. He never saw his family again. - -It has always appeared to me that General Butler has not received -the credit to which he is entitled for the capture of New Orleans. -Without him New Orleans would not have been taken in 1862, and -a blow inflicted upon the Confederacy, which the London _Times_ -characterized as the heaviest it had yet received--"almost decisive." -The writer has no sympathy with General Butler's extreme views, and -no admiration for his _protégés_; but he was cognizant of the New -Orleans expedition from its inception, he accompanied it on the day -it set sail, he landed with it in New Orleans, he remained in that -city or its neighborhood during the whole of Butler's command; and -a sense of justice compels him to say that Butler originated the -expedition, that he carried it through, under great and unexpected -difficulties, that he brought it to a successful termination, and -that his government of the city at that time, and under the peculiar -circumstances, was simply admirable. - -It is not perhaps generally known that it was Butler who urged -this enterprise upon the President. He was answered that no troops -could be spared; M'Clellan wanted them all for his advance upon -Richmond. Butler thereupon offered to raise the troops himself, -provided the Government would give him three old regiments. The -President consented. The troops were raised in New England, and -three old regiments--the Fourth Wisconsin, the Sixth Michigan, and -the Twenty-first Indiana--designated to accompany them. At the -last moment M'Clellan opposed the departure of the Western troops, -and even applied for the "New England Division." It was with some -difficulty that, appealing to the President, and reminding him of his -promise, Butler was able to carry out the design for which the troops -had been raised. - -We sailed from Old Point on the 6th of March with the three regiments -I have named. We numbered three thousand souls in all on board. -If any thing were wanting at this day to prove the efficacy of -vaccination, our experience on board that ship is sufficient. We took -from the hospital a man who had been ill with the small-pox. He was -supposed to be cured. Two days out, his disease broke out again. The -men among whom he lay were packed as close as herring in a barrel, -yet but one took the disease. They had all been vaccinated within -sixty days. I commend this fact to the attention of those parish -authorities in England who still obstinately refuse to enforce the -Vaccination Act. - -Five days brought us, in perfect health, to Ship Island. Here was -another Hatteras, with a milder climate, and no "black drink;" a -low, sandy island in the Gulf, off Mobile. This part of the Gulf of -Mexico was discovered and settled by the French. They landed on Ship -Island, and called it "L'Isle des Chats," from the large number of -raccoons they found there. Not being personally acquainted with that -typical American, they took him for a species of cat, and named the -island accordingly. From Ship Island and the adjacent coast, which -they settled, the French entered Lake Borgne and Lake Pontchartrain, -and so up the Amite River in their boats. They dragged their boats -across the short distance which separates the upper waters of the -Amite from the Mississippi, embarked upon the "Father of Waters," -and sailed down the stream. Here they played a trick upon John Bull; -for, meeting an English fleet coming up, the first vessels that ever -entered the mouths of the Mississippi, they boarded them, claimed -to be prior discoverers, and averred that they had left their ships -above. There existed in those days an understanding among maritime -nations that one should not interfere with the prior discoveries of -another. The English thereupon turned, and the spot, a short distance -below New Orleans, is to this day called "English Turn." - -We remained at the "Isle of Cats" about six weeks--the life -monotonous enough. The beach offered a great variety of shell-fish, -devil-fish, horse-shoes, and sea-horses. An odd thing was the -abundance of fresh, pure water. Dig a hole two feet deep anywhere in -the sand on that low island, rising scarcely five feet above the sea, -and in two hours it was filled with fresh water. After using it a -week, it became brackish; when all it was necessary to do was to dig -another hole. - -When on Ship Island, I witnessed a curious freak of lightning. One -night we had a terrible thunderstorm, such as one sees only in those -southern latitudes. In a large circular tent, used as a guard-tent, -eight prisoners were lying asleep, side by side. The sentry stood -leaning against the tent-pole, the butt of the musket on the ground, -the bayonet against his shoulder. The lightning struck the tent-pole, -leaped to the bayonet, followed down the barrel, tearing the stock to -splinters, but only slightly stunning the sentry. Thence it passed -along the ground, struck the first prisoner, killing him; passed -through the six inside men without injury to them; and off by the -eighth man, killing him. - -Finally, the expedition was complete. Stores, guns, horses, all -had arrived. Butler became impatient for the action of the navy. -He went to the South-west Pass, where Farragut's fleet was lying, -and urged his advance. Farragut replied that he had no coal. Butler -answered that he would give him what he wanted, and sent him fifteen -hundred tons. He had had the foresight to ballast his sailing ships -with coal, and so had an ample supply. A week passed, and still the -ships did not ascend the river. Again Butler went to the Pass, and -again Farragut said that he had not coal enough--that once past -the forts, he might be detained on the river, and that it would be -madness to make the attempt unless every ship were filled up with -coal. Once again Butler came to his aid, and gave him three thousand -tons. We were naturally surprised that so vital an expedition should -be neglected by the Navy Department. The opinion was pretty general -among us that the expedition was not a favorite with the Department, -and that they did not anticipate any great success from it. They -were quite as surprised as the rest of the world when Farragut -accomplished his great feat. - -At length all was ready. The troops were embarked, and lay off the -mouth of the river, waiting for the action of the fleet. Farragut, -after an idle bombardment of three days by the mortar-boats, which -he told us he had no confidence in, but which he submitted to in -deference to the opinions of the Department and of Porter (the firing -ceased, by-the-way, when it had set fire to the wooden barracks in -Fort Jackson, and might have done some good if continued), burst -through the defenses, silenced the forts, and ascended the river. -It is not my province to describe this remarkable exploit. Its -effect was magical. An exaggerated idea prevailed at that time of -the immense superiority of land batteries over ships. One gun on -shore, it was said, was equal to a whole ship's battery. The very -small results obtained by the united English and French fleets during -the Crimean war were quoted in proof. Those magnificent squadrons -effected scarcely any thing, for the capture of Bomarsund was child's -play to them. The English naval officers, proud of their service and -its glorious history, were delighted to find that, when daringly -led, ships could still do something against land batteries, and all -England rang with Farragut's exploit. - -The part played by the army in this affair was minor, but still -important. Our engineer officers, who had assisted in building forts -St. Philip and Jackson, knew the ground well. Under their guidance we -embarked, first in light-draught gun-boats, then in barges, and made -our way through the shallow waters of the Gulf, and up the bayou, -till we landed at Quarantine, between Fort St. Philip and the city, -cutting off all communication between them. As, in the stillness of -an April evening, we made our slow way up the bayou amidst a tropical -vegetation, festoons of moss hanging from the trees and drooping -into the water, with the chance of being fired on at any moment from -the dark swamp on either side, the effect upon the imagination was -striking, and the scene one not easily forgotten. - -Farragut had passed up the river, but the forts still held out, -and the great body of the troops was below them. When, however, -they found themselves cut off from any chance of succor, the men -in Fort St. Philip mutinied, tied their officers to the guns, and -surrendered. Fort Jackson followed the example. No doubt our turning -movement had hastened their surrender by some days. I once suggested -to Butler that we had hastened it by a week. "A month, a month, sir," -he replied. - -It was here they told us that the United States flag had been hauled -down from the Mint by a mob headed by that scoundrel Mumford, and -dragged through the mud. I heard Butler swear by all that was sacred, -that if he caught Mumford, and did not hang him, might he be hanged -himself. He caught him, and he kept his oath. There never was a wiser -act. It quieted New Orleans like a charm. The mob, who had assembled -at the gallows fully expecting to hear a pardon read at the last -moment, and prepared to create a riot if he were pardoned, slunk home -like whipped curs. - - - - -CHAPTER II. - - New Orleans.--Custom-house.--Union Prisoners.--The Calaboose. - --"Them Lincolnites."--The St. Charles.--"Grape-vine Telegraph." - --New Orleans Shop-keepers.--Butler and Soulé.--The Fourth - Wisconsin.--A New Orleans Mob.--Yellow Fever. - - -On the evening of the 1st of May, 1862, the leading transports -anchored off the city. Butler sent for Williams, and ordered him to -land at once. Williams, like the thorough soldier he was, proposed -to wait till morning, when he would have daylight for the movement, -and when the other transports, with our most reliable troops, would -be up. "No, sir," said Butler, "this is the 1st of May, and on this -day we must occupy New Orleans, and the first regiment to land must -be a Massachusetts regiment." So the orders were issued, and in half -an hour the Thirty-first Massachusetts Volunteers and the Sixth -Massachusetts Battery set foot in New Orleans. - -As we commenced our march, Williams saw the steamer _Diana_ coming up -with six companies of the Fourth Wisconsin. He ordered a halt, and -sent me with instructions for them to land at once, and fall into -the rear of the column. I passed through the mob without difficulty, -gave the orders, and we resumed our march. The general had directed -that our route should be along the levee, where our right was -protected by the gun-boats. Presently we found that the head of the -column was turning up Julia Street. Williams sent to know why the -change had been made. The answer came back that Butler was there, and -had given orders to pass in front of the St. Charles Hotel, while the -band played "Yankee Doodle," and "Picayune Butler's come to Town," -if they knew it. They did not know it, unfortunately, so we had one -unbroken strain of the martial air of "Yankee Doodle" all the way. - -Arrived at the Custom-house late in the evening, we found the doors -closed and locked. Williams said to me, "What would you do?" "Break -the doors open," I replied. The general, who could not easily get -rid of his old, regular-army habits, ordered "Sappers and miners to -the front." No doubt the sappers and miners thus invoked would have -speedily appeared had we had any, but two volunteer regiments and a -battery of light artillery were the extent of our force that night. I -turned to the adjutant of the Fourth Wisconsin, and asked if he had -any axes in his regiment. He at once ordered up two or three men. We -found the weakest-looking door, and attacked it. As we were battering -it in, the major of the Thirty-first came up, and took an axe from -one of the men. Inserting the edge in the crack near the lock, he -pried it gently, and the door flew open. I said, "Major, you seem -to understand this sort of thing." He replied, "Oh! this isn't the -first door I have broken open, by a long shot. I was once foreman of -a fire-company in Buffalo." - -We entered the building with great caution, for the report had -been spread that it was mined. The men of the Fourth Wisconsin had -candles in their knapsacks; they always had every thing, those -fellows! We soon found the meter, turned the gas on, and then -proceeded to make ourselves comfortable for the night. I established -myself in the postmaster's private room--the Post-office was in the -Custom-house--with his table for my bed, and a package of rebel -documents for a pillow. I do not remember what my dreams were that -night. We took the letters from the boxes to preserve them, and piled -them in a corner of my room. They were all subsequently delivered to -their respective addresses. - -Pretty well tired out with the labor and excitement of the day, I -was just making myself tolerably comfortable for the night, when -the officer of the day reported that a woman urgently desired to -see the general on a matter of life or death. She was admitted. She -told us that her husband was a Union man, that he had been arrested -that day and committed to the "Calaboose," and that his life was in -danger. The general said to her, "My good woman, I will see to it -in the morning." "Oh, sir," she replied, "in the morning he will be -dead! They will poison him." We did not believe much in the poison -story, but it was evident that she did. Williams turned to me, -and said, "Captain, have you a mind to look into this?" Of course -I was ready, and ordering out a company of the Fourth Wisconsin, -and asking Major Boardman, a daring officer of that regiment, to -accompany me, I started for the Calaboose, guided by the woman. The -streets were utterly deserted. Nothing was heard but the measured -tramp of the troops as we marched along. Arrived at the Calaboose, I -ordered the man I was in search of to be brought out. I questioned -him, questioned the clerk and the jailer, became satisfied that he -was arrested for political reasons alone, ordered his release, and -took him with me to the Custom-house, for he was afraid to return -home. Being on the spot, it occurred to me that it would be as well -to see if there were other political prisoners in the prison. I had -the books brought, and examined the entries. At last I thought I had -discovered another victim. The entry read, "Committed as a suspicious -character, and for holding communication with Picayune Butler's -troops." I ordered the man before me. The jailer took down a huge -bunch of keys, and I heard door after door creaking on its hinges. At -last the man was brought out. I think I never saw a more villainous -countenance. I asked him what he was committed for? He evidently did -not recognize the Federal uniform, but took me for a Confederate -officer, and replied that he was arrested for talking to "them -Lincolnites." I told the jailer that I did not want that man--that he -might lock him up again. - -Having commenced the search for political prisoners, I thought it -well to make thorough work of it; so I inquired if there were other -prisons in the city. There was one in the French quarter, nearly two -miles off; so we pursued our weary and solitary tramp through the -city. My men evidently did not relish it. The prison was quiet, -locked up for the night. We hammered away at the door till we got -the officers up; went in, examined the books, found no entries of -commitments except for crime; put the officers on their written oaths -that no one was confined there except for crime; and so returned to -our Post-office beds. - -The next day was a busy one. Early in the morning I went to the -St. Charles Hotel to make arrangements for lodging the general -and his staff. With some difficulty I got in. In the rotunda of -that fine building sat about a dozen rebels, looking as black as a -thunder-cloud. I inquired for the proprietor or clerk in charge, and -a young man stepped forward: "Impossible to accommodate us; hotel -closed; no servants in the house." I said, "At all events, I will -see your rooms." Going into one of them, he closed the door and -whispered, "It would be as much as my life is worth, sir, to offer to -accommodate you here. I saw a man knifed on Canal Street yesterday -for asking a naval officer the time of day. But if you choose to -send troops and open the hotel by force, why, we will do our best to -make you comfortable." Returning to the rotunda, I found Lieutenant -Biddle, who had accompanied me--one of the general's aids--engaged -in a hot discussion with our rebel friends. I asked him "What use in -discussing these matters?" and, turning to the rebs, with appropriate -gesture said, "We've got you, and we mean to hold you." "That's the -talk," they replied; "we understand _that_." They told us that the -rebel army was in sight of Washington, and that John Magruder's guns -commanded the Capitol. Why they picked out Magruder particularly, -I can not say. This news had come by telegraph. We used to call -the rebel telegraphic lines "the grapevine telegraph," for their -telegrams were generally circulated with the bottle after dinner. - -The shop-keepers in New Orleans, when we first landed there, were -generally of the opinion of my friend the hotel-clerk. A naval -officer came to us one morning at the Custom-house, and said that -the commodore wanted a map of the river; that he had seen the very -thing, but that the shop-keeper refused to sell it, intimating, -however, that if he were compelled to sell it, why then, of course, -he couldn't help himself. We ordered out a sergeant and ten men. The -officer got his map, and paid for it. - -But Butler was not the man to be thwarted in this way. Finding this -_parti pris_ on the part of the shop-keepers, he issued an order -that all shops must be opened on a certain day, or that he should -put soldiers in, and sell the goods for account "of whom it might -concern." On the day appointed they were all opened. So, too, with -the newspapers. They refused to print his proclamation. An order -came to us to detail half a dozen printers, and send them under -a staff officer to the office of the _True Delta_, and print the -proclamation. We soon found the men. From a telegraph-operator to -a printer, bakers, engine-drivers, carpenters, and coopers, we had -representatives of all the trades. This was in the early days of the -war. Afterward the men were of an inferior class. The proclamation -was printed, and the men then amused themselves by getting out the -paper. Next morning it appeared as usual; this was enough. The editor -soon came to terms, and the other journals followed suit. - -On the 2d of May Butler landed and took quarters at the St. Charles. -There has been much idle gossip about attempts to assassinate him, -and his fears of it. In regard to the latter, he landed in New -Orleans, and drove a mile to his hotel, with one staff officer, and -one armed orderly only on the box. When his wife arrived in the city, -he rode with one orderly to the levee, and there, surrounded by the -crowd, awaited her landing. As regards the former, we never heard of -any well-authenticated attempt to assassinate him, and I doubt if any -was ever made. - -That afternoon Butler summoned the municipal authorities before -him to treat of the formal surrender of the city. They came to -the St. Charles, accompanied by Pierre Soulé as their counsel. -A mob collected about the hotel, and became turbulent. Butler -was unprotected, and sent to the Custom-house for a company of -"Massachusetts" troops. The only Massachusetts troops there were -the Thirty-first, a newly raised regiment. They afterward became -excellent soldiers, but at that time they were very young and very -green. It so happened, too, that the only company available was -composed of the youngest men of the regiment. They were ordered out. -The officer in charge did not know the way to the St. Charles. No -guide was at hand, so I volunteered to accompany them. We drew the -troops up on Common Street, and I entered the hotel to report them -to Butler. I found him engaged in a most animated discussion with -Soulé. Both were able and eloquent men, but Butler undoubtedly got -the better of the argument. Perhaps the fact that he had thirteen -thousand bayonets to back his opinions gave point to his remarks. -Interrupting his discourse for a moment only, he said, "Draw the -men up round the hotel, sir; and if the mob make the slightest -disturbance, fire on them on the spot," and went on with the -discussion. Returning to the street, I found the mob apostrophizing -my youthful soldiers with, "Does your mother know you're out?" and -like popular wit. It struck me that the inquiry was well addressed. -I felt disposed to ask the same question. I reported the matter to -Williams, and he thought that it would be well to counteract the -effect. That evening he sent the band of the Fourth Wisconsin to play -in front of the St. Charles, with the whole regiment, tall, stalwart -fellows, as an escort. In a few minutes the mob had slunk away. An -officer heard one _gamin_ say to another, "Those are Western men, and -they say they _do_ fight like h----." One of the officers told me -that his men's fingers itched to fire. - -I suppose that all mobs are alike, but certainly the New Orleans -mob was as cowardly as it was brutal. When we first occupied the -Custom-house, they collected about us, and annoyed our sentries -seriously. The orders were to take no notice of what was said, but -to permit no overt act. I was sitting one day in my office, the -general out, when Captain Bailey, the officer who distinguished -himself so much afterward in building the Red River dam--and a -gallant fellow he was--rushed in, and said, "Are we to stand this?" -I said, "What's the matter, Bailey?" He replied that "One of those -d----d scoundrels has taken his quid from his mouth, and thrown it -into the sentry's face." I said, "No; I don't think that we are to -stand that: that seems to me an 'overt act.' Arrest him." Bailey -rushed out, called to the guard to follow him, and, jumping into -the crowd, seized the fellow by the collar, and jerked him into the -lines. The guard came up and secured him. The mob fell back and -scattered, and never troubled us from that day. The fellow went -literally down upon his knees, and begged to be let off. We kept him -locked up that night, and the next day discharged him. He laid it all -to bad whisky. - -As the course of this narrative will soon carry the writer from New -Orleans into the interior, he takes this opportunity to say that he -has often been assured by the rebel inhabitants, men and women of -position and character, that never had New Orleans been so well -governed, so clean, so orderly, and so healthy, as it was under -Butler. He soon got rid of the "Plug-uglies" and other ruffian bands: -some he sent to Fort Jackson, and others into the Confederacy. There -was no yellow fever in New Orleans while we held it, showing as -plainly as possible that its prevalence or its absence is simply a -question of quarantine. (Butler had sworn he would hang the health -officer if the fever got up.) Before we arrived there, the "back -door," as it was called--the lake entrance to the city--was always -open, and for five hundred dollars any vessel could come up. In 1861, -when our blockade commenced, and during the whole of our occupation, -yellow fever was unknown. In 1866 we turned the city over to the -civil authorities. That autumn there were a few straggling cases, and -the following summer the fever was virulent. - - - - -CHAPTER III. - - Vicksburg.--River on Fire.--Baton Rouge.--Start again for Vicksburg. - --The _Hartford_.--The Canal.--Farragut.--Captain Craven.--The - _Arkansas_.--Major Boardman.--The _Arkansas_ runs the - Gauntlet.--Malaria. - - -Admiral Farragut was anxious, after the capture of New Orleans, to -proceed at once against Mobile. I heard him say that, in the panic -excited by the capture of New Orleans, Mobile would fall an easy -prey. The Government, however, for political as well as military -reasons, was anxious to open the Mississippi. Farragut was ordered -against Vicksburg, and Williams, with two regiments and a battery, -was sent to accompany and support him. When one reflects upon the -great strength of Vicksburg, and the immense resources it afterward -took to capture it, it seems rather absurd to have sent us against it -with two regiments and a battery. The excursion, however, if it is to -be looked upon in this light, was delightful. We had two fine river -boats. The plantations along the banks were in the highest state -of cultivation; the young cane, a few inches above the ground, of -the most lovely green. Indeed, I know no more beautiful green than -that of the young sugar-cane. Our flag had not been seen in those -parts for over a year, and the joy of the negroes when they had an -opportunity to exhibit it without fear of their overseers was quite -touching. The river was very high, and as we floated along we were -far above the level of the plantations, and looked down upon the -negroes at work, and into the open windows of the houses. The effect -of this to one unused to it--the water above the land--was very -striking. Natchez, a town beautifully situated on a high bluff, was -gay with the inhabitants who had turned out to see us. The ladies, -with their silk dresses and bright parasols, and the negro women, -with their gaudy colors, orange especially, which they affect so -much, and which, by-the-way, can be seen at a greater distance than -any other color I know of. - -One often hears of "setting a river on fire," metaphorically -speaking: I have seen it done literally. The Confederate authorities -had issued orders to burn the cotton along the banks to prevent its -falling into our hands. But as the patriotism of the owners naturally -enough needed stimulating, vigilance committees were organized, -generally of those planters whose cotton was safe at a distance. -These men preceded us as we ascended the river; and burned their -neighbors' cotton with relentless patriotism. The burning material -was thrown into the stream, and floated on the surface a long time -before it was extinguished. At night it was a very beautiful sight -to see the apparently flaming water. We had to exercise some care to -steer clear of the burning masses. - -Arrived opposite Vicksburg, we boarded the flag-ship to consult -for combined operations. We found Farragut holding a council of -his captains, considering the feasibility of passing the batteries -of Vicksburg as he had passed the forts. We apologized for our -intrusion, and were about to withdraw, when he begged us to stay, -and, turning to Williams, he said, "General, my officers oppose my -running by Vicksburg as impracticable. Only one supports me. So I -must give it up for the present. In ten days they will all be of my -opinion; and then the difficulties will be much greater than they are -now." It turned out as he had said. In a few days they were nearly -all of his opinion, and he did it. - -But we found no dry place for the soles of our feet. "The water was -down," as the Scotchmen say (down from the hills), and the whole -Louisiana side of the river was flooded. It would have been madness -to land on the Vicksburg side with two regiments only. Nothing could -be done, and we returned to Baton Rouge, where, finding a healthy -and important position, a United States arsenal, and Union men who -claimed our protection, Williams determined to remain and await -orders. - -Here cotton was offered us, delivered on the levee, at three cents a -pound. It was selling at one dollar in New York. I spoke to Williams -about it, and he said that there was no law against any officer -speculating in cotton or other products of the country (one was -subsequently passed), but that he would not have any thing to do -with it, and advised me not to. I followed his advice and example. A -subsequent post-commander did not. He made eighty thousand dollars -out of cotton, and then went home and was made a brigadier-general; I -never knew why. - -But the Government was determined to open the river at all hazards. -Farragut was re-enforced. Butler was ordered to send all the troops -he could spare. Davis was ordered down with the Upper Mississippi -fleet. Early in June we started again for Vicksburg, with six -regiments and two batteries. It was a martial and beautiful sight -to see the long line of gun-boats and transports following each -other in Indian file at regular intervals. Navy and army boats -combined, we numbered about twenty sail--if I may apply that word -to steamers. On our way up, the flag-ship, the famous _Hartford_, -was nearly lost. She grounded on a bank in the middle of the river, -and with a falling stream. Of course there was the usual talk about -a rebel pilot; but no vessel with the draught of the _Hartford_, a -sloop-of-war, had ever before ventured to ascend above New Orleans. -The navy worked hard all the afternoon to release her, but in vain. -The hawsers parted like pack-thread. I was on board when a grizzled -quartermaster, the very type of an old man-of-warsman, came up to the -commodore on the quarter-deck, and, pulling his forelock, reported -that there was a six-inch hawser in the hold. Farragut ordered it up -at once. Two of our army transports, the most powerful, were lashed -together, the hawser passed round them, and slackened. They then -started with a jerk. The _Hartford_ set her machinery in motion, the -gun-boat lashed along-side started hers, and the old ship came off, -and was swept down with the current. It required some seamanship to -disentangle all these vessels. - -We found that the waters had subsided since our last visit to -Vicksburg, and so landed at Young's Point, opposite the town. -Some years previously there had been a dispute between the State -authorities of Louisiana and of Mississippi, and the Legislature of -the former had taken steps to turn the river, and cut off Vicksburg -by digging a canal across the peninsula opposite. This we knew, and -decided to renew the attempt. We soon found traces of the engineers' -work. The trees were cut down in a straight line across the Point. -Here we set to work. Troops were sent to the different plantations -both up and down the river, and the negroes pressed into the service. -It was curious to observe the difference of opinion among the old -river captains as to the feasibility of our plan. Some were sure -that the river would run through the cut; others swore that it would -not, and could not be made to. The matter was soon settled by the -river itself; for it suddenly rose one night, filled up our ditch, -undermined the banks, and in a few hours destroyed our labor of days. -A somewhat careful observation of the Mississippi since has satisfied -me that if a canal be cut where the stream impinges upon the bank, -it will take to it as naturally as a duck does to water. But when the -current strikes the opposite bank, as it does at Young's Point, you -can not force it from its course. Had we attempted our canal some -miles farther up, where the current strikes the right bank, we should -have succeeded. Grant, the next year, renewed our ditch-digging -experiment in the same place, and with infinitely greater resources, -but with no better success. - -Farragut had now made his preparations to run by the batteries. He -divided his squadron into three divisions, accompanying the second -division himself. The third was under command of Captain Craven, -of the _Brooklyn_. We stationed Nim's light battery--and a good -battery it was--on the point directly opposite Vicksburg, to assist -in silencing the fire of one of the most powerful of the shore -batteries. Very early in the morning Farragut got under way; two -of his divisions passed, completely silencing the rebel batteries. -The third division did not attempt the passage. This led to an -angry correspondence between the commodore and Craven, and resulted -in Craven's being relieved, and ordered to report to Washington. -There was a great difference of opinion among naval officers as to -Craven's conduct. He was as brave an officer as lived. He contended -that it was then broad daylight, that the gunners on shore had -returned to their guns, and that his feeble squadron would have been -exposed to the whole fire of the enemy, without any adequate object -to be gained in return. Farragut replied that his orders were to -pass, and that he should have done it at all hazards. - -And now an incident occurred which mortified the commodore deeply. -His powerful fleet, re-enforced by Davis, lay above Vicksburg. The -weather was intensely hot, and the commodore, contrary to his own -judgment, as he told Williams, but on the urgent request of his -officers, had permitted the fires to be extinguished. Early one -morning we had sent a steamboat with a party up the river to press -negroes into our canal work. Suddenly a powerful iron-clad, flying -the Confederate colors, appeared coming out of the Yazoo River. There -was nothing for our unarmed little boat to do but to run for it. The -_Arkansas_ opened from her bow-guns, and the first shell, falling -among the men drawn up on deck, killed the captain of the company, -and killed or wounded ten men. It is so rarely that a shell commits -such havoc, that I mention it as an uncommon occurrence. - -The firing attracted the attention of the fleet, and they beat to -quarters. But there was no time to get up steam. The _Arkansas_ -passed through them all almost unscathed, receiving and returning -their fire. The shells broke against her iron sides without -inflicting injury. The only hurt she received was from the -_Richmond_. Alden kept his guns loaded with powder only, prepared -to use shell or shot as circumstances might require. He loaded with -solid shot, and gave her a broadside as she passed. This did her some -damage, but nothing serious. - -In the mean time the alarm was given to the transports. Farragut had -sent us an officer to say that the _Arkansas_ was coming, that he -should stop her if he could, but that he feared that he could not. -The troops were got under arms, and our two batteries ordered to the -levee. A staff officer said to General Williams, "General, don't let -us be caught here like rats in a trap; let us attempt something, even -if we fail." "What would you do?" said the general. "Take the _Laurel -Hill_, put some picked men on board of her, and let us ram the rebel. -We may not sink her, but we may disable or delay her, and help the -gun-boats to capture her." "A good idea," said the general; "send for -Major Boardman." Boardman, the daring officer to whom I have before -referred, had been brought up as a midshipman. He was known in China -as the "American devil," from a wild exploit there in scaling the -walls of Canton one dark night when the gates were closed; climbing -them with the help of his dagger only, making holes in the masonry -for his hands and feet. He was afterward killed by guerrillas, having -become colonel of his regiment. Boardman came; the _Laurel Hill_ -was cleared; twenty volunteers from the Fourth Wisconsin were put -on board, and steam got up. The captain refused to go, and another -transport captain was put in command. We should have attempted -something, perhaps failed; but I think one or other of us would have -been sunk. But our preparations were all in vain. The _Arkansas_ had -had enough of it for that day. She rounded to, and took refuge under -the guns of Vicksburg. - -Reporting this incident to Butler subsequently, he said, "You would -have sunk her, sir; you would have sunk her." - -Farragut, as I have said, was deeply mortified. He gave orders at -once to get up steam, and prepared to run the batteries again, -determined to destroy the rebel ram at all hazards. He had resolved -to ram her with the _Hartford_ as she lay under the guns of -Vicksburg. It was with great difficulty he was dissuaded from doing -so, and only upon the promise of Alden that he would do it for him in -the _Richmond_. Farragut, in his impulsive way, seized Alden's hand, -"Will you do this for me, Alden? will you do it?" The rapidity of the -current, the unusual darkness of the night, and the absence of lights -on the _Arkansas_ and on shore, prevented the execution of the plan. -To finish with the _Arkansas_, she afterward came down the river to -assist in the attack on Baton Rouge. Part of her machinery gave out; -she turned and attempted to return to Vicksburg, was pursued by our -gun-boats, run ashore, abandoned, and burned. - -The rebels never had any luck with their gun-boats. They always came -to grief. They were badly built, badly manned, or badly commanded. -The _Louisiana_, the _Arkansas_, the _Manassas_, the _Tennessee_, the -_Albemarle_--great things were expected of them all, and they did -nothing. - -But we were as far from the capture of Vicksburg as ever. Fever -attacked our men in those fatal swamps, and they became thoroughly -discouraged. The sick-list was fearful. Of a battery of eighty men, -twenty only were fit for duty. The Western troops, and they were our -best, were homesick. Lying upon the banks of the Mississippi, with -transports above Vicksburg convenient for embarkation, they longed -for home. The colonels came to Williams, and suggested a retreat _up_ -the river, to join Halleck's command. Williams held a council of war. -He asked me to attend it. The colonels gave their opinions, some in -favor of, and others against, the proposed retreat. When it came to -my turn, I spoke strongly against it. I urged that we had no _right_ -to abandon our comrades at New Orleans; that it might lead to the -recapture of that city; that if our transports were destroyed, we -should at least attempt to get back by land. I do not suppose that -Williams ever entertained the least idea of retreating up the river, -but thought it due to his officers to hear what they had to say in -favor of it. The plan was abandoned. - - - - -CHAPTER IV. - - Sickness.--Battle of Baton Rouge.--Death of Williams.--"Fix - Bayonets!"--Thomas Williams.--His Body.--General T. W. Sherman. - --Butler relieved.--General Orders, No. 10.--Mr. Adams and Lord - Palmerston.--Butler's Style. - - -Of the events which immediately followed the council of war referred -to in the last chapter, the writer knows only by report. He was -prostrated with fever, taken to a house on shore, moved back to -head-quarters boat, put on board a gun-boat, and sent to New Orleans. -Farragut, with his usual kindness, offered to take him on board -the _Hartford_, give him the fleet-captain's cabin, and have the -fleet-surgeon attend him. But Williams declined the offer. Farragut -then offered to send him to New Orleans in a gun-boat. This Williams -accepted. The writer was taken to New Orleans, sent to military -hospital, an assistant-surgeon's room given up to him, and every care -lavished upon him; for one of Williams's staff--poor De Kay--wounded -in a skirmish, had died in hospital. Butler had conceived the -idea--erroneous, I am sure--that he had been neglected by the -surgeons. When I was brought down he sent them word that if another -of Williams's staff died there, they would hear from him. I did not -die. - -Meantime, unable to effect any thing against Vicksburg, with more -than half his men on the sick-list, Williams returned to Baton -Rouge. The rebel authorities, with spies everywhere, heard of the -condition of our forces, and determined to attack them. Early one -foggy morning twelve thousand men, under Breckenridge, attacked our -three or four thousand men fit for duty. But they did not catch -Williams napping. He had heard of the intended movement, and was -prepared to meet it. Our forces increased, too, like magic. Sick -men in hospital, who thought that they could not stir hand or foot, -found themselves wonderfully better the moment there was a prospect -of a fight. Happily a thick mist prevailed. Happily, too, they first -attacked the Twenty-first Indiana, one of our stanchest regiments, -holding the centre of the position. This fine regiment was armed -with breech-loaders, the only ones in the Gulf. Lying on the ground, -they could see the legs of the rebels below the mist, and fire -with a steady aim upon them, themselves unseen. On the right the -Thirtieth Massachusetts was engaged, but not hotly. The left was but -slightly pressed. Williams had carefully reconnoitred the ground the -afternoon before, and marked out his different positions. As the -battle progressed, he fell back upon his second position, contracting -his lines. As it grew hotter, he issued orders to fall back upon the -third position. As he gave the order, the lieutenant-colonel of the -Twenty-first, Colonel Keith, as plucky a little fellow as lived, came -to him and said, "For God's sake, general, don't order us to fall -back! We'll hold this position against the whole d--d rebel army." -"Do your men feel that way, colonel?" replied Williams; and turning -to the regiment, he said, "Fix bayonets!" As he uttered these words, -he was shot through the heart. The men fixed bayonets, charged, and -the rebels gave way. But there was no one competent to take command. -The Fourth Wisconsin, on our left, waited in vain for the orders -Williams had promised them, eager to advance, for he had meant that -this regiment should take the rebels in flank. The victory was won, -but its fruits were not gathered. - -I think that grander words were never uttered by a commander on the -field of battle as he received his death-wound than these words of -Williams's. "Fix bayonets!" means business, and in this instance they -meant victory. - -Thomas Williams was a noble fellow. Had he lived, he would have been -one of the great generals of our war. Butler told the writer that, -had Williams survived Baton Rouge, it was his intention to have -turned over the whole military command to him, and confined himself -to civil matters. The "General Order" he issued on Williams's death -is a model of classic and pathetic English. It is quoted as such by -Richard Grant White in his "Miscellany." I give it entire, for it can -not be too widely circulated, both on account of its style and its -subject. - - "Head-quarters, Department of the Gulf, - "New Orleans, August 7th, 1862. - - "GENERAL ORDERS, No. 56: - - "The commanding general announces to the Army of the Gulf the - sad event of the death of Brigadier-general Thomas Williams, - commanding Second Brigade, in camp at Baton Rouge. - - "The victorious achievement, the repulse of the division of - Major-general Breckenridge by the troops led on by General - Williams, and the destruction of the mail-clad _Arkansas_ by - Captain Porter, of the navy, is made sorrowful by the fall of - our brave, gallant, and successful fellow-soldier. - - "General Williams graduated at West Point in 1837; at once - joined the Fourth Artillery in Florida, where he served with - distinction; was thrice breveted for gallant and meritorious - services in Mexico as a member of General Scott's staff. His - life was that of a soldier devoted to his country's service. His - country mourns in sympathy with his wife and children, now that - country's care and precious charge. - - "We, his companions in arms, who had learned to love him, weep - the true friend, the gallant gentleman, the brave soldier, the - accomplished officer, the pure patriot and victorious hero, and - the devoted Christian. All, and more, went out when Williams - died. By a singular felicity, the manner of his death illustrated - each of these generous qualities. - - "The chivalric American gentleman, he gave up the vantage of the - cover of the houses of the city, forming his lines in the open - field, lest the women and children of his enemies should be hurt - in the fight. - - "A good general, he made his dispositions and prepared for battle - at the break of day, when he met his foe! - - "A brave soldier, he received the death-shot leading his men! - - "A patriot hero, he was fighting the battle of his country, and - died as went up the cheer of victory! - - "A Christian, he sleeps in the hope of a blessed Redeemer! - - "His virtues we can not exceed; his example we may emulate, and, - mourning his death, we pray, 'May our last end be like his.' - - "The customary tribute of mourning will be worn by the officers - in the department. - - "By command of Major-general BUTLER. - - "R. T. DAVIS, Captain and A. A. A. G." - -Williams was an original thinker. He had some rather striking ideas -about the male portion of the human race. He held that all men -were by nature cruel, barbarous, and coarse, and were only kept in -order by the influence of women--their wives, mothers, and sisters. -"Look at those men," he would say. "At home they are respectable, -law-abiding citizens. It's the women who make them so. Here they rob -hen-roosts, and do things they would be ashamed to do at home. There -is but one thing will take the place of their women's influence, and -that is discipline; and I'll give them enough of it." I used to think -his views greatly exaggerated, but I came to be very much of his -opinion before the war was over. - -A curious thing happened to his body. It was sent down in a transport -with wounded soldiers. She came in collision with the gun-boat -_Oneida_ coming up, and was sunk. Various accounts were given of -the collision. It was of course reported that the rebel pilot of -the transport had intentionally run into the gun-boat. I think this -improbable, for I have observed that rebel pilots value their lives -as much as other people. Captain (afterward Admiral) Lee lay by the -wreck, and picked up the wounded: none were lost. Shortly afterward -Gun-boat No. 1, commanded by Crosby, a great friend of Williams, came -up. Lee transferred the men to her, ordered her to New Orleans, and -himself proceeded to Baton Rouge. Crosby heard that Williams's body -was on board. He spent several hours in searching for it, but without -success. He reluctantly concluded to abandon the search. Some hours -later in the day, and several miles from the scene of the disaster, -a piece of the wreck was seen floating down the current, with a box -upon it. A boat was lowered, and the box was picked up. It turned out -to be the coffin containing the body. His portmanteau too floated -ashore, fell into honest hands, and was returned to me by a gentleman -of the coast. - -It had been General Butler's intention, on my recovery, to give me -command of the Second Louisiana, a regiment he was raising in New -Orleans, mostly from disbanded and rebel soldiers. My recovery was -so long delayed, however, that he was compelled to fill the vacancy -otherwise. Shortly afterward General T. W. Sherman was ordered to -New Orleans, and I was assigned to duty on his staff. He was sent -to Carondelet to take charge of the post at the Parapet, and of all -the northern approaches to New Orleans. This was done under orders -from Washington; but of this Sherman was not aware, for no copy of -the orders had been sent him. He never knew to what an important -command it was the intention of the Government to assign him till -some years later, when the writer, having become Adjutant-general of -the Department of the Gulf, found the orders in the archives of the -Department. - -But the days of Butler's command were brought to a close. Banks -arrived with re-enforcements, and exhibited his orders to take -command of the Department. No one was more surprised than Butler. -He had supposed that Banks's expedition was directed against Texas. -His recall seemed ungrateful on the part of the Government, for it -was to him that the capture of New Orleans at that early date was -principally due. It is probable that the consuls in that city had -complained of him, and our Government, thinking it all-important to -give no cause of complaint to foreign governments, Great Britain and -France especially, recalled him. - -As General Butler will not again appear in these pages, I can not -close this part of my narrative without endeavoring to do him justice -in regard to one or two points on which he has been attacked. The -silver-spoon story is simply absurd. Butler confiscated and used -certain table-silver. When Banks relieved him, he turned it over -to him. When a howl was made about it toward the close of the war, -and the Government referred the papers to Butler, for a report, he -simply forwarded a copy of Banks's quartermaster's receipt. I was -amused once at hearing that inimitable lecturer, Artemus Ward, get -off a joke upon this subject in New Orleans. He was describing the -Mormons, and a tea-party at Brigham Young's, and said that Brigham -Young probably had a larger tea-service than any one in the world, -"except," said he, and then paused as if to reflect--"except, -perhaps, General Butler." Imagine the effect upon a New Orleans -audience. It is perhaps needless to observe that Butler was not at -that time in command. - -The only charge against Butler which was never thoroughly disproved -was that he permitted those about him to speculate, to the neglect -of their duties and to the injury of our cause and good name. He -must have been aware of these speculations, and have shut his eyes -to them. But that he himself profited pecuniarily by them, I do not -believe. - -The famous General Orders, No. 10, "The Woman's Order," was issued -while I was in New Orleans, and excited much and unfavorable comment. -Butler ordered that ladies insulting United States officers should -be treated "as women of the town plying their trade." Strong, his -adjutant-general, remonstrated, and begged him to alter it. He said -that he meant simply that they should be arrested and punished -according to the municipal law of the city, _i.e._, confined for one -night and fined five dollars. Strong replied, "Why not say so, then?" -But Butler has much of the vanity of authorship. He was pleased with -the turn of the phrase, thought it happy, and refused to surrender it. - -In this connection, when in London, I heard an anecdote of Mr. Adams -and Lord Palmerston which is not generally known. It was not often -that any one got the better of old "Pam," but Mr. Adams did. When -Butler's order reached England, Lord Palmerston was the head of the -Government; Lord John Russell was Secretary of State for Foreign -Affairs. Lord Palmerston wrote to Mr. Adams to know if the order as -printed in the London papers was authentic. Mr. Adams asked if he -inquired officially or privately. Lord Palmerston replied rather -evasively. Mr. Adams insisted. Lord Palmerston answered that if -Mr. Adams must know, he begged him to understand that he inquired -officially. Mr. Adams had the correspondence carefully copied in -Moran's best handwriting, and inclosed it to Lord John with a note -inquiring, who was Her Majesty's Secretary of State for Foreign -Affairs; was it Lord Palmerston, or was it Lord John? A quick reply -came from Lord John, asking him to do nothing further in the matter -till he heard from him again. The next day a note was received from -Lord Palmerston withdrawing the correspondence. - -I have given two specimens of Butler's style. Here is another, and -of a different character. At the request of a naval officer in high -command, Farragut applied to Butler for steamboats to tow the mortar -vessels to Vicksburg. Butler replied that he regretted that he had -none to spare. The officer answered that if Butler would prevent -his brother from sending quinine and other contraband stores into -the Confederacy, there would be boats enough. This came to Butler's -ears. He answered. After giving a list of his boats, and stating -their different employments, he proceeded substantially as follows. I -quote from memory. "Now, there are two kinds of lying. The first is -when a man deliberately states what he knows to be false. The second -is when he states what is really false, but what at the time he -believes to be true. For instance, when Captain ---- reports that the -ram _Louisiana_ came down upon his gun-boats, and a desperate fight -ensued, he stated what is in point of fact false; for the _Louisiana_ -was blown up and abandoned, and was drifting with the current, as is -proved by the report of the rebel commander, Duncan: but Captain ---- -believed it to be true, and acted accordingly; for he retreated to -the mouth of the river, leaving the transports to their fate." - - - - -CHAPTER V. - - T. W. Sherman.--Contrabands.--Defenses of New Orleans.--Exchange - of Prisoners.--Amenities in War.--Port Hudson.--Reconnoissance - in Force.--The Fleet.--Our Left.--Assault of May 27th.--Sherman - wounded.--Port Hudson surrenders. - - -The autumn of 1862 passed without any special incident. Sherman -rebuilt the levees near Carrollton, repaired and shortened the -Parapet, pushed his forces to the north, and occupied and fortified -Manchac Pass. All these works were constructed by Captain Bailey, -to whom I have already alluded, and of whom I shall have much to -say hereafter; for he played a most important and conspicuous part -in the Louisiana campaigns. At Manchac he constructed a _bijou_ -of a work built of mud and clamshells. He had the most remarkable -faculty of making the negroes work. I have seen the old inhabitants -of the coast (French _côte_, bank of the river) stopping to gaze with -surprise at the "niggers" trundling their wheelbarrows filled with -earth on the double-quick. Such a sight was never before seen in -Louisiana, and probably never will be again. Sherman was the first -officer, too, to enroll the blacks, set them to work, and pay them -wages. He was no _professed_ friend of the negro, but he did more -practically for their welfare to make them useful, and save them from -vagabondage, than Phelps or any other violent abolitionist, who said -that the slaves had done enough work in their day, and so left them -in idleness, and fed them at their own tables. Every negro who came -within our lines--and there were hundreds of them--was enrolled on -the quartermaster's books, clothed, fed, and paid wages, the price of -his clothing being deducted. The men worked well. They were proud of -being paid like white men. - -Later in the season, Sherman sent out successful expeditions into the -enemy's territory. One to Ponchitoula destroyed a quantity of rebel -government stores; another, across Lake Pontchartrain, captured a -valuable steamer. Sherman employed an admirable spy, the best in the -Department. As a rule, both Butler's and Banks's spies were a poor -lot, constantly getting up cock-and-bull stories to magnify their -own importance, and thus misled their employers. Sherman's spy was a -woman. Her information always turned out to be reliable, and, what -is perhaps a little remarkable, was never exaggerated. - -Butler had now left the Department, and Banks was in command. About -this time Holly Springs was occupied by Van Dorn, and our dépôts -burned, Grant falling back. The attack upon Vicksburg, too, from -the Yazoo River had failed. Banks's spies exaggerated these checks -greatly, and reported that the enemy was in full march upon New -Orleans. There was something of a stampede among us. A new command -was created, called the "Defenses of New Orleans," and given to -Sherman. In a fortnight the face of these defenses was vastly -changed. When he took command, the city was undefended to the east -and south. In a few days the rebel works were rebuilt, guns mounted, -light batteries stationed near the works, each supported by a -regiment of infantry. New Orleans, with our gun-boats holding the -river and lake, was impregnable. - -No commanding officer in our army was more thorough in his work than -Sherman. I remember an instance of this in an exchange of prisoners -which took place under his orders. The arrangements were admirable. -We were notified that a schooner with United States soldiers on board -lay at Lakeport, on Lake Pontchartrain. Within an hour of receiving -the report I was on my way to effect the exchange. I was accompanied -by our quartermaster, to insure prompt transportation to New Orleans; -by our commissary, to see that the men were fed, for our prisoners -were always brought in with very insufficient supplies, the rebel -officers assuring us that they had not food to give them; and by our -surgeon, to give immediate medical assistance to those requiring it. -Sherman told me to give the rebel officers in charge a breakfast -or dinner, and offered to pay his share. We reached Lakeport about -sunset. I went on board at once, and made arrangements for the -exchange at six o'clock in the morning. I inquired of the men if -they had had any thing to eat. "Nothing since morning." The officer -in charge explained that they had been delayed by head-winds; but -they were always delayed by head-winds. We sent food on board that -night. At six in the morning the schooner was warped along-side of -the pier. A train was run down, a line of sentries posted across the -pier, and no stranger permitted to approach. The roll was called, -and as each man answered to his name, he stepped ashore and entered -the train. Meantime I had ordered down a breakfast from the famous -French restaurant at Lakeport; and while the necessary arrangements -were being completed by the quartermaster, we gave the Confederate -officers a breakfast. It was easy to see, from the manner in which -they attacked it, that they did not fare so sumptuously every day. -Colonel Szymanski, who commanded, an intelligent and gentlemanly -officer, asked permission to buy the remnants from the restaurant for -lunch and dinner on the return voyage. The train was now ready, the -schooner set sail, and we started for New Orleans. On our arrival, -we bought out a baker's shop and one or two orange-women. It was a -long time since the prisoners had tasted white bread. They formed, -and marched to the barracks. Before noon that day they were in -comfortable quarters, and seated at a bountiful dinner, prepared -in advance for them. This was Sherman's organization. I had an -opportunity to contrast it, not long after, with an exchange effected -under direct orders from head-quarters. The contrast was not in -Banks's favor. - -On this occasion I had gone down as a spectator, and to see if I -could be of use. I was going on board the cartel, when I was stopped -by a lady who asked me to take a young girl on board to see her -brother. Of course I was compelled to refuse. She then asked if I -would not tell her brother that she was on the end of the pier, that -they might at least see each other. This I promised to do. On board -I found a number of sailors, part of the crew of the _Mississippi_, -which had been recently lost at Port Hudson. As usual, they had had -nothing to eat since the previous evening. - -Before leaving the vessel, I inquired for Lieutenant Adams. They told -me that he was in "that boat," pointing to one, having pulled ashore, -hoping to see his sister. As I approached the shore I met his boat -returning; I stopped it, and asked him if he had seen his sister. He -had not. I told him to get in with me, and I would take him to her. -He did so, and I pulled to within a few yards of the spot where she -was standing. Scarcely a word passed between them, for both were -sobbing. We remained there about three minutes, and then pulled back. -We were all touched, officers and men, by this little display of the -home affections in the midst of war. I think it did us all good. - -General Banks was not pleased when he heard of this incident. Perhaps -it was reported to him incorrectly. But Sherman thought that I had -done right. I always found that our regular officers were more -anxious to soften the rigors of war, and to avoid all unnecessary -severity, than our volunteers. On our march through Louisiana under -Franklin, a strong provost guard preceded the column, whose duty it -was to protect persons and property from stragglers till the army -had passed. If planters in the neighborhood applied for a guard, -it was always furnished. On one occasion such a guard was captured -by guerrillas. General Franklin wrote at once to General Taylor, -protesting against the capture of these men as contrary to all the -laws of civilized warfare. Taylor promptly released them, and sent -them back to our lines. General Lee did the same in Virginia. - -And so the winter wore through, and the spring came. Banks made a -successful expedition to Alexandria, winning the battle of Irish -Bend. I am the more particular to record this, as his reputation as a -commander rests rather upon his success in retreat than in advance. -And the month of May found us before Port Hudson. - -Vicksburg is situated eight hundred miles above New Orleans. In all -this distance there are but five commanding positions, and all these -on the left or east bank of the river. It was very important to the -rebels to fortify a point below the mouth of the Red River, in order -that their boats might bring forward the immense supplies furnished -by Louisiana, Texas, and Arkansas. They selected Port Hudson, a -miserable little village not far below the Red River, and fortified -it strongly. Sherman had seen the importance of attacking this place -when the works were commenced, but Butler told him, very truly, that -he had not troops enough in the Department to justify the attempt. - -I think that it was the 24th of May when we closed in upon Port -Hudson. Sherman's command held the left. He had a front of three -miles, entirely too much for one division. The country was a _terra -incognita_ to us, and we had to feel our way. Of course there was -much reconnoitring to be done--exciting and interesting work--but -not particularly safe or comfortable. Sherman did much of this -himself. He had a pleasant way of riding up in full sight of the -enemy's batteries, accompanied by his staff. Here he held us while -he criticised the manner in which the enemy got his guns ready to -open on us. Presently a shell would whiz over our heads, followed by -another somewhat nearer. Sherman would then quietly remark, "They -are getting the range now: you had better scatter." As a rule we did -not wait for a second order. - -I remember his sending out a party one day to reconnoitre to our -extreme left, and connect with the fleet, which lay below Port -Hudson. We knew it was somewhere there; but how far off it lay, or -what was the character of the country between us, we did not know. A -company of cavalry reconnoitring in the morning had been driven in. -Sherman determined to make a reconnoissance in force. He sent out the -cavalry again, and supported it with a regiment of infantry. I asked -permission to accompany them. He gave it, and added, "By-the-way, -captain, when you are over there, just ride up and draw their fire, -and see where their guns are. They won't hit you." I rode up and -drew their fire, and they did not hit me; but I don't recommend the -experiment to any of my friends. - -This reconnoissance was successful. We passed through a thickly -wooded country, intersected by small streams, for about two miles, -when we emerged upon the open in full view of the works of Port -Hudson. This we had to cross, exposed to their fire. We thus gained -the road, running along the top of the bluff; and, following this, -we came in view of the fleet. Our arrival produced a sensation. They -had been looking out for us for two or three days. The men swarmed -up the rigging and on to the yards. Fifty telescopes were leveled -at us; and as we galloped down the bluff and along the levee to the -ships, cheer after cheer went up from the fleet. We went on board -the nearest gun-boat, and got some bread-and-cheese and Bass--which -tasted remarkably good, by-the-way. I staid but a little while, for I -was anxious about my men. On our homeward march the enemy opened on -us, and we lost two or three men. I felt saddened at the loss of any -men while in some measure under my command, and reported this loss -first to the general. I was much comforted when he replied, "Lose -men! of course you lost men. Reconnoissances in force always lose -men!" - -A few weeks previous to my visit to the fleet, Farragut had attempted -to run by Port Hudson, with a view to communicate with Porter at -Vicksburg, but more especially to blockade the mouth of the Red -River. This, though the least known of his great exploits, was -probably the most perilous and the least successful. But two vessels -passed the batteries--his own, the old _Hartford_, as a matter of -course, and the gun-boat that was lashed to her. Several were driven -back disabled, and that fine ship, the _Mississippi_, got aground and -was lost. The _Hartford_ and her consort, however, did good service, -preventing all rebel vessels from showing themselves upon the river -between Port Hudson and Vicksburg. - -While on board the gun-boat, I remarked to her captain that I was -surprised that General Banks did not make his assault upon our left, -where we could have the aid of the fleet, instead of on the right, as -he evidently proposed to do. The remark was repeated to Farragut, who -mentioned it to Banks. A day or two after the failure of our assault -of the 27th of May, I was surprised by a summons to head-quarters, -and still more surprised when I was asked what was my plan for -taking Port Hudson. My plan was simply to utilize our powerful fleet -instead of ignoring it. Sherman, who, after his recovery from his -wound received a few days later, visited the place after its fall, -and carefully examined the ground, told me that the assault should -undoubtedly have been made on our left, not only on account of the -fleet, but on account of the character of the ground. We afterward -erected batteries here within a very short distance of the enemy's, -and commanding them; and we dug up to their very citadel. Had another -assault been ordered, as it seemed at one time probable, it would -have been made here, and would probably have been a repetition, on -a small scale, of the affair of the Malakoff. There was another -advantage on this flank. Had we effected a lodgment even with a small -force, we could have maintained our position in the angle between -the parapet and the river until re-enforcements reached us. At the -points selected for the assault of the 27th of May--had we succeeded -in getting in--we should have found ourselves exposed to attacks in -front and on both flanks, and should probably have been driven out -again. - -The siege of Port Hudson was tedious and bloody. Banks ordered an -assault. It was made, and resulted in a miserable repulse. He was -asked why assault when the place must inevitably be starved out in a -few weeks. He replied, "The people of the North demand blood, sir." -Sherman led the assault in person, at the head of the Sixth Michigan -regiment; Bailey headed the negroes, with plank and other materials -to fill up the fosse. I had heard before of negroes turning white -from fright, and did not believe it; but it is literally true. The -men advanced within a few yards of the works, but could effect no -lodgment. There never was a more useless waste of life. Sherman lost -his leg, and his horse was killed under him; one staff officer and -his horse were killed; an orderly was killed; another staff officer -was wounded, and his horse killed; and another orderly had his horse -killed. This is a pretty bloody ten minutes' work for a general and -his staff. - -The staff officer who was wounded was Badeau, our consul-general at -London, and author of that model military history, the first volume -of the "Life of Grant." - -Fortunately, probably, for me, I had been sent with orders to -Sherman's other brigade, to support the attack by an assault on the -left. It was hot enough where I was. The shells shrieked over my -head, and a round shot rolled playfully between my horse's legs. But -it was nothing like the "hell of fire" to which Sherman was exposed. - -Sherman having been sent to New Orleans, to hospital, General William -Dwight took command of the division. After a while another assault -was made: it was as fruitless as the first. But the enemy was now -getting short of provisions. They lived mostly on Indian corn. Many -deserters came to us, mostly Louisianians, for the "Wrackensackers" -(Arkansas men) and the Texans rarely deserted. These made up the -garrison. They reported great want in the place; and, what was far -better proof--for it will not do to trust implicitly to deserters' -stories--their gums showed the want of proper food. The end was -approaching. On the 4th of July Vicksburg surrendered. Our outposts -communicated this intelligence to the rebel outposts, and chaffed -them about it. The news was reported to Gardiner. He sent a flag to -Banks to inquire if it were true. Banks replied that it was, and Port -Hudson surrendered. - -It was curious to observe the sort of _entente cordiale_ which the -soldiers on both sides established during the siege. When they were -tired of trying to pick each other off through the loop-holes, one -of them would tie a white handkerchief to his bayonet, and wave it -above the parapet. Pretty soon a handkerchief, or its equivalent--for -the rebs did not indulge in useless luxuries--would be seen waving -on the other side. This meant truce. In a moment the men would swarm -out on both sides, sitting with their legs dangling over the parapet, -chaffing each other, and sometimes with pretty rough wit. They were -as safe as if a regular flag were out. No man dared to violate this -tacit truce. If he had done so, his own comrades would have dealt -roughly with him. After a while, on one side or the other, some one -would cry out, "Get under cover now, Johnnie," or "Look out now, -Yank; we are going to fire," and the fire would recommence. - -Active military operations were now suspended, and I obtained -leave of absence. But it was revoked; for General William B. -Franklin had arrived in the Department, and I was assigned to -his staff. I naturally felt disappointed at losing my leave, but -I was subsequently glad that it had so happened; for it led to -my promotion, and to the establishment of friendly and pleasant -relations which have survived the war. - - - - -CHAPTER VI. - - Major-general Franklin.--Sabine Pass.--Collision at Sea.--March - through Louisiana.--Rebel Correspondence.--"The Gypsy's Wassail." - --Rebel Women.--Rebel Poetry.--A Skirmish.--Salt Island.--Winter - Climate.--Banks's Capua.--Major Joseph Bailey. - - -Early in the fall of 1863, Major-general Franklin was put in command -of the military part of an expedition which had been planned against -Sabine Pass, on the coast of Texas. The arrangement was for the navy -to enter the port at night, get in the rear of the work, and capture -it; whereupon the troops were to land, garrison the place, and hold -it as a base for future operations in Texas. The plan failed. The -expected signals were not displayed. The gun-boats made the attempt -in broad daylight, got aground in the shallow and winding channel, -and were captured. Many of the sailors jumped overboard, swam ashore, -ran down through the marsh, and were picked up by our boats. The plan -had failed, and there was nothing for the troops to do but to return. - -That night we had a collision between one of our large sea-going -steamers and our light river boat used for head-quarters. Our -side was apparently smashed in. A panic seized the crew; captain, -pilot, engineer, hands, all rushed for the steamer. Most of our -head-quarters company and officers followed the example. I was -reading in the cabin when the collision occurred. The crash and the -cries attracted my attention. I went upon deck, and tried for a -moment to restore order, but in vain. The soldiers on the steamer -shouted, "Come on board! come on board! You're sinking! there's a -great hole in your side!" The waves dashed our little boat against -the sides of the steamer, and the light plank of the wheel-house -was grinding and crashing. I can easily understand how contagious -is a panic. It was with a great effort I could restrain myself from -following the example set me. I knew, however, that my place was -with the general, and I went in search of him. I found him on the -hurricane-deck, seated on the sky-light, quietly smoking his cigar. -I said, "General, are you not going to leave her?" "I don't believe -she'll sink," he replied. "But she is an abandoned ship, sir; every -one has left her." "Have they? are you sure?" "I'll make sure," I -replied; and, going to the wheel-house, found it deserted. Then I -looked into the engine-room--I remember the engine looked so grim -and stiff in its solitude. Franklin then consented to go. We found a -quiet place aft where there was no confusion; and as the waves tossed -up our light vessel to a level with the steamer, he sprung upon her -deck. As soon as he had jumped, I attempted to follow, but the vessel -was not tossed high enough. So I watched my chance, and plunged -head foremost into a port-hole, where friendly hands caught me, and -prevented my falling on the deck. - -But our little steamer would not sink. Franklin at once ordered out -the boats, secured the captain and crew, and returned on board. We -found that the outer shell of the boat was crushed in, and that she -was leaking badly; but the inner ceiling was unhurt. We easily kept -her free with the pumps until we had repaired damages. I do not think -that the general ever quite forgave me for persuading him to leave -her. - -As we had failed by sea, we next tried the land, and with better -success. We marched to Opelousas, driving the rebels before us. A -pleasant incident happened on this march, one of those trifles which -soften the horrors of war. I had known at New Orleans a charming -rebel creole whose husband was a general in the Confederate army. I -had had an opportunity to render the family some trifling service. -One day we intercepted a courier bearing a letter from General ----- to General Miles, commanding the district. He wrote that he -had fallen upon the rear of our column and picked up a number of -stragglers, and that he should send them next day to head-quarters. -Of course we laid our plans, captured the escort, and recaptured -our own men. With the general's assent, I sent the letter to the -lady in question, with a line to the effect that she probably had -not seen her husband's handwriting for some time, and might be -gratified to learn from the inclosed letter that he was well. She -would regret to learn, however, that our men had been retaken and -the escort captured; that I should spare no pains to capture the -general himself, and send him to his wife; and that if he knew what -fate was in store for him, I was sure that he would make but a feeble -resistance. She replied in the same spirit, that with such generous -enemies war lost half its terrors. - -Under Franklin nothing was left undone that could properly be done -to soften the rigors of war to non-combatants. Often have his staff -officers spent weary hours over intercepted correspondence. It was -our duty to examine the correspondence in search of intelligence -that might be useful to us; but it was no part of our duty carefully -to reseal those letters which were purely on domestic or personal -matters, re-inclose the hundred odd little souvenirs they contained, -and send them under a flag to the rebel lines. And yet we did this -repeatedly. I wonder if the rebels ever did as much for us anywhere -in the Confederacy! - -Speaking of intercepted letters, I remember that at New Orleans we -once seized a bag as it was about to cross the lake. Among other -letters, it contained one from a young lady to her brother-in-law -in Mobile. I have rarely seen a cleverer production. She gave an -account, with great glee, of a trick she had played upon a Boston -newspaper, perhaps the "Respectable Daily." She wrote that she had -sent them a poem called "The Gypsy's Wassail," the original in -Sanscrit, the translation of course in English, and all that was -patriotic and loyal. "Now, the Sanscrit," she wrote, "was English -written backward, and read as follows: - - "'God bless our brave Confederates, Lord! - Lee, Johnson, Smith, and Beauregard! - Help Jackson, Smith, and Johnson Joe, - To give them fits in Dixie, oh!'" - -The Boston newspaper fell into the trap, and published this -"beautiful and patriotic poem, by our talented contributor." But in a -few days some sharp fellow found out the trick and exposed it. - -The letter was signed "Anna" simply, and no clue to the author was -given. Anna thought that she was safe. She forgot that in the same -bag was a letter from her sister to her husband, with signature and -address, in which she said, "Anna writes you one of her amusing -letters." So I had discovered who Miss Anna was, and wrote her -accordingly. I told her that her letter had fallen into the hands of -one of those "Yankee" officers whom she saw fit to abuse, and who -was so pleased with its wit that he should take great pleasure in -forwarding it to its destination; that in return he had only to ask -that when the author of "The Gypsy's Wassail" favored the expectant -world with another poem, he might be honored with an early copy. Anna -must have been rather surprised. - -As may be supposed, there were constant trials of wit between the -rebels and ourselves, in which we sometimes came off second best. -But they had their women to help them, which gave them an immense -advantage, for in such matters one woman is worth a "wilderness" of -men. I recollect one day we sent a steamboat full of rebel officers, -exchanged prisoners, into the Confederacy. They were generally -accompanied by their wives and children. Our officers noticed the -most extraordinary number of dolls on board--every child had a -doll--but they had no suspicions. A lady told me afterward that every -doll was filled with quinine. The sawdust was taken out and quinine -substituted. Depend upon it that female wit devised that trick. - -They attacked us in poetry too, generally written by young ladies, -and some of it decidedly clever. Strong, Butler's adjutant-general, -had stopped the service in one of the Episcopal churches, because the -clergyman prayed for Jeff Davis instead of for the "President of the -United States." This furnished a theme for some bitter stanzas. Banks -had sent a light battery to drive among a crowd of women and children -collected on the levee to see their friends off, and disperse them. -This furnished a fruitful theme for the rebel muse. - -To return to our Opelousas campaign. - -We followed the course of the Teche for several days through a lovely -country, the "Garden of Louisiana," and it deserves its name. The -names in this part of the country are French. I remember we had a -skirmish at a place called "Carrion-crow Bayou." It struck me as an -odd name to give to a stream. I made inquiries, and found that a -Frenchman had settled upon its banks, named Carran Cro. - -Our march to Opelousas was without striking incident. The -Confederates once or twice came into position, as if to dispute our -progress, but they always gave way. Our return, however, was more -eventful. The rebels attacked an outlying brigade, and caught it -napping. It occupied a strong position, and could easily have beaten -cavalry off, the only force by which it was attacked. Two regiments, -however, were seized with a panic, and surrendered without firing -a shot. The alarm was given to the main body, and re-enforcements -quickly arrived, and drove off the rebels; but they carried off -many prisoners. Not long afterward we turned the tables upon them. -They encamped a regiment of Texas cavalry at a beautiful spot near -Iberville, called "Camp Pratt." Franklin organized an attack upon -them. One night he sent our cavalry to make a wide détour upon the -prairie and get into their rear. Then he attacked them in front -with infantry. They mounted and fled in disorder, and fell, nearly -to a man, into the hands of our cavalry. It was a well-organized -and well-conducted expedition, and reflected credit upon Lee, who -commanded the cavalry, and upon Cameron, who commanded the infantry. -Tradition says that Dick Taylor, who commanded in that part of -Louisiana, swore "like our army in Flanders" when he heard of it. - -There is a very curious salt island near Iberville, well worth a -visit, in a scientific point of view. Franklin wanted very much -to explore it, but he did not wish to take an army as an escort, -and he said it would be too absurd if he were captured on such an -expedition. It would not have been quite so absurd for me, however; -so I went, accompanied by Colonel Professor Owen, of the Indiana -University, and volunteers, and with our head-quarters cavalry -company as an escort. The island lies in the Gulf, and is perhaps -half a mile in diameter. In the centre is a hollow about a hundred -yards across, which has all the appearance of an extinct crater. -Here, a few inches below the surface, lies the salt, in an almost -perfect state of purity. For years our Southern brethren, who do not -shine as inventors, sunk wells, pumped up the water, evaporated it, -and so made their salt. At last it occurred to some one more clever -than his neighbors, "Why not blast out the salt itself?" And so it -was done. It seems scarcely possible, and yet I was credibly assured -that so scarce was salt in the Confederacy, that wagons came all the -way from Charleston, were loaded with salt, and returned to that -city. It must have been a journey of months. - -We wintered at Franklin, preparing for a spring campaign to the Red -River. The climate of Louisiana is delicious in winter. I have tried -both the South of France and Italy, but know no climate equal to that -of Louisiana. The summer, _en revanche_, is intensely hot, and lasts -from May to October, the thermometer ranging from 86° at night to 96° -in the day-time. Yet the heat is not stifling. You feel no particular -inconvenience from it at the time; but two seasons affect the nervous -system seriously, and a white man must from time to time get the -Northern or the sea-air. Happily the sea-coast is of easy access from -New Orleans. - -But while our command was under canvas, and preparing for the -approaching campaign, the cavalry was being mounted and drilled -amidst the allurements of a large city. Why Banks did not send it to -Thibodeaux, or to some other post where the prairie gave admirable -opportunities for cavalry exercise, is a question which was often -asked, but to which no satisfactory answer has ever been given. -Farragut said that he feared that New Orleans would prove Banks's -Capua. One of the consequences, as regards the cavalry, was, that -they started upon the campaign with "impedimenta" enough for an -army. Crossing a ford one day, Franklin spied a country cart drawn -by a mule, containing bedding, trunks, and a negro woman. He sent -the corps inspector to see to whom it belonged. It turned out to be -the property of a sergeant of a cavalry regiment. Needless to say -that the cart went no farther. After the rebels had captured their -Champagne, sardines, and potted anchovies, at Sabine Cross Roads, -they became excellent cavalry. - -And now, fortunately for the navy, Bailey joined our staff. He had -done such good work at Port Hudson--built half our works, got out a -steamboat that lay high and dry in the mud, etc., etc.--that Banks -had promoted him to be colonel of the regiment, over the head of -the lieutenant-colonel. Banks had no right to do this. In so doing, -he had usurped the prerogative of the Governor of Wisconsin; and the -governor, as might be expected, resented it. Of course the governor -was sustained by the War Department. Bailey was, naturally enough, -annoyed and mortified, and wrote to me that he should leave the -service; indeed, he supposed that he was already out of it, for he -had been mustered out as major when he was mustered in as colonel; -and now he had been mustered out as colonel. I wrote to him not to go -off at half-cock, to write to the governor and ask in what capacity -he recognized him, and then to the adjutant-general and ask the same -question. He was answered by the governor that he recognized him as -lieutenant-colonel, and by the Government that they recognized him -still as major. He then wrote me that he would gladly remain in the -service if I could get him on Franklin's staff, but that, under the -circumstances, he could not return to his regiment. I spoke to the -general upon the subject, and mentioned all that he had done under -Sherman at Port Hudson and elsewhere. The general applied for him; -he was ordered to report to us, and was announced as "Military -Engineer of the Nineteenth Army Corps." Thus it happened that Bailey -was with us when his regiment was not, and the fleet on the Red River -consequently saved from destruction or capture. - - - - -CHAPTER VII. - - Mistakes.--Affair at Mansfield.--Peach Hill.--Freaks of the - Imagination.--After Peach Hill.--General William Dwight.--Retreat to - Pleasant Hill.--Pleasant Hill.--General Dick Taylor.--Taylor and - the King of Denmark.--An Incident. - - -I think it was on the 20th of March that we left for the Red River. -We marched the whole distance, arriving at Natchitoches about the -3d of April. From Alexandria to Natchitoches we followed the Red -River. Here began our mistakes. Banks arrived from New Orleans, and -ordered us to take the inland road to Shreveport. Franklin suggested -the river road, where the army and the fleet could render mutual -support. Banks said no; that the other was the shorter route. It -was the shorter in distance, but for the greater part of the way -it was a narrow wood road, unfitted for the march of troops and -the movement of artillery and wagons. We marched two or three days -without interruption. Lee, who commanded the cavalry in advance, had -often applied for a brigade of infantry to support him. Franklin -had always declined to separate his infantry, answering that if Lee -found the enemy too strong for him, to fall back, and we would come -up with the whole infantry force and disperse them. On the evening -of the 6th of April, I think it was, Banks came up at Pleasant Hill, -and assumed command. The next day we were beaten; for that evening -Lee again applied for his infantry, and got them. Franklin sent in a -written remonstrance against the danger of separating the infantry, -and having it beaten in detail. He was disregarded; and we marched to -certain defeat. - -The battle of Sabine Forks--Mansfield, the rebels call it; and as -they won it, they have a right to name it--scarcely rises to the -dignity of a battle. We had our cavalry and one brigade of infantry -only engaged. We lost heavily, however, in guns and wagons, for the -wagon-train of the cavalry followed close upon its heels, and blocked -up the narrow road, so that the guns could not be got off. When -Franklin heard from Banks that the cavalry and infantry brigade were -seriously engaged, and that he must send re-enforcements, he at once -ordered Emory up with the First Division of the Nineteenth Corps, and -then rode forward himself to the scene of action. Here he lost his -horse and was wounded in the leg, while one of our staff officers -was killed. When our cavalry and brigade were finally defeated, the -rebels advanced upon us. It was a striking and beautiful sight to -see a column of their best infantry--the "Crescent City Regiment," I -think it was--marching steadily down the road upon us, while their -skirmishers swarmed through the woods and cotton fields. The column -offered so beautiful a mark for a shell or two, that the general rode -up to a retreating gun, and tried hard to get it into position, but -the stampede was too general, and we had to look to our own safety. -When he found how things were likely to turn out, Franklin had sent -an aid-de-camp to Emory with orders to select a good position, come -into line, and check the advancing enemy. Meantime, we retreated, -abandoning the road--it was too blocked up--and taking to the woods -and across the cotton fields, not knowing our whereabouts, or -whether we should land in the rebel lines or in our own. At length -we caught sight of Emory's red division flag, and a joyful sight it -was. We soon reached it, and found that "Bold Emory" had chosen -an excellent position on the summit of a gentle eminence, called -Peach Hill, and had already got his men into line. His division had -behaved admirably. In face of cavalry and infantry retreating in -disorder--and every officer knows how contagious is a panic--the -First Division of the Nineteenth Army Corps steadily advanced, not a -man falling out, fell into line, and quietly awaited the enemy. They -did not keep us waiting long. In less than half an hour after we had -joined the division, they appeared, marching steadily to the attack. -But they were received with a fusillade they had not counted upon, -and retreated in confusion. Again they attempted an attack on our -right, but with no better success. They were definitively repulsed. - -In this skirmish Franklin had another horse killed under him, shot in -the shoulder, for the enemy's fire was very sharp for a few minutes. -I offered him my horse, but he refused it. The captain of our -head-quarters cavalry company offered him his, and he accepted it. -The captain dismounted a private. - -I saw here a striking instance of the effect produced by the -imagination when exalted by the excitement of battle. A staff officer -by my side dropped his bridle, threw up his arms, and said, "I am -hit." I helped him from his horse. He said, "My boot is full of -blood." We sent him to the ambulance. I said to myself, "Good-bye to ----- I shall go to his funeral to-morrow." Next day he appeared at -head-quarters as well as ever. He had been struck by a spent ball. -It had broken the skin and drawn a few drops of blood, but inflicted -no serious injury. At Port Hudson I saw the same effect produced -by a spent ball. A man came limping off the field supported by two -others. He said his leg was broken. The surgeon was rather surprised -to find no hole in his stocking. Cutting it off, however, he found -a black-and-blue mark on the leg--nothing more. The chaplain was -reading to him, and the man was pale as death. I comforted him by -telling him to send the stocking to his sweetheart as a trophy. - -As we lay on our arms that night at Peach Hill without fire, for we -were permitted to light none, lest we should reveal our small numbers -to the enemy, we could hear distinctly the yells of the rebels as -they found a fresh "cache" of the good things of the cavalry. It was -very aggravating. They got our head-quarters ambulance too, but there -was precious little in it. Expecting to bivouac, we had thrown a few -things hastily into it. All they got of mine was a tooth-brush. I -comforted myself with the reflection that they would not know what -use to put it to. - -Banks now sent for Franklin, and communicated to him his intention -to remain on the battle-field all night, and renew the fight in -the morning. Franklin represented that we had six thousand men at -most, and the rebels thirteen thousand. Banks replied that A. J. -Smith would be up. (Smith was thirteen miles in the rear, with eight -thousand men.) "But how is he to get up, sir? The road is blocked up -with the retreating troops and wagons, and is but a path, after all. -He can't get up." "Oh! he'll be up--he'll be up;" and the interview -ended. On his return to head-quarters, partly under a tree and partly -on a rail fence, Franklin told me what had happened. - -General William Dwight, of Boston, commanded the First Brigade of -Emory's division. I knew Dwight well, for he had succeeded Sherman in -command of our division at Port Hudson. I had recommended him highly -to Franklin, when he was offered his choice of two or three generals -for commands in the Nineteenth Corps, as an officer who could be -thoroughly relied upon in an emergency. Dwight had said to me, -"Major, if Franklin ever wants Banks to do any thing, and he won't -do it, do you come to me." I thought that the time had arrived to go -to him; so I found my way through the darkness. "Well, general, we've -got to stay here all night, and fight it out to-morrow." Dwight, who -is quick as a flash, and whose own soldierly instinct told him what -ought to be done, said at once, "Does Franklin think Banks ought to -fall back upon A. J. Smith?" "Yes, he does." "Then I'll be d--d if -he sha'n't do it. Wait here a minute." Dwight disappeared in the -darkness. In ten minutes he returned and said, "It's all right; the -order is given." - -That night we fell back upon Pleasant Hill, Dwight bringing up the -rear with his brigade. Franklin asked him if he could hold his -position till half-past ten. "Till morning," he replied, "if you say -so." - -At Pleasant Hill we found General Smith with his "gorillas," as they -were profanely called. Smith's command boasted that they had been in -many a fight, and had never been defeated. I believe it was a true -boast. It was partly luck, partly their own courage, and partly the -skill with which they were handled. They were a rough lot, but good -soldiers. I have seen them straggling along, one with a chicken hung -to his bayonet, another with a pig on his back: turkeys, ducks, any -thing of the kind came handy to them. The alarm sounded, and in an -instant every man was in the ranks, silent, watchful, orderly, the -very models of good soldiers. - -The battle which now ensued at Pleasant Hill formed no exception -to the rule which Smith's corps had established. The rebels, too, -had been re-enforced, and attacked us in the afternoon with great -spirit. But they soon found the difference between an affair with -a single brigade of infantry, and one with three divisions fully -prepared and admirably handled; for Franklin and Smith had made all -the dispositions. They drove in the left of our first line, where -we had a Five Points New York regiment (rowdies, by-the-way, always -make the poorest troops); but they could make no impression on the -second line, composed of Smith's "gorillas," and were beaten off with -considerable loss. - -General Dick Taylor, son of the President, commanded the rebel army -in these engagements, and received much credit, and deservedly, for -the manner in which he had defeated us at Mansfield. It was reported -that General Smith, who commanded the Trans-Mississippi Department -of the Confederacy, found fault with Taylor for attacking us, as -he had intended to draw us on to Shreveport, and there, with the -help of Magruder from Texas, and Price from Arkansas, overwhelm us -disastrously. Perhaps it was as well that we had it out at Mansfield. -As regards the affair at Pleasant Hill, it was a mistake of the -rebels. They were not strong enough to attack us in position. Taylor -has since said that the attack was against his better judgment, but -that the officers who had come up the night before wanted their share -of glory. Perhaps, too, they had tasted the cavalry Champagne, and -liked the brand. They might not have been quite so eager for the fray -had they known what force they had to deal with at Mansfield, and -what lay before them at Pleasant Hill. - -The writer has since met General Taylor in London, and a most -agreeable companion he is. He is a great favorite in court circles, -largely for his own merits, but partly as "Prince Dick." In -monarchical countries they can not divest themselves of the idea that -our presidents are monarchs, and their children princes. "Prince -John," "Prince Dick," "Prince Fred," all received quasi-royal honors. -At Constantinople, when Fred Grant was with Sherman, a lieutenant -on his staff, it was to Grant that the Sultan addressed his remarks. -Grant tried to stop it, but could not. - -They tell an amusing story of Dick Taylor in London. Taylor plays -a good game of whist. The King of Denmark was on a visit to his -daughter, and she sent for Taylor to make up a game with her father. -Taylor won largely, and laughingly said to the king, "Your majesty -can not find fault; I am only getting back those 'Sound Dues' my -country paid Denmark for so many years." - -Banks now wanted to continue his onward march to Shreveport, but A. -J. Smith opposed it. He said that he belonged to Sherman's command, -and had been lent to Banks for a season only; that he was under -orders to return to Sherman by a certain day; that much time had been -lost; and that if he undertook the march to Shreveport, he could not -return by the date appointed. Our supplies, too, were rather short, -the cavalry having lost their wagon-train. We fell back, therefore, -upon Grand Ecore, where we rejoined the fleet. And here a curious -incident occurred. An officer in high position came to Franklin and -said that the army was in a very critical situation; that it required -generalship to extricate it; that under Banks it would probably -be captured or destroyed; and proposed to put Banks on board of a -steamer, and send him to New Orleans, and that Franklin should take -command. "And my men, general," he said, "will stand by you to the -last man." Of course Franklin treated it as a joke, and laughed it -off. But there can be no doubt that the officer was in earnest. - -General Banks did not command the confidence of his troops, -especially of the Western men. They generally spoke of him as "_Mr._ -Banks." It was a great pity that his undoubted talent could not have -been utilized in the civil service. As it turned out, he was perhaps -the most striking instance in our service of the grave, almost fatal, -mistake we made at the beginning of the war. He had been a good -Speaker, so we made him a major-general; he had roused a certain -interest in Massachusetts in her militia, so we gave him command of -armies, and sent him out to meet trained soldiers like Stonewall -Jackson and Dick Taylor. The result was a foregone conclusion. - - - - -CHAPTER VIII. - - Low Water.--The Fleet in Danger.--We fall back upon Alexandria. - --Things look Gloomy.--Bailey builds a Dam in ten Days.--Saves - the Fleet.--A Skirmish.--Smith defeats Polignac.--Unpopularity - of Foreign Officers.--A Novel Bridge.--Leave of Absence.--A - Year in Virginia.--Am ordered again to New Orleans. - - -The Red River had now fallen very low. The gun-boats had great -difficulty in descending the stream. One chilly evening, as we stood -round the head-quarters camp-fire, word was brought us that one of -Porter's best iron-clads was fast aground in the stream, and that -they had tried in vain to get her off. I turned laughingly to Bailey, -and said, "Bailey, can't you build a dam and get her off?" alluding -to what he had done at Port Hudson. Bailey followed me to my tent -and said, "Seriously, major, I think I _could_ get that ship off, -and I should like to try." I went immediately to the general, and -got a letter from him to Porter, and sent Bailey to the grounded -ship. She was built in compartments. He found them breaking in the -partitions. He remonstrated, and said, "Pump out one compartment, -then shut it hermetically, and the confined air will help to buoy up -the ship." The navy men, naturally enough, resented the interference -of an outsider. Bailey gave Porter Franklin's letter. Porter said, -"Well, major, if you can dam better than I can, you must be a good -hand at it, for I have been d--g all night." Bailey had not met with -a very encouraging reception. He was one of those serious men, who, -as Sydney Smith said, require a surgical operation to get a joke into -their heads. He returned to camp, and reported to me that Porter had -insulted him. "What did he say, Bailey?" He told me; whereupon I -explained to him the joke, and he was perfectly satisfied. "Oh, if -that's what he meant, it's all right!" The ship was not got off. She -was blown up and abandoned. - -From Grand Ecore we fell back upon Alexandria. Franklin was put in -command of the movement, and Bailey selected our line of march. We -started at dark, and marched all night. But the Confederates were -on the watch. They threatened our rear, and compelled us to halt, -and deploy, while they hurried a strong force to take position at -Kane's Ferry. Here we had a sharp skirmish. The position is a -very strong one, the stream not being fordable at the Ferry. We -crossed two brigades higher up. Moving slowly through the woods, -for there were no roads, they struck the rebels on the left flank, -and dislodged them. The fight was very sharp for a time. Colonel -Fessenden, afterward brigadier-general, commanding a Maine regiment, -and gallantly leading it, lost a leg in this affair. - -But a severer trial awaited the fleet. About a mile above Alexandria -the river shoots over a rapid, the Falls of Alexandria. On this shoal -there was about five feet of water, and the river was falling. The -boats drew from seven to nine feet. The floods come down with great -rapidity in the Red River. One night's rain would have given the -ships plenty of water. Twenty-four hours' hard rain raises it twenty -feet. But the rain would not come. Things looked gloomy enough for -the fleet. Bailey came to me and said that he could build a dam in -ten days, and get those ships out. The river was six hundred and -sixty-six feet wide at the Falls. Franklin sent me to Porter with -the proposition. Porter said that it was not worth while--"It will -rain to-night or to-morrow." To-night and to-morrow came, and it -did not rain, and still the river fell. Again Franklin sent me to -Porter. I found him unwell and despondent. "Tell General Franklin," -he said, "that if he will build a dam or any thing else, and get me -out of this scrape, I'll be eternally grateful to him." I returned to -Franklin. "Now go to Banks, and get his permission." I found Banks -closeted with General Hunter. It was reported that the Government had -become anxious about our command, and had sent Hunter down to examine -and report upon our condition. I stated what was proposed. Banks -turned to Hunter and said, "What do you think of it, general?" Hunter -replied that he thought it impracticable, "But if Franklin recommends -it, try it; for he is one of the best engineers in the army." Banks -said, "Tell the general to give the necessary orders." The orders -were given. Maine and Wisconsin regiments, principally lumbermen, -were detailed for the work. In ten days the dam was built, the water -rose, and the fleet came over in safety. - -The rebels made a great mistake in not interfering with our work. Had -they done so, they might have embarrassed us seriously on the left -bank of the river, opposite Alexandria. But they never fired a shot. -We were told that they laughed at the idea of damming the Red River, -and said that we might as well try to dam the Mississippi. We would -have done this, had it been necessary. - -Bailey handled water as a lumberman handles his axe. One of the -gun-boats was aground, hanging by the stern some little way above the -Falls. They tugged at her with all sorts of mechanical contrivances, -but in vain. In two hours Bailey built a little "wing-dam," he called -it, turned the current under the stern of the vessel where she hung, -washed out the sand, and the ship floated off. - -Porter told me that if Bailey got his fleet out he would never -rest till he was made a brigadier-general. He kept his word. The -Government promoted him. The naval officers subscribed, and gave him -a sword of honor and a service of plate. He deserved it all. - -The fleet saved, we renewed our march to the Mississippi. It was -made without incident, except that Smith defeated the rebels in a -skirmish on the Atchafalaya. He practiced a ruse upon them: concealed -a brigade in the deep dry ditches that intersect the sugar-fields -there, then sent his skirmishers out. The rebs drove them in and -pursued them; when up rose the men in the ditches, poured in a -deadly fire, and took two hundred prisoners. We were not again -troubled by the enemy. - -Prince Polignac commanded the rebels upon this occasion. It was -reported that he had come to Louisiana expecting that the Confederacy -would become a monarchy; and it probably would have done so, had the -Rebellion succeeded. I afterward heard that his defeat was not very -disagreeable to his brother officers, for he was not popular with -them. Indeed, very few foreign officers were popular on either side. -Both Union and rebel officers were very much disposed to look upon it -as a family quarrel, and wanted no interference from outsiders. - -We crossed the Atchafalaya by a novel bridge constructed of -steamboats. This, too, was Bailey's work. He anchored them side -by side, the bows level with each other, and placed planks across -them. The whole army, with its baggage-wagons and artillery, crossed -safely and rapidly. A steam-whistle sounded, and in ten minutes the -bridge had disappeared, and every boat was under full headway to its -destination. - -The writer's connection with the Department of the Gulf now ceased -for a year. He obtained leave of absence, and went North. But he -had scarcely arrived there when Early made his daring march upon -Washington. My leave was revoked, and I was ordered to report to -Major-general Gillmore. For a year I remained in Virginia, most of -the time in Norfolk, for Gillmore had been thrown from his horse, and -was unable to take the field in command of the Nineteenth Army Corps, -as had been intended, and I had been assigned to a different duty. -Early in the spring of 1865, on application of Brigadier-general T. -W. Sherman, I was ordered again to New Orleans. - - - - -CHAPTER IX. - - Visit to Grant's Head-quarters.--His Anecdotes of Army Life.--Banks - relieved.--Canby in Command.--Bailey at Mobile.--Death of - Bailey.--Canby as a Civil Governor.--Confiscated Property.--Proposes - to rebuild Levees.--Is stopped by Sheridan.--Canby appeals.--Is - sustained, but too late.--Levees destroyed by Floods.--Conflict - of Jurisdiction.--Action of President Johnson.--Sheridan abolishes - Canby's Provost Marshal's Department.--Canby asks to be recalled.--Is - ordered to Washington.--To Galveston.--To Richmond.--To - Charleston.--Is murdered by the Modocs.--His Character. - - -Shortly after my arrival at the North, I paid a visit of a few days -to Colonel Badeau at Grant's head-quarters at City Point. Badeau -had been with me on Sherman's staff. I staid at head-quarters in a -tent reserved for guests, and messed with the general and his staff. -Grant has the reputation of being a taciturn man, and he is generally -so. But when seated on a summer's evening under the awning in front -of his tent with his staff, and, perhaps, a few friends about him, -he took his share of the conversation. He was full of anecdote, -especially of army life. He talked very freely, not hesitating to -express his opinions of men and things. Grant contended that no -commanding officer could succeed in the long run, if he were not an -honest and an honorable man. He did not care what were his talents, -he was sure to come to grief, and injure the cause sooner or later. -But Butler took different ground. He held that he could appoint -clever and energetic officers to command, and benefit by their -talents, while he could prevent their dishonesty from injuring the -cause. Grant was undoubtedly right, and Butler wrong. - -One evening, as we sat before his tent, Grant observed that he had -that day sent orders to remove a certain general from high command -in the West. I expressed my surprise, and said that I had always -understood, and from army men too, that the officer in question was -one of the best of our volunteer generals. Grant took his cigar from -his mouth, and remarked, in his quiet way, "He's too much mixed up -with cotton." - -Politics makes strange bed-fellows. What a pity that President -Grant was unable to carry into his civil appointments the same -admirable principle upon which General Grant acted so inflexibly -and so successfully in his military appointments! The officer whom -he removed from command as "too much mixed up with cotton" he soon -after appointed, under strong party pressure, to high civil office. - -On my return to New Orleans, I found that Banks had been relieved, -and Canby now commanded the Department of the Gulf. He was absent, -engaged in the campaign against Mobile, which resulted in the capture -of that city. Here Bailey again distinguished himself. The bay was -strewed with torpedoes. Bailey had no fear of torpedoes. He told me -that he had often navigated the Upper Mississippi when enormous cakes -of ice, swept along by the rapid current, threatened to destroy the -boat, but that it was easy enough by some mechanical contrivance to -avoid them. He thought that torpedoes might be treated in the same -way. He showed his faith by his works. He took the quartermaster's -boats up without accident. The navy followed his lead, and safely. -But the Admiral, changing his mind, ordered some of the boats back. -In backing down, two were blown up and sunk. - -But the war was now near its close. Bailey was shortly afterward -mustered out of service, and returned to civil life. He removed from -Wisconsin to Missouri, and settled in one of the border counties. -Here he was elected sheriff. His end was a sad one. With his usual -daring, he attempted to arrest two noted desperadoes, horse-thieves, -single-handed. They murdered him. He had not lived in vain. He had -rendered good service to his country. - -To return to Louisiana. The writer was now promoted to General -Canby's staff, and became adjutant-general of the Department. Canby -enjoyed the full confidence of the Government, and most justly. -He had an exceedingly important command, extending from St. Louis -to the Gulf, and from Florida to Texas. We had one hundred and -eighty-seven thousand men upon our rolls. Canby was an excellent -military commander, but his forte lay in civil government. Never -was a Department better governed than was Louisiana in his day. A -kind-hearted, benevolent gentleman, he gave one half of his pay -to the rebel poor. Often have I seen his wife driving about New -Orleans, accompanied by a Sister of Charity, dispensing his bounty. A -clear-headed, just man, he governed that turbulent city with wisdom -and justice, and with unflinching firmness. There were no riots in -his day. More than once we were told that a riot was planned for -the next day. Canby sent for Sherman; that night a battery would be -quietly marched up from Jackson Barracks, and stationed out of sight -in a cotton-press. Very early in the morning a company of cavalry -picketed their horses in Esplanade Street. The quiet citizens saw -nothing unusual, but the would-be rioters of course knew what had -been done, and there was no riot. Canby was relieved; Sherman got -leave of absence; and within a month a riot took place. - -General Canby has saved millions of money to the United States. In -these days of barefaced raids upon the Treasury, under color of bogus -Southern claims, Canby's foresight and care are brought out in strong -relief. When the war was ended, he returned all confiscated rebel -property to its owners, but he took from them a release to the United -States for all claim for rent or damage during our occupation. These -men's mouths are now closed. The only exception he made was made -most reluctantly under the orders of Sheridan. That great soldier -does not shine in civil government as he does in the field. When he -arrived in New Orleans, he told General Canby that he came there to -take military command; that as for civil matters he knew nothing -about them, and left them all to Canby. Before a month had passed -an order came that General Canby would please report why he did not -return the Metairie Ridge Race-course to its owners. This course was -owned by gamblers. The gamblers of New Orleans are an institution -and a power in that city. Canby replied with the indorsement, -"Respectfully returned with a copy of the order bearing date (a month -back) returning the Metairie Ridge Racecourse to its owners on the -usual conditions." The order came back, "General Canby will return -the Metairie Ridge Race-course without condition." Canby felt deeply -hurt. His carefully devised and impartially executed plan to protect -the Treasury had been frustrated, and this in favor of a lot of -gamblers. I do not doubt that these men are now before Congress as -"loyal citizens," with their humble petition for reimbursement for -the occupation of the race-course and the destruction of the fences. - -Had Canby been permitted to have his own way, the levees in Louisiana -would have been rebuilt in the fall of 1865, millions of money saved -to the United States, and much suffering and vagabondage among the -inhabitants avoided. In 1862 Butler had confiscated the crops on many -abandoned estates. This property, when sold, realized a fund which -was turned over to the successive Department commanders, to be used -for various public purposes. Banks gave a monster concert, with -artillery accompaniments, out of it, and balls, to dance the fair -Creoles into loyalty. Canby proposed to rebuild the levees. In his -day the fund amounted to about eight hundred thousand dollars. He -thought that this money, raised in Louisiana, could with propriety be -expended in repairing the levees in Louisiana. He said expressly that -the rebels had no right to this expenditure--as they had sown, so -must they reap; but that it was in the interest of the United States -and of humanity that he proposed to rebuild the levees. That if this -were done, the people would be occupied, contented, and quiet, they -would be no expense to the Government, and their crops would add to -the general wealth of the country. That if it were not done, the -plantations would be overflowed, the crops ruined, the inhabitants -discontented, the value of the crops lost to the country, and the -United States compelled, as a matter of humanity, to issue rations to -the starving people. In the month of October, 1865, every thing was -ready, the unemployed negroes enrolled, our negro regiments detailed, -and the work about to commence, when it was stopped by an order from -General Sheridan. Of course Sheridan did not do this from any mere -caprice. He had his reasons, and to his mind they were conclusive. -But they were purely technical and narrow. He said that the fund -referred to did not belong to the Department; that it belonged to -the Treasury, or at least to the Quartermaster-general, and could -not be used without his assent. Canby was always most reluctant to -appeal from his superior officer to higher authority, but he thought -that in this instance the interests of his Department, and those of -the United States itself, were too deeply involved for him to accept -Sheridan's decision. He appealed to Washington, and was sustained. -But the Government, instead of ordering him to commence the work at -once, sent out a board of engineers--Barnard at the head--to survey -the levees, and agree upon plans for repairing them. At length all -these most unnecessary formalities were got through with, and Canby -was ordered to proceed with the work. This was promptly done. But -it was now January, instead of October. In February the water rose, -and swept away all that had been done. All the evils predicted by -Canby now came upon the country. And not for that year only, but for -several succeeding years, the Government was compelled to feed a -suffering, discontented, and turbulent population. - -Several nice and novel legal questions arose on the termination -of the war in reference to confiscated property. These were -determined by General Canby so wisely and so justly that the -Quartermaster-general not unfrequently sent to him for copies of -his orders as guides for the Department at Washington in its own -decisions. I recollect one question particularly, which brought -him into conflict with the United States District Judge. It will -be remembered that at the close of the war an immense quantity of -cotton was found stored in the by-ways of the Confederacy, especially -far up the Red River. Part of this cotton was undoubtedly liable to -confiscation, but the greater part was not. Treasury agents thronged -all over the South. The character of these men "left much to be -desired," as the Frenchman politely puts it. They were "on the make." -Their object was to prove all cotton liable to confiscation, for -the law gave them a large percentage of the proceeds. The amount of -perjury committed by these men, and by the professional perjurers -whom they employed, was fearful. The effect was demoralizing to the -last degree, and exasperated the inhabitants; while it was the object -of the Government, and the earnest desire of the victorious North, -to pacify the South by dealing not only justly, but generously, by -it. Canby felt this, and with his usual sagacity and foresight made -a proposition to the Secretary of the Treasury, which, if adopted, -would have saved the Government millions in money, and more than -millions in peace and good-will. He proposed that ports should be -designated on the Mississippi for the receipt of cotton; that every -pound arriving there should pay the Government twenty-five cents, or -fifty cents (any thing that the Government might designate), and that -no questions should be asked as to its origin. Mr. M'Culloch replied -that it was an admirable plan, but that there were reasons why it -could not be adopted. The reason, I fear, was the influence brought -to bear at Washington by the nascent race of carpet-baggers. There -was money in the Treasury-agent system. - -This system led, as I have said, to a collision between the military -and the judicial authorities in New Orleans, which in any other -hands than Canby's might have been serious. M'Culloch wrote to the -general asking him to sustain his agents with the military power in -their seizure of cotton. Canby of course replied that he would do -so. Shortly afterward an agent applied to us for a military force. -He had seized a lot of cotton, and brought it to New Orleans. The -owner, an alleged Union man, had applied to the United States -District Court, and the United States Marshal had been ordered to -take possession of it. He attempted to do so, but was, of course, -repulsed by the military, the city being still under martial law. The -judge thereupon issued an order for Canby to appear before him, and -show cause why he held the cotton against the process of the court. -The order was an impertinent one; for the judge knew well enough -that the city was still under martial law. The judge was that Durell -who afterward came to grief. But Canby always showed the greatest -respect to the judiciary. I remember, as if it were yesterday, -seeing him start for the court-room at the appointed time, in full -uniform, accompanied by Major De Witt Clinton, his judge-advocate. -His return to the order of the court was to my mind conclusive. He -said, substantially, that the United States District Court was a -creation of the law; that it possessed precisely those powers which -had been conferred upon it by Congress, and no others; that if this -cotton had been captured by the navy on the high seas, he should have -surrendered it at once on the order of the judge, for the court was -clothed with admiralty jurisdiction, but that it had no military -jurisdiction, and that he had no right to surrender, and might be -held responsible for surrendering, powers which, under martial law, -were vested in him alone. The judge reserved his decision. The -claimant's lawyers telegraphed to the President; and Johnson, who was -then beginning to coquet with the Democrats, contrary to Stanton's -advice, and without waiting for Canby's report, ordered the cotton to -be given up, to the general's great satisfaction; for it soiled the -fingers of every one who touched it. - -General Canby had now been thwarted twice by General Sheridan in -purely civil matters--matters belonging properly to the commander of -the Department. He felt as if his usefulness were gone, and prepared -a letter to the Adjutant-general asking to be relieved from his -command, and ordered elsewhere. He showed me this letter. I felt that -his loss to the Department would be irreparable, and I persuaded -him to withhold it. But shortly afterward Sheridan again interfered -with the civil government of the city, and this time by breaking up -the provost-marshal's department of General Canby's own staff. It is -a matter of great delicacy for one general to interfere with the -staff of another. Canby felt deeply hurt, and told me that he should -forward his letter to Washington. Of course I could no longer object; -for it seemed to me that self-respect left him no choice. He was -relieved at once, for he was all-powerful with Stanton, who had the -highest esteem and regard for him, and unbounded confidence in his -integrity and wisdom. He was made president of a most important board -on war claims, sitting at Washington. But shortly afterward there was -disturbance in Texas, and Canby was immediately sent there. Again, -there was disturbance in Virginia, and Canby was transferred to -Richmond. Then came difficulty in South Carolina, and at once Canby -was ordered to Charleston. Wherever he went, order and tranquillity -followed his footsteps. - -This wise, great, and good man lost his life miserably. He fell a -victim to the Peace Commission. He commanded the Department in which -Captain Jack and those wretched Modocs gave us so much trouble. -Although the force operating against the Indians numbered but five -hundred men, and the weather was so severe that the ink froze in -his tent, Canby thought it his duty to go in person to the "Lava -Beds." Here he was rapidly unearthing the savages from "their caves -and dens in the rocks," when the Peace Commission begged him to send -the Indians a flag of truce and invite them to a "talk." He replied -that it was useless; that he knew the Indians far better than those -gentlemen could; and that the best and most humane method was to -follow up his military advantages. They entreated, and appealed to -his love of peace. He yielded, went unarmed and without escort to the -conference, and was murdered by the savages. Thus died one of the -best, ablest, and purest men the war had brought to the front. - -The writer left Louisiana in June, 1866, and shortly afterward, on -his own request, was mustered out of the service. He looks back with -pleasure to the years passed in that lovely and fruitful land. He -regrets the evil days which have fallen upon it, and can not but -think that the upright and honorable men whom he knew there--and -there are plenty of them among its inhabitants--must regret the loss -of the rule of justice, law, order, and economy under Canby, when -they contrast it with the infamous rule of the carpet-baggers--fraud -and corruption on one side met by violence and intimidation on the -other. - - - - -CHAPTER X. - - The Writer appointed Assistant Secretary of Legation to Paris. - --Presented to the Emperor.--Court Balls.--Diplomatic Dress.--Opening - of Corps Législatif.--Opening of Parliament.--King of the Belgians. - --Emperor of Austria.--King of Prussia.--Queen Augusta.--Emperor - Alexander.--Attempt to assassinate him.--Ball at Russian - Embassy.--Resignation of General Dix. - - -In October, 1866, at the request of General Canby, Mr. Seward -appointed the writer to be Assistant Secretary of Legation at Paris. -Johnson was then President, but he very properly left all these minor -appointments in the State Department to its chief. Frederic Seward -told me that it was impossible to have a better friend at their court -than General Canby--"they always accepted his bills at sight." - -General Dix had then been named Minister to France, but had not -sailed. Mr. Bigelow still filled the office. On presenting my -credentials, he requested me to await the arrival of the General -before entering upon my duties, that the proposed changes might all -be made at the same time. - -Late in December General Dix arrived, and was presented. Court -carriages were sent for the minister, and he was accompanied by the -secretaries of legation, and by the "Introducteur des Ambassadeurs" -in gorgeous uniform. Those were the halcyon days of the diplomatic -service, before Congress had come to the conclusion that the safety -of the republic depended upon its foreign representatives being -dressed in swallow-tail coats. We were then permitted to dress like -other gentlemen of the diplomatic corps in the same grade. - -The Emperor was always happy in his reception of the diplomates -accredited to him. The custom was to send in advance to the Minister -of Foreign Affairs a copy of the address to be delivered, that the -Emperor's reply might be prepared. These speeches, under ordinary -circumstances, might be stereotyped: change the names, and one -will answer for another. After the formal addresses, an informal -conversation followed. General Dix then presented the secretaries. -The Emperor spoke English very well, and liked to ventilate it. -He did not speak it perfectly, however, as was claimed by his -enthusiastic admirers. He translated French into English, as we -so often translate English into French. He said, for instance, to -Colonel Hay, "You have made _ze_ war in _ze_ United States?" ("_Vous -avez fait la guerre?_") meaning, "Did you serve?" Hay was strongly -tempted to tell him that it was not he; it was Jeff Davis. - -After the presentation to the Emperor, we paid our respects to -the Empress. That charming and beautiful woman was then in the -zenith of her beauty and grace. She received us in her bonnet and -walking-dress, as she had come from mass; for in Catholic countries -diplomatic presentations generally take place on Sunday. Nor in -Catholic countries only, for in England the Prince of Wales sometimes -receives on that day. The Empress too speaks English, and with less -accent than the Emperor, though not so fluently. - -The imperial court in 1866-'67 was at the height of its splendor. -France was apparently prosperous and powerful, and Paris reigned -the queen-city of the world. All nations paid her willing tribute. -She was preparing for the Exhibition of 1867, the most successful -ever held, except our own at Philadelphia. The winter was unusually -gay, the palace setting the example. As a rule, the Emperor gave -four grand balls during the season. They were very magnificent, and -would have been very pleasant except for the great crowd. But those -balls were given principally to the military, and the garrison of -Paris thronged them to the number of two or three thousand. Some of -the subordinate officers were wholly unused to any other society -than that of the barracks, and they brought their barrack manners -with them, crowding, pushing, treading upon the ladies' dresses, -scratching their shoulders with their epaulets. When the supper-room -was opened, the Centgarde on duty at the door had great difficulty in -keeping back the hungry crowd. Once they actually broke through and -rushed in. The sentries were thereupon doubled, but even then were -compelled to threaten to report the most prominent disturbers to the -Emperor. Every private in the Centgardes ranked as an officer of the -army. - -It may interest some of my readers to know how presentations were -made at these balls. The United States Minister was allowed to -present twenty-six persons in all. They were selected generally upon -the principle of first come, first served; but the matter rested -wholly in his discretion. No one had a right to a presentation. Mr. -Seward settled this in a clear and positive dispatch to Mr. Dayton, -and his instructions now regulate the action of our ministers in -most of the courts of Europe. Occasionally we asked for one or two -extra presentations. The inquiry was then generally made, "Is it a -young and pretty woman?" If it were, there was no difficulty, for the -Empress, like other ladies, was pleased to have her balls set off -with beautiful and well-dressed women. American ladies were always -well received by her for this reason. Her balls were sometimes called -by the envious "_bals américains_." - -The persons to be presented were arranged round one of the rooms at -the Tuileries. The Emperor entered and passed down the line, each -person being named to him. He sometimes stopped, though rarely, and -addressed a few words to one of the presentees. The Empress followed -in the same manner. She exacted that every lady should be in full -evening dress, and if by chance one slipped in not _décolletée_, the -minister was pretty sure to hear of it. General Dix was once asked to -present a young lady with her mother. He consented. She turned out to -be a child of fourteen. Before many days he heard that the Empress -had said that she did not receive children. - -But the Empress's Mondays, _petits lundis_, were charming. They -were not unpleasantly crowded, and they were composed exclusively -of people who knew how to behave themselves. Frequently they were -musical parties, and there one heard the best musical talent of the -world. No money was paid to the leading artists; for the theory is -that the honor of singing before the sovereign is sufficient; but a -bracelet or other piece of jewelry was sent to the singer, and always -of value, for the Emperor was very generous--too much so for his own -interests and those of his family, as events have shown. - -The _petits lundis_ were a paradise for our American diplomates. -There we wore our swallow-tail coats, with black tights and silk -stockings. The most rabid anti-uniformist could not object to that. -To wear swallow-tail at one of the balls, however, was by no means a -pleasant duty. After one or two experiments our secretaries gave up -going. The French officers--not those of high rank, of course--would -stare with all the impertinence they could muster, and take the -opportunity to jostle them accidentally in the crowd. It was very -different in London. If one of us went to a ball at Buckingham Palace -in mufti, the page at the door simply asked, "United States, sir?" -and he passed in without difficulty. Of course every one present -noticed the dress, but no one appeared to do so. They evidently felt -sorry for the poor devil who found himself in such an awkward fix, -and wished to make it as easy for him as possible. French politeness -did not shine by the contrast. - -Early in the winter the Emperor opened the Corps Législatif. In all -constitutional monarchies this is an occasion of great ceremony and -splendor. A hall in the Louvre was used for the purpose. All the -great bodies of state attended in their gorgeous uniforms. Senators, -deputies, judges, members of the Academy and of the Institute, -marshals, admirals--every thing that France possessed of glorious in -arms, or eminent in literature, science, art, and statesmanship, was -congregated there. When all was ready, the Empress, attended by the -ladies of the imperial family, and by her ladies in waiting, walked -up the whole length of the centre aisle to her seat on the throne, -amidst the indescribable enthusiasm of the audience. Her beauty, her -grace, and her stately bearing carried the enthusiasm to its height. -You would have sworn that every man there was ready to die for his -sovereign. Within less than four years she sought in vain for one of -them to stand by her in her hour of danger. - -The opening of the Corps Législatif, splendid and interesting as -it was, did not compare in either respect--in American eyes, at -least--with the opening of Parliament by the Queen in person. She has -done this so rarely of late that, when she does appear, the interest -and excitement in London are very great. The ceremony takes place in -the House of Lords. The peers are in their robes of office, scarlet -and ermine. Each particular robe is ugly enough, very much like red -flannel and cat-skin; but the effect of all together is very fine. -The peeresses are in full dress. The diplomatic corps are present in -their rich uniforms. The princes enter and take their seats as lords. -That graceful and beautiful woman, the Princess of Wales--perhaps -the most beautiful woman in England--and the Princess Mary and the -Duchess of Edinburgh, follow and take their seats upon the wool-sack -facing the throne. When all is ready, the Queen, preceded by the -white rod and the black rod (they call them the "sticks" in England), -the lord chancellor and the lord chamberlain, and all her high -officers of state, appears and seats herself upon the throne, the -Princess Louise and the Princess Beatrice supporting her on either -side. Short and stout as is the Queen, she has the most graceful -and stately walk perhaps in Europe. It is a treat to see her move. -Then the lower doors are opened; there is a rush and a scramble, -and loud voices are heard, and the Commons of England, headed by -their Speaker, the very body for whom all this show and state and -splendor are got up, crowd into a narrow space behind a railing, -and there stand while the Queen reads her speech. It seems strange, -when one reflects that the Commons really govern England, to see -them shut out in the cold as if they were not fit to associate with -the distinguished company present. When the speech is finished, the -Speaker bows, the Queen descends from the throne, the Commons return -to their House, and the pageant is ended. - -The Great Exhibition opened on the 1st of May, 1867. It was not -nearly ready, but was opened punctually to the day with all the -well-arranged ceremony for which the French are noted. The sovereigns -of Europe began to flock to Paris. "The Grand Duchess of Gerolstein" -was then in the full tide of success at one of the theatres. It was -odd to note that among the first visits the great royalties paid (the -Emperor of Russia and the King of Prussia) was one to "The Grand -Duchess." The minor sovereigns, the kinglings, rarely went; and when -they did, they saw nothing amusing in it. - -The diplomatic corps had admirable opportunities to see the -different sovereigns visiting Paris. It is the custom for a monarch -to receive the diplomatic corps accredited to the capital at which -he is a guest. We stood in a circle, and, while the royal visitor -talked to our own minister and to those near him on either side, -we had excellent opportunities to study his features, expression, -and manners. The most agreeable of them all, with an apt word for -every one, was the King of the Belgians. He had a great deal to say -to General Dix about Mr. Seward, whom he had known, and the port -of Antwerp as convenient for American shipping. He spoke English -admirably. He was accompanied by the Queen, a young and pretty -woman, who, by-the-way, was the only sovereign lady who came to the -Exposition, much to the Empress's disappointment, and somewhat, -it was said, to her mortification. Next in tact to the King of -the Belgians came the Emperor of Austria, a small, well-made, -military-looking man, with most polished manners. He spoke to me--for -General Dix was then temporarily absent--of his brother, the Emperor -Maximilian, and expressed his gratitude to our Government for its -efforts to save his life. Later, while _chargé_ at London, I met the -Empress of Germany. She, too, has the gift of saying the right thing -in the right place. I heard her conversation with two or three of my -colleagues who stood near me. It was always happy. To me she spoke -of all that the Legation at Paris had done to protect "_mes pauvres -Allemands dans ces tristes, ces pénibles circonstances_." She was -glad to have the opportunity to thank me in person, and wished me to -convey her thanks to Mr. Washburne. - -But the chief guest, the man to whom all eyes were turned, was the -Emperor of Russia, a pale, handsome, silent, gentlemanly-looking man. -For him reviews were held, gala operas given, and magnificent fêtes -at the Tuileries and at the Hôtel de Ville. I doubt if the world -ever saw a more beautiful fête than that given to him by the Empress -at the Tuileries. It was summer, the month of June. The gardens of -the palace were closed to the public. The flower-beds (the flowers -were then in full bloom) were bordered with gas-jets, the trees were -festooned with variegated lamps, the fountains played, and electric -lights--blue, pink, and yellow--were thrown alternately upon the -sparkling waters. It was very beautiful. And when, at midnight, the -Empress, accompanied by a number of ladies, and by the Emperors and -their suites, descended into the gardens, and the electric light -flashed on their bright dresses and jewels, and brilliant uniforms, -the effect was fairy-like. - -The review was next in order. Sixty thousand men passed before the -Emperors without check or delay. The King of Prussia was present, -accompanied by Bismarck and Moltke. Bismarck even then attracted much -attention. I have rarely seen a finer-looking man. More than six feet -high, large and powerful in proportion, with a grand head well set -upon the shoulders, he looks like Agamemnon--"king of men." - -It was on the return from this review that the Emperor of Russia was -shot at by a Pole. Fortunately, he was not hit. The only creature -hurt was the horse of one of the equerries. The blood spurted from -a wound in the animal's neck upon the Emperor's second son, who was -in the carriage with him. The father's only thought was for his -son; and, leaning forward, he laid his hand tenderly upon him while -he anxiously inquired if he was wounded. It was reported that the -Emperor of the French turned to his imperial guest, and said, "Sire, -we have been under fire together for the first time to-day;" to which -the Emperor replied, with much solemnity of manner, "Sire, we are in -the hands of Providence." - -That evening I saw him at a ball at the Russian embassy. It was very -small, not more than two hundred persons present. He looked pale -and _distrait_, evidently anticipating, with some apprehension, the -effect to be produced in Russia, and upon her relations with France, -when the news should reach St. Petersburg. Madame Haussmann, the -wife of the Prefect of the Seine, a well-meaning woman, but who did -not shine precisely by her tact, was trying to make conversation -with him. He looked over her head, as if he did not see her, and -finally turned upon his heel and left her. It was not perhaps polite, -but it was very natural. The Emperor and Empress of the French -made extraordinary exertions to enliven the ball, but there was a -perceptible oppression in the air. The would-be assassin was not -condemned to death. Strange to say, a French jury found "extenuating -circumstances." But the French sympathize strongly with the Poles; -and I doubt if, under any circumstances, a French jury would condemn -to death a Pole who had attempted to murder a Russian. - -The Emperor of Russia is a man of the highest sense of personal -honor. When lately he sought an interview with the English -embassador, and assured him on his honor that he had no thought of -conquest, or any desire to occupy Constantinople, those who know -his character believed him implicitly. It was reserved for certain -ultra Tory journals in London to doubt his word. No language would -be strong enough for these journals to employ if a Russian newspaper -were to doubt the word of honor of Lord Derby or any other prominent -English gentleman. Happily, the _Standard_ and its _confrères_ do not -yet direct public opinion in England. - -In the fall of 1867, the Exhibition closed with great ceremony, -and Paris settled down for a time to the even tenor of its way. In -1868, General Grant was elected President, and was inaugurated in -1869. In the spring of this year General Dix resigned. He preferred -the comforts of his home, with the society of his children and -grandchildren, to the attractions of the imperial court. No minister -ever represented the United States with more dignity than General -Dix. A man of marked ability, an accomplished scholar and gentleman, -he possessed precisely those qualities which are the most highly -prized at a court like that of France. The ladies, too, of his family -shone in their sphere; a matter of much greater importance than -is generally supposed in our country. The general has left a very -pleasant impression in France; and not unfrequently since the fall -of the empire I have been stopped in the street by some sad looking -ex-official with inquiries after his health. - - - - -CHAPTER XI. - - Washburne appointed Minister.--Declaration of War.--Thiers opposes - it.--The United States asked to protect Germans in France.--Fish's - Instructions.--Assent of French Government given.--Paris - in War-paint.--The Emperor opposed to War.--Not a Free - Agent.--His _Entourage_.--Marshal Le Bœuf. - - -In the month of May, 1869, Mr. Washburne arrived in France, and -entered upon the duties of his office. In the mean time I had been -promoted, at the request of General Dix, to be secretary of legation. -At Mr. Washburne's request, I was retained in that position. Paris -was uneasy and restless. Conspiracies against the empire were rife. -The Republicans, as they called themselves--Radicals is a better -name for the majority of them--became bold and defiant. France was -jealous, too, of the renown acquired by Prussia at Sadowa. She had -been so accustomed to consider herself, and to be considered, the -first military power in the world, that she could not bear the -semblance of a rival near the throne. The Emperor was suffering from -the disease of which he afterward died, and no longer governed with -"the hand of steel in the glove of silk" always needed in France. -The Church was alarmed at the rise of a great Protestant power, and -the Empress sympathized with her Church. In short, public sentiment -had reached such a pass in France, or rather in Paris, which is -France, that the Emperor was compelled to choose between war and -revolution. He naturally chose war. It was definitely resolved upon -on the 15th July, 1870, but not officially declared until the 19th. I -was _chargé d'affaires_, Mr. Washburne being absent at Carlsbad. - -On the 13th of July I went to the sitting of the Corps Législatif -to learn what were the prospects of war. In the tribune of the -diplomatic corps I met the Spanish Embassador. He told me that peace -was assured, as he had persuaded Prince Hohenzollern to decline the -proffered crown of Spain, and that now nothing remained to fight -about. On the 14th, I went again. I found Lord Lyons there, and, -falling into conversation with him, he left the impression upon -my mind that there would be war, for the proffered mediation of -England had failed. Lord Lyons had come to the sitting expecting -to hear an authoritative declaration by the Government, and this -declaration he thought would be warlike. I at once telegraphed to -Mr. Fish that the chances were strongly in favor of war. This, and -all our subsequent telegrams in cipher, were delayed by the French -Government for twenty-four hours, probably with a view to decipher -them. On the 15th I was again at the _séance_, and heard the warlike -declaration made by the Government. It was not the formal declaration -of war, but was equivalent to it. Thereupon Mr. Thiers rose, and -attempted to address the House in a speech deprecating hostilities. -The scene that followed was indescribable and most disgraceful to -any legislative body. The great mass of the members sprung to their -feet, pointed their fingers at the orator, yelled, and shouted -"_Traître, traître! Allez à Berlin!_" The little man stood like a -rock, and when the tumult had somewhat subsided, I could hear his -shrill, piping voice raised in solemn warning against the step they -were about to take. The Government had stated that their embassador -had been insulted by the King of Prussia. Mr. Thiers asked that the -dispatches might be produced, that the Assembly might judge for -itself. This the Government refused; and, on a show of hands, but -twenty members--among whom were Favre, Arago, Simon, Pelletan, and -others, most of them afterward prominent in the Government of the -National Defense--voted with Thiers. - -While the debate was proceeding I was called out by the messenger of -the Legation, with word that the German Embassador was very anxious -to see me. As soon as the proceedings in the Corps Législatif were -ended, I went to the German embassy. The embassador told me that -he had been instructed by his Government to ask the United States -Legation at Paris to assume the protection of the North Germans in -France during the coming war. I saw at once the importance of this -step, the compliment paid us by a great power like Germany, and the -advantages to the country. I replied that I felt confident that -my Government would gladly assume the charge; that if there were -no cable across the Atlantic, and it were necessary to say "Yes" -or "No" at once, I should say "Yes;" but as there was telegraphic -communication, and I could receive an answer in forty-eight hours, I -must ask instructions from Mr. Fish. He appeared to be disappointed, -and inquired when I could give him an answer, as he must leave Paris -in two days. He evidently desired the matter to be settled before -he left. I told him that I thought I should receive a reply within -that time. I went at once to the office, and telegraphed Mr. Fish as -follows. This telegram, like the other, was detained for twenty-four -hours by the French Government. - - "Paris, July 15th, 1870. - - "FISH--_Washington_:--War is certain. Can I take Prussian - subjects in France under our protection? Have promised answer - to-morrow. - - "HOFFMAN." - -On the 17th I received Mr. Fish's answer, as follows: - - "Washington, July 16th, 1870. - - "Protection of North Germans in French territory by American - representative can only be given at request of North Germany, and - with assent of France. Examine request of Mr. Moustier of July - 16th, 1867, to United States to protect French in Mexico. - - "FISH." - -On receipt of this instruction, I wrote at once to the Duke de -Gramont, to ask for the assent of the French Government. My note was -as follows: - - "Legation of the United States, - Paris, July 17th, 1870. - - "SIR,--I was requested by the embassador of the North German - Confederation, before his departure from Paris, to take the - North German subjects residing on French territory under the - protection of this Legation. To-day I am in receipt of a telegram - from my Government authorizing me to do so, provided that it be - done with the assent of his majesty's Government. I have the - honor to apply for this assent. - - "I have the honor, etc., etc., etc., - - "WICKHAM HOFFMAN. - - "His Excellency the DUKE DE GRAMONT, - Etc., etc., etc." - -The Duke de Gramont replied, on the 18th, that the French Government -gave its "entire assent," whereupon I telegraphed to Mr. Fish as -follows: - - "FISH--_Washington_:--Consented to take North Germans under - protection on application of embassador, and with assent of - France. * * * * Washburne returns immediately. - - "HOFFMAN." - -I learned afterward that my note to the Duke de Gramont produced -quite a sensation in the Emperor's cabinet. The French Government -had already requested the good offices of Great Britain to protect -French subjects in North Germany, and it had fully expected that -North Germany would make a similar request. Speculation was therefore -rife in official circles as to what the action of Count Bismarck -meant. It was supposed that he anticipated a general European war, -into which Great Britain would necessarily be drawn; and preferred, -therefore, to ask the good offices of a power which under all -circumstances was likely to remain neutral. - -The Duke de Gramont was then Minister of Foreign Affairs, and was -supposed to have had much to do with bringing on the war. The story -was current in Paris that, when he was embassador at Vienna, Bismarck -represented Prussia. They quarreled, and Bismarck remarked of him, -"_C'est l'homme le plus bête d'Europe._" He never forgave it. At -Vienna he naturally associated with the Viennese aristocracy, who -disliked the Prussians. From them he got the idea that Austria would -readily join France in a war against Prussia, and so reported to the -Emperor. He took no note of the all-powerful middle class, which -rules in constitutional countries. This class would not hear of -becoming allies of France in a war against Germany. - -Late in the evening of the 18th of July, Mr. Washburne returned -to Paris. He had been at Carlsbad for his health, but on learning -the probability of hostilities, started at once on his return -to his post. We had telegraphed him, but he never received the -telegram. Few private telegrams were forwarded at all, and none with -promptitude, in those days. - -Paris now put on its war-paint. The streets were gay with the -_pantalon rouge_, and all day long the French drum rat-a-tapped in -the streets. The Mobiles began to arrive, the National Guard to -parade--everywhere was heard the "Marseillaise." The forbidden air -was delightful to Parisian ears, because it was forbidden. Long -before the end of the siege it was rarely heard. The Parisians could -chant it as they pleased, so it soon lost its attractions. - -The war was popular in Paris. The journals clamored for it, and the -violent republican papers, whatever they may now say to the contrary, -were among the most blatant. The Emperor, personally, was opposed to -war. He was suffering from the acute disease which afterward killed -him, and was naturally depressed and despondent. He would gladly have -avoided hostilities, but he was pushed into them. They persuaded him, -too, that the continuance of his dynasty, the succession of his son, -demanded war; and this was the one ruling motive which governed both -his conduct and that of the Empress. The Emperor was by no means -the omnipotent potentate he was popularly supposed to be. He was -scarcely a free agent. It was his misfortune to be surrounded by a -crowd of adventurers--French carpet-baggers. The best men of France, -the gentry of the country, held aloof. The Emperor felt this, and -often tried to reconcile them. Had he reigned ten years longer, I -think that he would have succeeded. There were signs of relenting. He -was consequently thrown, for his high officers of state, upon a class -of clever adventurers. Look at his last cabinet before the Revolution -of September. One member was most unenviably known for the loot of -the Summer Palace at Pekin; another is now in Mazas, convicted of -swindling; and a third, it was currently reported in Paris, received -one hundred thousand francs in the Transcontinental, Memphis, and -El Paso swindle; and I have heard from high Prussian authority that -when the gates of Paris were opened after the siege, and the Germans -sold flour and cattle and sheep to meet the pressing necessities of -the starving Parisians, of a flock of three thousand sheep not one -was permitted to enter the city till this gentleman had received two -francs a head. - -I have said that the Emperor was scarcely a free agent. Here is an -anecdote in point. Prince Metternich, the Austrian Embassador, -returning from Vienna, called to pay his respects at the palace. -The Emperor asked him what military news there was in Austria. He -replied that they were arming with the Remington breech-loader. "The -Remington," said the Emperor, "what is that? I thought I knew all -the principal breech-loaders, but I never heard of that." Metternich -explained. "Where is Remington?" said the Emperor. The Prince replied -that he happened to be in Paris. "I wish you would bring him to me, -and do you bring him yourself; this will insure my seeing him." -Metternich brought him. The Emperor examined his piece, and was much -pleased with it. He wrote a note with his own hand to the Minister -of War, Le Bœuf, and told Remington to take it at once: of course he -was received without delay. "So, my good friend, you have seen the -Emperor, have you?" "Yes, sir, I had the honor to see his Majesty." -"Well, you won't see him again:" and he did not. This was the way -the Emperor was served. Le Bœuf was the capable and well-informed -Minister of War who stated in the Assembly that France was thoroughly -prepared for the field--"not a button on a gaiter was wanting." When -the sad truth became known, the French wits said that his statement -was literally correct, for there was not a gaiter in store. - -But while the war was popular in Paris, it was not so in the -provinces. After the Revolution broke out, the Provisional Government -found in the Tuileries a number of important historical documents, -and among them reports from the prefects of the different departments -on this subject. They breathed one tone. The people wanted peace; but -if they were attacked, if the honor of France were at stake, they -were ready to fight. Considering the source whence this information -came, from imperial prefects, creatures of the Government, there was -no mistaking the pacific feeling of the country. - - - - -CHAPTER XII. - - Germans forbidden to leave Paris.--Afterward expelled.--Large - Number in Paris.--Americans in Europe.--Emperor's Staff an Incumbrance. - --French Generals.--Their Rivalries.--False News from the Front. - --Effect in Paris.--Reaction.--Expulsion of Germans.--Sad - Scenes.--Washburne's Action.--Diplomatic Service.--Battle of - Sedan.--Sheridan at Sedan. - - -And now began our labors at the Legation, increasing from day -to day, until we had thirteen distinct nationalities under our -charge, European and South American. Nor was this all. The citizens -of other countries--countries which had not formally asked our -protection--came to us for assistance. This was particularly the -case with Mexico and Roumania. There was a large colony of Mexicans -in Paris, and Mexico had no representative in France. The diplomatic -relations which were suspended by the Mexican war are still -unrenewed, notwithstanding the friendly efforts of our Government. -As regards Roumania, its position is peculiar. Nominally it is under -the suzerainty of Turkey, and the Turk claims to represent it abroad. -But Roumania does not acquiesce in this claim, and appoints its -own agents, who are quasi-recognized by the powers to whom they are -accredited. There was a large number of Roumanian students in Paris -at the outbreak of the war. These young men were left quite destitute -during the siege. The French Government behaved very generously -by them. At Mr. Washburne's suggestion, it made them a monthly -allowance, sufficient for their support. - -The French Government had at first decided that no German should -leave France to return home. The reason given for this harsh measure -was that every German was a soldier, and would go to swell the -enemy's ranks. It was very hard on the Germans in France. They -were thrown out of employment, insulted, liable to violence, and -sometimes assaulted, and, in addition to all this, were treated as -_insoumis_ at home, and subject to severe punishment for neglect -of military duty. Mr. Washburne remonstrated against this measure, -and wrote an able dispatch to the Duke de Gramont, claiming the -right of the Germans, under all recognized international law, to -leave France if they wished to do so. It was in vain. But now came -a change of ministry. The Prince de la Tour d'Auvergne became -Minister of Foreign Affairs, and the Government took precisely -the opposite course, and decided to expel the Germans. Again Mr. -Washburne intervened, claiming that this was as much a violation -of international law as the other course. All he could obtain was, -that the decree should be executed with leniency, and that liberal -exceptions should be made in individual cases of special hardship. -But the French press called for the expulsion of the Germans, and the -Corps Législatif passed a resolution that they should be expelled _en -masse_. - -As soon as the decree was published in the _Journal Officiel_, -and placarded on the walls of Paris, they came in shoals to the -Legation. From seven o'clock in the morning till five in the -afternoon, when we closed the office, they fairly besieged us. Five -hundred often collected in the street at once. We were compelled, -though reluctantly, to ask for the aid of the police, both as a -protection to the Germans themselves against the mob, and for our own -convenience. We had six gendarmes constantly on duty. It was almost -impossible to get up our own stairs, and Americans who had business -at the Legation complained of the impossibility of getting in. I -found a side-entrance through a neighbor's apartment, of which I -revealed the secret to some of my countrymen. - -The French Government required that every German leaving Paris should -be furnished with a pass from us. At Mr. Washburne's request they -dispensed with the police _visa_, and so simplified matters. But -there were forty thousand Germans in Paris; of these about thirty -thousand went away. Allowing three persons to each pass, for many -had families, we issued about three thousand passes in six weeks. -Many needed assistance to enable them to leave Paris. The Prussian -Government, with great liberality, put fifty thousand thalers -(thirty-seven thousand five hundred dollars) at our disposition, -and this sum they afterward increased. We gave those who needed -them railroad tickets to the frontier of Germany and Belgium; there -the German Government took charge of them, or rather a charitable -organization under the presidency of the Empress Augusta, who showed -the most unwearying devotion in good works during the whole war. -Eight or ten thousand remained in Paris during the siege. Of those at -least one-third came upon the Legation for support, unwillingly in -most cases, and driven by necessity. - -But while the Germans thus thronged our office, our own countrymen -were not wanting. In six weeks we issued eleven hundred passports. -Allowing an average of three persons to a passport, thirty-three -hundred Americans passed through Paris in those six weeks. To these -may be added another thousand who had passports from the State -Department. The question has often been asked me, How many Americans -do you suppose are in Europe? If to the above forty-three hundred we -add seventeen hundred for those who remained quietly where the war -found them, or procured their passports at other legations, we have -six thousand souls. At that time this was the average number of our -people temporarily in Europe. There are fewer now. - -On the 28th of July the Emperor started for the seat of war. He took -with him his Centgardes and a numerous staff. Nothing can be worse -for an army than to be encumbered with a large head-quarters staff. -It involves an immense amount of transportation, blocking up the -roads, and interfering with the march of the troops. Every thing must -give way to head-quarters trains, even supplies for the soldiers -and ammunition for the guns. This naturally breeds discontent, and -interferes with the efficiency of the army. A staff should consist -of the fewest possible number of working men, and they should be -restricted, like the line, to a limited amount of baggage. Sherman -gave an example of what a staff should be in this respect, on his -famous march to the sea. - -Meantime rumors of disaster came thick and fast from the front. The -French had fought the battle of Wissembourg with great gallantry, -but they were outnumbered and outgeneraled. Indeed, it was their -misfortune in this war to have no great generals. I was reminded of -our own experience when our war broke out, and when we appointed to -high command men who had "the Spirit of the Lord, and a disposition -to storm works," which Mr. Stanton then declared to be all that was -necessary. He lived to change his mind, and to become one of the -strongest advocates of trained military talent. Happily for us, -the war lasted long enough to enable us to sift the wheat from the -chaff. Its close found in high command the very men best fitted -to be there. The good sense of our rulers and the tenacity of our -people had enabled us to effect this vital change. The French were -not so fortunate. Their generals in high command when the war broke -out were not equal to the situation, and their armies were defeated -and overwhelmed before the officers of ability, who were undoubtedly -to be found among them, but in inferior positions, had had the -opportunity to show what was in them. For the system of advancement -under the Empire was not calculated to bring the best men to the -front. I was told during the siege by General Berthaut, now Minister -of War, that an officer who studied was looked upon as a republican, -and passed over. The road to promotion lay through the _café_. - -There were bitter rivalries, too, between the corps commanders. It -was stated, I do not know with what truth, that repeated messages -failed to bring up the supporting corps to MacMahon's assistance. The -same thing had happened at Solferino, where, as it was alleged, the -battle was nearly lost, because Canrobert would not support Niel. -A challenge passed between them, and nothing but the imperative -intervention of the Emperor prevented the scandal of a duel. - -The defeat at Wissembourg was not published in Paris till several -hours after it had appeared in the London morning papers. The press -was muzzled. The depression produced was very great. Certain Bourse -operators took advantage of the inflammable state of public opinion. -One day a man in the uniform of a Government courier rode up to -the Bourse, and, calling out his confederate, delivered a dispatch -purporting to come from the front: "Great victory; total defeat of -the Prussians; capture of the Crown Prince; French army in full -march for Berlin!" Up went stocks. The crowd shouted, sung, wept for -joy, threw themselves into each other's arms, embraced, and kissed. -Popular actors and singers were recognized as they drove through the -streets, stopped, and compelled to sing or recite the "Marseillaise." -Paris was drunk with joy. Then came the reaction. The truth was -soon known. As they had been extreme in their joy, they were now -extreme in their grief. They were not only despondent, they were in -despair. As the poor Empress said at the time to Mr. Washburne, "They -have no for-ti-tude." The crowd collected in the streets, inveighed -against the Government, and, in a pouring rain, marched to Ollivier's -residence, in the Place Vendôme, and insisted upon his addresing -them. Ollivier was then the head of the Government. He had not much -to say, but he was an eloquent speaker, and partially pacified them. - -But the defeats of the French and their consequent exasperation -reacted upon the Germans under our protection. Employers discharged -their workmen; those who would gladly have kept them dared not. -They lived in constant dread, and the number of those thronging -to the Legation to obtain the means of departure increased daily. -The suffering, both moral and physical, was very great. It must be -borne in mind that many of these people had been settled for years -in Paris; that they had married there; their children had been born -and had married there; their property and their business interests -all lay there. Yet they were pitilessly expelled, and not only their -business interests ruined, but the dearest family ties dissevered. We -have heard much in history and romance of the expulsion of the Moors -from Spain, and of the Huguenots from France, and our sympathies are -deeply stirred as we read of the misery endured by those poor exiles. -I do not see why the expulsion of the Germans does not rank with -these touching episodes, both in the suffering of the victims and the -pathos of their departure. - -Of course the French Government did not expel these poor people with -the _cœur léger_. They had their reasons. They said that in case of -siege there would be additional mouths to feed, and that it would be -a constant source of danger to have so many Germans residing in their -midst. But at that time a siege was not anticipated; and, except in -this case, there surely could have been no danger in their stay. - -There were touching scenes at the Legation among the weeping crowd -of women. Some left children and grandchildren married to Frenchmen. -Some were not in a fit condition to travel, but required the comforts -of a home, and tender care. A child was born upon a bench in the -street in front of the Legation. (It was suggested to name it after -a distinguished American diplomate.) Every thing that energy and -kindness of heart could do to facilitate the departure of those poor -people, and to mitigate its severity, was done by our minister. - -And here let me remark that no one could have been better fitted for -the difficult task he was suddenly called upon to undertake than Mr. -Washburne. He trusted to the dictates of a sound judgment, a kind -heart, and a fearless temperament; and these are pretty safe guides -in the long run. Had he been brought up in diplomacy, he would have -hesitated and read up for precedents which did not exist, and so let -the propitious moment pass. The result of my observation in Europe -during ten years of pretty active service is this: that while there -should be a permanent officer in every embassy--a _chancellier_, -as he is called in Paris--who can turn promptly to any page of -the archives, and is posted in the history of the relations of -the country in which he resides with his own; who knows the court -ceremonial, and is intimate with the court officials; in short, -"who knows the ropes"--it is quite as well that the head of the -embassy should be a _new_ man. He will attach much less importance -to trifles, and act more fearlessly in emergencies. Great Britain -and France have pursued this plan in several instances lately. The -old diplomates grumble, but it is clearly for the advantage of the -country. - -News of reverses now poured in upon us, until they culminated in -the great disaster of Sedan. That this should have been so great a -calamity--a capitulation instead of a defeat--appears to have been -the fault of MacMahon. He was compelled by imperative orders from -Paris, and entirely against his own judgment, to go to the relief -of Bazaine, and to fight against overwhelming odds. But for the -tactical disposition of his forces, by which they were penned up -in a _cul-de-sac_ from which they had no line of retreat, he, as -commander-in-chief, is apparently responsible. But the French armies -seem from the beginning to have been badly organized, badly led, and -conscious that they were so, and discouraged accordingly. I have -General Sheridan's authority for saying that the position of the -French at Sedan was a very strong one; and while it was inevitable -that they should be defeated by superior numbers, they ought to have -held their ground for three days. I have no doubt that our troops -under Sheridan would have done so. He spoke in the highest terms -of the gallantry of the French cavalry, which was sacrificed to -encourage the infantry. The remark of a distinguished French general -upon the Charge of the Six Hundred, "_C'est magnifique, mais ce n'est -pas la guerre_," would have applied equally well to the charge of the -cuirassiers at Sedan. - -Sheridan accompanied the King's head-quarters. We had asked -officially, at the commencement of the war, that he might be -permitted to accompany the French army, and been refused. The -Emperor subsequently told Dr. Evans that he had never heard of the -application. General orders had been issued that no foreign officer -should go with the army; but there was surely some difference between -the application of an officer for this permission on his own account, -and the request of a friendly Government that the Lieutenant-General -of its armies might be permitted to accompany the Emperor. The -application probably never got beyond the _chef du cabinet_ of the -Minister of Foreign Affairs. Nowhere in the world is bureaucracy -carried to the extent it is in France. A minister can scarcely -appoint a clerk in his office. The _chef du bureau_ is omnipotent in -his own department. The Republic promised to change all this; but its -ministers, after a gallant effort, have fallen in the struggle, and -things move on in the same old groove. - -At the battle of Sedan, Sheridan stood near Count Bismarck. Toward -its close he shut up his glass, and, turning to Bismarck, said, "The -battle is won." The Count replied that he should be glad to think so, -but saw no signs of it yet. In a minute or two more the French gave -way. Turning his glass toward Sedan, Sheridan observed, "The Emperor -is there." Bismarck answered that it could not be; that the Emperor -was not such a fool as to place himself in that situation. Looking -again, Sheridan said, "He is there, anyhow." He had drawn his -conclusions from the immense staff he saw, and the confusion reigning -among them. - -Sheridan was right. The Emperor and his staff were prisoners of war. -The Emperor had behaved with the greatest personal courage, and -subsequently, when dissensions arose between the French generals as -to who was responsible for the great disaster, he behaved with the -greatest generosity. But he should not have been at Sedan. The post -of usefulness and of danger for him was at Paris, and not with the -army. - - - - -CHAPTER XIII. - - Revolution of September 4th, 1870.--Paris _en Fête_.--Flight of the - Empress.--Saved by Foreigners.--Escapes in an English Yacht. - --Government of National Defense.--Trochu at its Head.--Jules Simon. - --United States recognizes Republic.--Washburne's Address.--Favre's - Answer.--Efforts for Peace.--John L. O'Sullivan. - - -On Sunday, the 4th of September, 1870, Paris was _en fête_. The -Parisians had a new revolution, and were delighted with it. The whole -population had turned out, men, women, and children, in their holiday -clothes. They filled the beautiful Place de la Concorde, the finest -in the world; they swarmed across the bridge and into the Palais -Bourbon, where the Corps Législatif was in session. The soldiers who -guarded the imperial legislators melted away, the cocked hats of the -truculent gendarmes vanished miraculously. The Conscript Fathers did -not exactly imitate the Roman Senators when they too were invaded by -the Gauls, but disappeared as quickly as the gendarmes. These were -the gentlemen who had howled for war, and called Mr. Thiers traitor -when he pleaded for peace. The people were gay, good-humored, happy; -in short, it was a Sunday fête, and in half an hour Paris, and -consequently France, was a republic. - -From the Palais Bourbon the crowd went to the Tuileries, where the -Empress was awaiting the progress of events. There was no anger then -felt toward her, and she was not in danger; but a mob, and especially -a French mob, is a capricious creature. It may be in the gayest of -humors; a trifle turns its mood, and it becomes blood-thirsty as a -tiger. The Empress sent for Trochu, the Governor of Paris. He had -sworn on his faith as a soldier, a Catholic, and a Breton, to stand -by her to the end. He kept his word by sending an aid-de-camp to -her assistance. Of all the creatures of the court whom the favor -of the Emperor had raised from obscurity, not one came near her. -Jerome Bonaparte--the American Bonaparte--had been Governor of -the Palace. Fortunately he had been appointed to the command of a -regiment of cavalry; for had he still been Governor there would -probably have been a fight, and it was as well that there should be -no bloodshed. Happily for the Empress, two foreigners remembered -her. The Embassador of Austria and the Minister of Italy went to -her aid. They found every sign of demoralization at the palace, -the servants deserting, and pilfering as they went. They persuaded -her, much against her will, to fly. They traversed the whole length -of the Louvre to the door in the rear. Metternich opened the door, -but, seeing the crowd, closed it again. "_Ce n'est que l'audace qui -sauve_," said the Empress, and ordered it opened. They passed into -the crowd. A _gamin_ recognized her, and cried, "_L'Impératrice! -l'Impératrice!_" "I'll teach you to cry '_Vive la Prusse_!'" said -Nigra, and pinched his ear till he howled. Metternich went for his -carriage. While he was gone, a _fiacre_ passed, Nigra hailed it, and -the Empress and Madame Le Breton entered. It was agreed that they -should meet at the house of a noted Bonapartist. She went there, -and was refused admission. She went to another; he was out of town. -In this emergency she thought of Dr. Evans, her American dentist, -and drove to his residence. He was expecting two American ladies on -a visit to his family, and every thing was prepared for them. When -the servant announced two ladies, the doctor was at dinner. Excusing -himself to his guests, he went out to receive them, and found the -Empress. The next day he took her and Madame Le Breton in his -carriage to Trouville, on the coast, near Havre. There was a sort -of guard kept at the gates of Paris, though not a very strict one. -The doctor said, "You know me, Dr. Evans. I am taking this poor lady -to the asylum here at Neuilly." They passed, and arrived safely at -Trouville, where the doctor's family were spending the summer. - -In the mean time a little English yacht of fifty tons was lying in -dock at Trouville. Her owner, Sir John Burgoyne, great-nephew of -General Burgoyne, who commanded the British troops at Saratoga, had -intended to sail that day for England; but at the suggestion of an -American lady, a friend of his wife's, had decided to remain another -day, and make an excursion to the ruins of the castle of William the -Conqueror. In the evening Dr. Evans went on board, and stated who he -was, and what he had come for. As soon as he was satisfied that the -Empress was really at Trouville, Sir John said that he would gladly -take her across the Channel, and it was agreed that she should come -on board in the morning, when the tide served. That evening the -gendarmes visited the yacht, for it was rumored that the Empress was -at Trouville. In the morning she came on board, and the yacht sailed. -The voyage was very rough, and the little vessel was obliged to lie -to. She arrived safely at Hyde, however, and the Empress proceeded -at once to Hastings, where she met her son. Thus she had escaped by -the aid exclusively of foreigners--an Austrian and an Italian, an -American and an Englishman. - -The new Government, the "National Defense" they called it--the French -attach great importance to names--was duly inaugurated at the Hôtel -de Ville. Had it not been inaugurated there, and proclaimed from the -historic window, the Parisians would scarcely have looked upon it -as a legitimate Government. General Trochu was placed at its head, -and Jules Favre made Minister of Foreign Affairs. The appointment -of Trochu was unfortunate. He was an honorable man, intelligent, a -student, and a good military critic, but utterly valueless in active -service. He coddled the mob, treating them as if they were the purest -of patriots; whereas they were the marplots of the Defense. He was -selected probably because he was the only Republican among the French -generals of prominence, and not for any peculiar fitness for command -in those troublous times. - -Shortly after the inauguration of the Government of the National -Defense, Mr. Washburne had occasion to go to the Hôtel de Ville. -Jules Simon, now Minister of the Interior, seized the opportunity to -make us an oration. What particular object he had in view, unless it -were to convince the Minister of the United States that Jules Simon -was a great orator, I have been unable to discover. If that was his -object, he succeeded. Whether it was worth while to occupy his and -our valuable time for this purpose only, may be doubted. - -On the 7th of September came our instructions to recognize the -Republic if it seemed to us to be firmly established. Mr. Washburne -sent me to make an appointment with Jules Favre. It was made for -that afternoon. While Washburne prepared his address, I read up in -the archives of the Legation to learn what was done under similar -circumstances in 1848. I found that we had been the first to -recognize the Republic at that date, but that Lamartine, in his -report, had taken no notice of the fact, for fear, it was said, of -wounding the susceptibilities of Great Britain. Washburne told me to -mention this circumstance to Favre: he did not intend that we should -be ignored a second time, if he could prevent it. I mentioned it to -Favre, and he replied, substantially, that Great Britain had not -treated France so well that they need have any particular anxiety -about wounding her susceptibilities; and added that Great Britain was -now of very little consequence. - -Mr. Washburne's address was an admirable document. Favre replied -to it very happily. He said that the recognition of the "young -Republic" by the United States was a "_grand appui_;" that he "felt -gratitude and profound emotion." Jules Favre is a master of the -French language. It is a great treat to hear him, even in ordinary -conversation, roll out in a charming voice and impressive manner the -most perfectly harmonious words of that beautiful language. French -does not rise to the sublimity of poetry. Shakspeare is absurd in -French. But for charm in conversation, and precision in science, it -is simply perfect. - -The next day the interview was reported in full in the _Officiel_. -Washburne's address was very well translated, except where he quoted -from the Declaration of Independence, and spoke of the right of -every man to "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness." Here the -translator had made him say that every man had a right "_de vivre -en travaillant au bonheur de tous_." Rather a liberal translation, -and thoroughly French both in language and sentiment. But I have not -remarked that the French Republicans labor more for the happiness -of their neighbors than other nationalities, or than their own -countrymen. If there be a political party in France which does more -in charities than another, it is the Orleanist. - -Favre was very anxious that Mr. Washburne should intervene to make -peace. When he found that under our instructions we could not join -with other European powers in political matters purely European -(advice left us by Washington, and wisely followed by Mr. Fish), he -begged Mr. Washburne to intervene in his private capacity. But he -replied very sensibly that it was impossible for him to separate his -private from his public capacity; he must always be the Minister of -the United States. - -But what Washburne felt compelled to decline, another American -gentleman, Mr. O'Sullivan, formerly our Minister at Lisbon, -undertook. He asked Mr. Washburne for a letter to Bismarck, but this -he did not feel authorized to give. He then begged for a letter of -introduction to Sheridan, who was at the King's head-quarters. This -he received. Jules Favre, who clutched eagerly at any thing that -might possibly lead to peace, gave him a safe-conduct, and he started -for the Prussian lines. But he never got to head-quarters. That -long-headed Bismarck had anticipated some such outside benevolent -efforts, and had given orders to the outlying corps that if any -distinguished gentlemen came along desiring to make peace, they -should be treated with all possible courtesy, but not allowed to -approach head-quarters without permission of the King. O'Sullivan -was stopped, and his letter forwarded to Sheridan. Bismarck sent -for the General, and asked if he knew O'Sullivan. He said he did -not. He then asked if he was anxious to see him. Sheridan replied -that he should be happy to make his acquaintance, but that he saw no -pressing haste in the matter. "Then he sha'n't come," said Bismarck; -and O'Sullivan returned to Paris. But the French did not treat him so -well as the Germans. As he approached Paris, walking quietly along -the high-road, a carpet-bag in one hand and an umbrella in the other, -a detachment of the vigilant National Guard rushed across a field and -covered him with their loaded pieces. As he made no resistance, they -simply took from him his bag and umbrella, and led him before their -commander blindfolded. That officer sent him under guard to one of -those wretched dens scooped out of the barrier where they sometimes -confined smugglers temporarily, but which were oftener used for more -unsavory purposes. There they kept him all night. In the morning -Jules Favre sent to his assistance, and he was released. - -O'Sullivan afterward left Paris in the general exodus of Americans. -He went, as they did, to Versailles; but he staid there some three -weeks, talking peace to the German princes quartered at the Hôtel -des Réservoirs, some of whom he had previously known. He had a plan, -not at all a bad one in itself, but under the circumstances entirely -impracticable. It was to neutralize a strip of territory lying -between France and Germany, annex part of it to Belgium, and part to -Switzerland, and put it under the protection of the Great Powers. -One evening O'Sullivan dined with the Crown Prince. He sat next to -Bismarck, and discoursed upon his pet neutral-strip theory. As they -parted, Bismarck shook his hand, and said that he was charmed to make -his acquaintance. "But, Mr. O'Sullivan, a curious thing sometimes -happens to me: I make the acquaintance of a most agreeable gentleman -in the afternoon, and in the evening I find myself reluctantly -compelled to order him out of Versailles." O'Sullivan mentioned -this to friends he was visiting in the evening, but did not see its -application to himself. They did, however. He went to his hotel, and -found a Prussian officer at his door with orders for him to leave -Versailles that night. He remonstrated, and it was finally agreed -that he should start at eight o'clock in the morning. A sentry was -placed at the bedroom door, who thought that a proper discharge of -his duty required him to open it every five minutes during the night, -to make sure that his prisoner had not escaped. Mrs. O'Sullivan did -not quite appreciate the situation. - - - - -CHAPTER XIV. - - Belleville Demonstrates.--Radical Clubs.--Their Blasphemy and Violence. - --Unreasonable Suspicion.--Outrages.--Diplomatic Corps.--Some of them - leave Paris.--Meeting of the Corps.--Votes not to Leave.--Embassadors - and Ministers.--Right of Correspondence in a Besieged Place. - --Commencement of Siege, September 19th.--Besiegers and Besieged. - --Advantages of Besieged. - - -Belleville now began a series of patriotic demonstrations at the -Legation, which soon became a nuisance. When I first heard the drum -and fife coming up the Rue Chaillot, and several respectable-looking -citizens came in and inquired for Mr. Washburne, I was quite -impressed with the interest of the occasion. Washburne went out -upon the balcony and made them a speech, and thanked them for this -_démonstration patriotique_. But when they began to come daily, -and the rag, tag, and bobtail at that, and day after day Washburne -was called out to thank them for this _démonstration patriotique_, -I got very heartily sick of it. We were too busy to have our time -wasted in this way. But as the siege progressed, and we did our duty -in protecting the Germans, as we received news from the outside -when others did not, and that news was uniformly unfavorable to the -French, the _démonstrations patriotiques_ ceased; and it was only a -fear of the law, and that "divinity that doth hedge in a" diplomate, -that prevented our receiving a demonstration of a very different sort. - -For the clubs were now rampant, another bane of the Defense. Had they -been suppressed at the beginning, as they were at the end, of the -siege by General Vinoy, the result might have been different. Their -orators advocated the wildest and most destructive theories amidst -the applause of a congenial audience. Blasphemy was received with -special favor. I remember once, however, the orator seasoned his -discourse too high even for that audience. He said he "would like to -scale heaven, and collar [_empoigner_] the Deity." It was the day -of balloons, and a wag in the audience called out, "Why don't you -go up in a balloon?" This turned the laugh upon the orator, and he -disappeared, for in Paris ridicule kills. - -A curious and annoying feature in the Parisian character during the -war was the unreasoning and unreasonable suspicion of the population. -A gentleman from Philadelphia interested in Fairmount Park, which -was then just opened, was struck with the beauty of the gates at the -entrance to the _Bois_ on the Avenue de l'Impératrice--Avenue du Bois -de Boulogne they call it now, certainly not a change for the better, -for it was a beautiful avenue, appropriately named after a beautiful -woman. Our Philadelphia friend called his daughter's attention to the -gates, remarking that they would be appropriate at Fairmount, and -took out his note-book to sketch them. He was at once surrounded by -a mob, he and his daughter arrested, and hurried before the _Maire_ -of the arrondissement. They said he was a Prussian spy, and was -sketching the fortifications. He explained who he was, and what he -was doing, and offered the drawing in proof. There were the gates to -speak for themselves, but this was no evidence to them. Mr. Justice -Shallow insisted that he must be a spy. Happily for him, the mayor's -clerk was a sensible man, and spoke a little English, and through his -instrumentality our friend was discharged. - -I have seen a mob collect about a gentleman who took from his pocket -a piece of paper and a pencil to write down an address. I knew an -American friend to be arrested, mistaken for Mr. Schneider, formerly -President of the Corps Législatif. My man was dark, and Schneider -was fair; but that made no difference. During the petroleum madness, -immediately after the suppression of the Commune, an American lady -was followed to her home and very nearly maltreated because she had a -bottle of _fleur d'orange_ in her hand, which she had just bought at -the druggist's. Our vice-consul had red curtains in his sitting-room. -One evening he was disagreeably surprised by a visit of armed -National Guards. They accused him of making signals to the enemy. On -seeing the red curtains, they became satisfied. That a five-story -house on the opposite side of a narrow street must effectually -preclude his lights from being seen at a distance, was no answer to -them. Mr. Washburne called the attention of the French Government -to this outrage; but, as no harm had been done, we could not follow -the matter up. Under our consular convention with France, a consul's -house is inviolable; but a vice-consul has no official existence when -the consul is present. When he is absent, his deputy succeeds to his -privileges and immunities as consular representative of the country. - -Mr. Washburne was not the man to submit to any outrage upon German -or American property. A squad of National Guards entered and -partially pillaged the house of the German school-master Hedler, -where Washburne's son and other American boys were at school. -Our Minister was in arms at once. The Government apologized, the -battalion was paraded under arms, the Chief of Police made them a -speech, the guilty men were called out and punished, and full damages -were paid to Hedler, assessed to Mr. Washburne's satisfaction. - -To resume my narrative. On the 18th of September, several of the -principal members of the diplomatic corps left Paris. Their departure -gave rise to a good deal of discussion, and much has been written -and said upon the subject. The diplomatic corps, as a body, never -left Paris. A few days before the siege, Lord Lyons called upon -Jules Favre. Favre suggested that if the diplomatic corps wished to -leave Paris--and it was natural that they should--he was prepared -to accompany them. Lord Lyons replied that he saw no necessity for -departure at that time. Favre thereupon said that, in this case, he -should stay too. - -On the morning of the 18th, Prince Metternich, the Austrian -Embassador, came very early to the British Embassy, and said that -he meant to go away that afternoon in company with the Turkish -Embassador and the Italian Minister, and hoped that Lord Lyons -would accompany them. Lord Lyons replied that he saw no necessity -for haste, for Bismarck would let them go at any time. Metternich -answered, "I don't want to ask any favors of Bismarck, and my -Government doesn't want me to." Lord Lyons then finding that the -Great Powers of Europe had left, or were about to leave, Paris, -consented to go too, and called again upon Favre. But Favre told him -that he had then made his arrangements to stay; but that he should -send Count Chaudordy to represent his department at Tours. - -As soon as it was known that the representatives of several of the -Great Powers had left Paris, a meeting of the corps was called by -the Nuncio, at the request of several of its members. The question -was put, Shall the diplomatic corps leave Paris? and decided in the -negative. - -But the members departed one by one, till but a few were left. -Another meeting was then called, and again it was decided not to -leave Paris. - -It is quite generally supposed that Mr. Washburne was the only -Minister who remained during the whole siege. This is incorrect. -There were six in all--the representatives of Northern powers--Norway -and Sweden, Denmark, Holland, Belgium, Switzerland, and the United -States. In their relations to the French Government, and in their -correspondence with Count Bismarck upon their right to communicate -with their respective governments during the siege, and to due notice -in case of proposed bombardment, these gentlemen acted in unison as -the diplomatic corps at Paris. - -The division of diplomatic representatives into embassadors and -ministers appears to me to be a mistake. It is certainly pleasant for -the embassadors. They have the right of direct communication with -the sovereign, for they are held to represent the person of their -own sovereign, which the ministers do not. At Paris, at the court -festivities, they occupied arm-chairs by the side of the Emperor and -Empress, while the ministers were seated on benches in a _loge_. -They had precedence on the reception-days of the Minister of Foreign -Affairs. A minister might have waited two hours; an embassador -dropped in, and entered before him. Some of them, like Lord Lyons, -did not abuse this privilege. He transacted his business as quickly -as possible, and gave place to another. The Turkish Embassador, on -the other hand, used to gossip by the hour. That he kept a dozen of -his colleagues waiting seemed rather to please him. I once heard -Lord Lyons remonstrate with him for doing so, and he giggled as if -he thought it rather a good joke. In Prussia this is not permitted: -first come, first served, is the rule at Berlin, and it seems to -me to be the just one. Mr. Bancroft got this rule established, and -deserves great credit for the stout fight he made on the occasion. -Count Bismarck is stated to have said that if there had been no -embassadors, there would have been no war; for the French Government -could not have invented the story that their Embassador had been -insulted by the King. However this may be, there can be no doubt that -the system leads to the formation of cliques, and, consequently, to -separate action by a clique instead of by the whole corps. This is -bad under any circumstances, but particularly unfortunate in great -emergencies. - -In regard to the right of free communication with their respective -governments claimed by the diplomatic corps at Paris, Count Bismarck -refused to accord it. He argued that if these gentlemen saw fit to -shut themselves up in a besieged place when they could go away -for the asking, and when the French Government had made provision -for this case by establishing a branch of the Government at Tours, -they must take the consequences; but as a favor he would permit -correspondence if it were left unsealed. Of course the corps declined -these terms. To Mr. Washburne he wrote (and Bismarck writes and -speaks admirable English) that his position as protector of the -North Germans in France entitled him to a different answer; that as -an evidence of his gratitude for the fidelity and energy with which -the duties of this position had been discharged, it had given him -great pleasure to obtain from the King permission for Mr. Washburne -to receive a sealed bag containing his dispatches and his private -correspondence as often as military necessities would permit. - -There has been much difference of opinion expressed as to the right -of a diplomatic body voluntarily remaining in a besieged place -to receive and answer dispatches in sealed correspondence. Mr. -Washburne contended that they had such a right; and in this he was -energetically supported by Mr. Fish. I confess, however, that to my -mind the right is by no means clear. To me Bismarck's argument is -unanswerable. "You see fit to stay when the Great Powers of Europe -have gone, and when the French Government has made arrangements for -the due discharge of your duties elsewhere. By so doing you put -yourselves in the position of other inhabitants of the besieged -place, and can claim no privileges not accorded to them." In the case -of Mr. Washburne, charged with the protection of the Germans at the -request of the German Government itself, the necessity for remaining -at Paris may have existed. At all events, if he thought that it did, -it did not lie in the mouth of that Government to say that it did -not. By choosing as their agent the representative of a friendly and -independent power, they left his judgment unfettered as to the manner -of discharging his duties. The same remark applies to M. Kern, the -Minister of Switzerland, who was charged with the protection of the -Bavarians and the Badois. But as regards the other gentlemen, I can -not but agree with Count Bismarck. I was confirmed in this view, -after the siege was over, by General Sheridan. Dining at my table one -day in company with Mr. Washburne, he said to him, "If I had been in -Moltke's place, you would not have had your bag." - -The siege commenced on the 19th of September. For some days -previous the streets of Paris had presented an unwonted and curious -appearance. They were thronged with the quaintest-looking old carts, -farm-wagons, Noah's arks of every kind, loaded with the furniture of -the poor inhabitants of the neighborhood flying to Paris for safety. -On the other hand, the stations were thronged with the carriages of -the better classes leaving the city. The railroads were so overworked -that they finally refused to take any baggage that could not be -carried by the passenger himself. Imagine the painful situation of -some of our fair countrywomen, Worth's admirers and patrons! To have -come to Paris amidst all the dangers of war to procure something to -wear, to have procured it, and then to be unable to carry it away! -But what will not woman's wit and energy do under such circumstances? -A clever and energetic friend of mine hired a _bateau-mouche_, one of -the little steamers that ply on the Seine from one part of Paris to -another, and, embarking with her "impedimenta," sailed triumphantly -for Havre. - -It had been agreed between Mr. Washburne and myself that if the -diplomatic corps left Paris, and he accompanied them, I should remain -to take charge of the Legation, and look after American and German -property; and he so reported to Mr. Fish. I had quite a curiosity -to be a besieged. I had been a besieger at Port Hudson, and thought -that I would like to experience the other sensation. The sensation -is not an unpleasant one, especially in a city like Paris. If you -have been overworked and harassed, the relief is very great. There -is a calm, a sort of Sunday rest, about it that is quite delightful. -In my experience the life of the besieged is altogether the most -comfortable of the two. You live quietly in your own house, and with -your own servants; and with a little forethought you may be amply -provisioned. You sleep in your own room, instead of in a cold, damp, -and muddy tent; and if an _éclat d'obus_--as the French delicately -call it--strikes your house on one side, you move into the other. -There has been a great deal of fine writing about famous sieges, and -the suffering and heroism of the inhabitants. I imagine that there -was not so much suffering, after all, at Saragossa; and that the -"Maid" and her companions in arms had plenty of corn-meal and good -mule-meat to eat--not a disagreeable or unwholesome diet for a while! - - - - -CHAPTER XV. - - Balloons.--Large Number dispatched.--Small Number lost.--Worth. - --Carrier-pigeons.--Their Failure.--Their Instincts.--_Times_ - "Agony Column."--Correspondence.--Letters to Besieged.--Count Solms. - --Our Dispatch-bag.--Moltke complains that it is abused.--Washburne's - Answer.--Bismarck's Reply. - - -At the beginning of the siege, one of the absorbing topics of -discussion among the Parisians was the means of communication with -the outer world. The French had always had a fancy for ballooning, -and were probably in advance of the rest of the world in this -respect. They now applied their experience to a practical use, and -soon a service of mail balloons was organized, starting from Paris -twice a week. At first they were dispatched in the afternoon, for the -all-sufficient reason that they always had been dispatched in the -afternoon; but soon they found that the balloon did not rise quickly -enough to escape the bullets of the Prussians encamped upon the hills -which surround Paris. So they changed the hour of departure to one in -the morning. When daylight appeared they were beyond the Prussian -lines. Indeed, the speed of the balloon is sometimes marvelous. -Starting at one o'clock in the morning, one of them fell into the sea -off the coast of Holland at daylight. The passengers were rescued by -a fishing-smack. A second descended in Norway on the very morning it -left Paris. The officer of the Post-office who was charged with the -organization of this service told me that, of ninety-seven balloons -that left Paris during the siege, ninety-four arrived safely; about -equal to railway-trains in these latter days. Two fell into the hands -of the enemy, and one was never heard of. It was supposed to have -drifted out to sea and been lost. A balloon was seen off Eddystone -Light-house. A few days afterward a gentleman spending the winter at -Torquay received a letter from the rector at Land's End, Cornwall, -stating that a number of letters had drifted ashore, supposed to have -been lost from a balloon, and among them was one addressed to him; -that it had been dried, and on receipt of twopence it would be sent -him. It proved to be a balloon letter from me, and is still preserved -as a souvenir of the siege and the sea. - -Quite at the beginning of the siege a member of my own family -received a letter from me, dispatched by the first balloon which -left Paris. Its arrival created quite a sensation in the little Welsh -watering-place where she was spending a part of the autumn. People -stopped her in the street, and asked to see the "balloon letter." The -natives evidently thought that it must have something of the balloon -about it. - -I recollect Worth's coming to the Legation one day--(and who does not -know Worth? He rules the women throughout the civilized and toileted -world; and through the women he rules the men, or their pockets at -least). Worth was in great distress. His nephew had gone out in a -balloon and been captured, and there were rumors that his life was in -danger. I promised to ascertain his fate, if possible, and prepared -a letter to Count Bismarck, which Mr. Washburne signed. Bismarck -replied most promptly, as he always did. And here let me state that -during the siege, at the request of anxious wives and parents, we -often addressed inquiries to German Head-quarters to ascertain the -fate of a husband or a son, and that these inquiries always received -the promptest and kindest attention. To the inquiry about young -Worth, Bismarck replied that he had been captured attempting to cross -the Prussian lines in a balloon; that to cross the Prussian lines -in the air was like crossing them on the land; and that the person -caught attempting it would be similarly punished; that young Worth -was in prison, and would be kept there for a few months, to teach -others not to attempt the same thing; but that no other harm had -happened, or would happen, to him. I sent for Worth, and read him the -letter. He was much relieved, and expressed himself very grateful. -Some years later a relative of mine took the material for a dress to -Worth, and asked him to make it up. Think of the audacity of such -a request! But Worth did it. If gratitude is to be measured not by -the magnitude of the favor conferred, but by the sacrifice made by -him who confers it, then Worth's gratitude stands out in unequaled -grandeur. - -But while with the help of balloons the Parisians managed very well -to send letters from Paris, it was no easy task to receive them. The -pigeon experiment proved a failure. No doubt pigeons can be trained -to do their work tolerably well, and the French Government now has -a large collection of carriers at the Jardin d'Acclimatation. But -during the siege very few succeeded in reaching home. A carrier will -scarcely ever make a two days' journey. If night overtakes him, he -goes astray, misled perhaps by siren wood-pigeons. In winter, too, -the days are short, snow-storms blind him, and hawks pounce upon him. -One of the canards circulated in Paris was that the Prussians trained -hawks for this purpose. The instinct of the animal, too, seems to -teach it to fly northward only. Two or three times a carrier arrived -safely, bringing with it one of those marvels of scientific skill, -a photographic letter. The microscope revealed the contents of a -good-sized newspaper transferred to a scrap of paper that a pigeon -could carry under its wing. - -Some of the French residing in London took advantage of the "agony -column" of the _Times_ to send news to their friends. They had faith -in the ubiquity of the great journal, and their faith was rewarded. -I doubt if you could so hedge in a city that the _Times_ would not -penetrate it. Our Legation in London sent it to us. I received one -number a week. In it I found multitudes of _prières_ addressed to Mr. -Washburne, and some to myself, begging us to inform Mr. So-and-so, -or Madame Blank, that their wife, or husband, or children, were at -such and such a place, and all well. When these messages were purely -personal, we delivered them. If they were in cipher, or susceptible -of a double meaning, we did not. I remember finding a message in -cipher, and addressed to the Minister of War. I not only did not -deliver it, but I burned it for fear that the favor of receiving -our letters and papers accorded us by the German Government might -be abused. About two days before the _jour de l'an_, I received -a _Times_ of December 23d, for the Germans purposely delayed our -bag, probably that the news, should it become known to the French -Government, might not be acted on by it, to the detriment of German -military operations. The "agony column" was full of messages to -besieged relatives. I thought that the Parisians could receive no -more acceptable presents for their New-year's-day, so I copied all -the messages which had addresses and sent them by mail. But some -had no addresses. How the writers ever expected them to reach their -destinations, I do not understand. I copied them too, however, and -sent them to the _Gaulois_. On New-year's morning that journal -published them. In a few days it received grateful letters, thanking -the editors warmly, and offering to pay a share of the expense, -"which must have been great." The _Gaulois_ replied, declining all -payment, but modestly assuming great credit to itself for its -"unparalleled enterprise," and assuring its correspondents that it -should continue to spare no expense to procure them news of their -families. - -The Prussian officers, too, at head-quarters not unfrequently sent in -letters, with the request that we would distribute them. I remember -once receiving from Count Solms, who had been _chargé d'affaires_ at -Paris after the departure of the Embassador, a letter forwarded by -him, without address, without signature, and without date. I waited -a few days, thinking that other letters might refer to it, and that -the owner would call and claim it. No one came. As the difficulties -increased, of course I was the more determined to trace out the -owner. Every thing else failing, I read the letter, to try to obtain -a clue. Fortunately, I found the name of Mr. Henri Blount. I knew -Mr. Blount, and knew that his father was in Paris. I wrote him, and -told him the circumstances. He replied that if I would trust him with -the letter, he thought that he could find the owner. He took it to -the Jockey Club at dinner-time, and asked if there was any gentleman -there whose name was Charles, and whose wife's name was Anna. A -gentleman immediately claimed it, but after a glance reluctantly -gave it up. Another claimed it, and turned out to be the right man. - -I had rather an amusing correspondence with Count Solms in reference -to this letter and other matters. I give two or three of the letters -which passed between us, as showing that we contrived to enjoy -ourselves after a fashion in Paris, notwithstanding the rigors of -the siege. I give the letters as written. One of them is, perhaps, -better adapted to the French language than to its more austere sister -English. - - "Paris, le 13 Décembre, 1870. - - "MON CHER COMTE,--Votre lettre n'est pas vraiment d'un "intérêt - palpitant," mais vous êtes bien disciplinés vous autres - Prussiens, et j'adore la discipline. Nous voyons les résultats. - - "Néanmoins, il puisse être permis à un neutre de vous remercier - de vos anxiétés à son égard. Mais il ne meurt pas absolument de - faim. J'ai dîné, il y a quatre jours, chez un restaurateur bien - connu, en compagnie de quatre jeunes gens que vous connaissez - bien. Nous avons mangé un cochon-de-lait, un canard rôti, des - truffes et du beurre frais. Ce n'est pas la famine ça--tout - arrosé de Château Margaux de '50. Ne croyez pas que dans ces - temps ci j'ai commandé un tel dîner de Sybarite moi-même. - J'ai été invité. Voilà pourquoi je ne puis rien vous dire de - l'addition. - - "J'espère qu'on ne trouvera rien de compromettant dans cette - lettre excepté pour le cochon-de-lait. Lui il a été bien - compromis. - - "Je suis toujours à vos ordres pour envoyer des lettres de - famille de vos amis. - - "Votre dévoué, etc., etc., etc. - - "Comme je plains vous autres pauvres Prussiens enfermés hors de - Paris!" - - "Versailles, le 17 Décembre, '70. - - "MON CHER COLONEL,--Merci de votre amusante lettre. Le menu - qu'elle contenait m'a complètement tranquillisé, et la solidité - de votre repas me fait espérer que vous jouissez encore des - forces physiques nécessaires pour que je puisse me permettre - de vous prier de vouloir bien vous charger de la distribution - des lettres que j'ai l'honneur de vous envoyer cijoints. Mille - amitiés de votre très-discipliné, - - "F. SOLMS." - - "Paris, le 25 Décembre, '70. - - "MON CHER COMTE,--J'ai reçu votre billet du 17, et je me suis - hâté d'envoyer les lettres y incluses. Quelques-unes j'ai livrées - moi-même; les autres je les ai mises à la poste. - - "Depuis le repas dont la solidité a tant frappé votre esprit, je - suis heureux de vous dire que j'ai mangé quelques-uns encore plus - solides. Que pensez-vous de lard salé aux haricots--pas verts? - Je me suis trouvé transporté aux premiers jours de notre petite - guerre en Kansas, au Grand-Ouest, il y a 16 ans. - - "Nous avons une nouvelle idée à Paris, une idée tout-à-fait - parisienne. Connaissez-vous la cause de la guerre? Evidemment - non. Eh bien, la Providence a trouvé que les vieilles races - d'Europe commencent à se dégénérer. Elle désire les mélanger un - peu. Il y a probablement 350,000 soldats français prisonniers - en Allemagne; il y a peut-être 600,000 soldats allemands sur - le territoire français. Vous voyez, ou plutôt vous verrez, les - résultats. Voilà l'idée que j'ai entendu développée avec beaucoup - d'éloquence par la belle marquise de ---- à une petite soirée où - j'ai eu l'honneur d'assister il y a quelques jours. Je la livre, - gratuitement bien entendu, au George Bancroft de l'avenir--'La - cause et les résultats de la guerre de 1870.' - - "Vous voyez que nous tâchons de nous amuser encore à Paris. - - "Agréez, etc., etc., etc." - -To be in exclusive receipt of news during a siege is gratifying to -one's vanity, but it has its decidedly disagreeable side. I doubt -if the siege were to begin again if Mr. Washburne would accept -a bag containing any thing but his official dispatches and his -family letters. If we gave the Parisians news, they said that we -gave them only bad news. If we withheld it, they said that we -were withholding the news of French victories. I speak of what was -said in the workmen's clubs, and by the inferior press; the better -classes and the more respectable newspapers found no fault. Then -General Moltke complained that we abused our privilege. His scouts -had intercepted a balloon letter, in which the writer spoke of the -facility of receiving letters through the Legation, and instructed -her correspondent to write under cover to me. That clever writer, -too, Labouchère, "The Besieged Resident," told in the columns of -the _Daily News_ how small a matter it was to be shut up in Paris. -"Go to the Legation of the United States on any day, and there you -find the latest London journals lying on the table." All this was -nuts to General Moltke, for he had opposed our receiving our bag, -but had been overruled by the King on the request of Count Bismarck. -Bismarck wrote to Mr. Washburne, calling his attention to Moltke's -complaint. Washburne replied. After stating the circumstances under -which I had authorized a letter to be sent under cover to me, for an -American lady whose daughter was sick with the small-pox at Brussels, -he proceeded to say that both he and I had endeavored honorably to -discharge our duties as neutrals; that we had acted according to the -best of our judgments under this sense of duty; that we proposed to -continue to act as we had done; and that if the German authorities -could not trust us, they had better stop the bag altogether, with the -exception, of course, of the dispatches from our Government. At the -same time he sent back nearly five hundred letters which had been -sent us without authority, and which had not been delivered, as the -best possible proof that he had not abused his privilege. Washburne's -letter concluded as follows: - - "Before closing this communication, I trust your Excellency will - pardon me a further observation. For the period of six months I - have been charged with the delicate, laborious, and responsible - duty of protecting your countrymen in Paris. Of the manner in - which these duties, having relation to both belligerents, have - been performed, I do not propose to speak. I am content to abide - by the record made up in the State Department at Washington. - But I can state that there has never been a time when these - duties have involved graver consequences and responsibilities - than at the present moment. As I have expressed to you before, I - have been astonished at the number of Germans who, as it turns - out, were left in the city when the gates were closed. Having - exhausted their last resources, and finding themselves in a - state of the most absolute destitution, they have applied to - me for protection and aid, which I have so far been enabled to - extend to them from the funds placed in my hands by the Royal - Government. The number of these people amounts to-day to two - thousand three hundred and eighty-five; and it is certain, had - there not been some one to protect and aid them, many must have - inevitably perished of cold and starvation. My position in - relation to these people and to your Government is known to the - people of Paris, and as the siege wears on, and the exasperation - is intensified, I now find myself exposed to the hostility of - a certain portion of the population of the city. While your - military authorities seem to be agitated by the gravest fears in - relation to my dispatch-bag, I am daily violently assailed by a - portion of the Paris press as a "Prussian representative" and a - "Prussian sympathizer;" and a short time since it was proposed - in one of the clubs that I should be hanged--rather a pleasant - diversion in these dreary days of siege through which we are - passing. - - "I will only add that, so long as I am the diplomatic - representative of my country in Paris, I shall discharge every - duty, even to the end, and in the face of every circumstance, - that I owe to my own Government, and every duty that I have by - its direction assumed toward the subjects of the North German - Confederation. - - "I have the honor, etc., etc." - -Bismarck replied with an apology. He said he knew that the privilege -accorded us had not been abused, and he was satisfied that it would -not be; that the military authorities had called his attention -to this matter, and that it was therefore his duty to call Mr. -Washburne's attention to it; that the bag would continue to be sent -as usual; and that he returned the five hundred letters, with full -authority to Mr. Washburne to deliver them if he saw fit. I heard -afterward that Bismarck was delighted with Washburne's letter, and -took special pleasure in sending a copy to General Moltke. - - - - -CHAPTER XVI. - - Burnside's Peace Mission.--Sent in by Bismarck.--Interview with - Trochu.--The Sympathetic Tear.--Question of Revictualment.--Failure - of Negotiations.--Point of Vanity.--Flags of Truce.--French - accused of Violation of Parole.--Question of the Francs-Tireurs. - --Foreigners refused Permission to leave Paris.--Washburne - insists.--Permission granted.--Departure of Americans.--Scenes - at Créteil. - - -Early in the month of October we were surprised by a visit from -General Burnside. He happened to be at Versailles, more from -curiosity than any other motive, where, through General Sheridan, -he became quite intimate with Count Bismarck. Bismarck asked him -one day if he would like to go into Paris on a peace mission. Lord -Granville had been very urgent with the King to grant the French -an armistice, and had induced him to offer it, with a view to an -election. There would be no difficulty, Bismarck said, on any point -except that of revictualment. This General Moltke would not hear of. -Not an ounce of food should enter Paris. "Now," said Bismarck, "that -Government of the National Defense is not the wisest in the world, -but they are not such d--d fools as to stand out on a point like -that. There will be an armistice, and an armistice means peace. If -there is peace, England will get the credit of it; and as the United -States represents us, I would rather that you had the credit of it." -Burnside came in accordingly, accompanied by Mr. Paul Forbes, who -was promoted to the rank of aid-de-camp for the occasion, and dubbed -a colonel. The Prussians could not realize the idea of a general -traveling without his aid. A meeting was appointed with Trochu, and -I went as interpreter. His headquarters were at the Louvre, in a -large and convenient apartment, occupied, under the Empire, by M. -Rouher. Before Burnside had stated the object of his visit, Trochu -made us a speech. He spoke well for nearly half an hour. He told us -that France had been very wicked; that she had fallen away from the -true Catholic faith; that infidelity and skepticism were rampant in -the land; that the misfortunes which had come upon her were deserved; -that they were visitations for the sins of the people; but that, -when they had repented and humbled themselves, he had faith that the -punishment would pass from them. He continued in this strain for -full twenty minutes, speaking very eloquently; then pulled out his -handkerchief, and saying, "Excuse my emotion," he wept. After this he -came to business. Burnside confined himself most conscientiously to -the exact tenor of his message. Trochu made repeated suggestions of -such and such possibilities, but Burnside refused to follow him. He -knew nothing but his instructions. As I had feared, Trochu bristled -up at the no-revictualment clause. "Such a condition had never been -heard of. From the most remote antiquity, there had always been -revictualment allowed in case of armistice, so much per head per -diem." He gave us at that time no positive answer, but said he would -discuss the matter with his colleagues. Negotiations failed upon -this very point. The French Government called it a point of honor. -It was rather a point of vanity. We did not need the provisions, -as the result showed we had food enough for three months. Yet, for -that barren privilege of bringing in food which was not needed, the -Government of the National Defense rejected the armistice. They -could then have made peace, with the loss of one province and two -milliards. They continued the war, and lost two provinces and five -milliards (one thousand millions of dollars). - -It must be remembered that the members of the Government of the -National Defense were self-appointed. They were always preaching -of their earnest desire to appeal to the people. Here was the -opportunity, and they rejected it. It is a pleasant thing to appoint -yourself and your particular friends rulers of a great country like -France, and one does not readily resign the position. The people -might not re-appoint you. - -As we left the Louvre, I said to Burnside, "If France is to be saved, -it will not be by that man." "I don't know that--I don't know that," -he replied. He was evidently impressed by Trochu's eloquence and -emotion, and ready tear. - -It has been stated that Bismarck refused to enter into negotiations -with the Government of the National Defense; that he would not -recognize its self-assumed authority, and considered that there was -no evidence that it was recognized by the majority of the French -people; for there were riots in the great cities of the South, and -disturbances in Brittany. Bismarck recognized it or not, as suited -his policy, and that policy was exclusively the interests of Germany. -Had Trochu waived the food question, Bismarck would have promptly -recognized him and his colleagues, so far, at least, as to make an -armistice with them, as he afterward did. - -Burnside returned that afternoon to Versailles. I accompanied him -as far as Sèvres. Trochu sent a carriage for us. It was odd to find -one's self in one of the old imperial barouches, drawn by the famous -post-horses of the Emperor. We drove through the Bois by Rothschild's -house, and so to the broken bridge at Sèvres. In the Bois desolation -reigned. The trees were cut down within three hundred yards of the -ramparts, the roads torn up and torpedoes planted in them. The swans -had gone to feed the hungry soldiers, and the ducks, to avoid the -same fate, kept wisely out in the middle of the lake. When we had -reached the bridge, a bugle sounded on the French side, and a white -flag was displayed. It was soon answered from the German side, and a -similar flag was raised. At once the French troops lounged from under -cover, their hands in their pockets, and down to the water's edge. -The Prussians were kept concealed. They saw us, no doubt, but not one -of them was to be seen. Presently, a Prussian officer descended the -street, followed by a flag-bearer. He stalks across the bridge to -the broken arch, turns, takes the flag from the bearer, and plants -the staff in the bridge, with an air as if to say "Touch that, if -you dare." The French soldiers are evidently impressed. They mutter, -"_Voici des militaires_." The officer asks in French, "Are those -the American generals?" "They are." "Then let them pass." Burnside -requests permission to take Antoine with him, the messenger of the -Legation. "Is he an American?" "Yes." "Then he can come, of course." -The steam-launch puffs up, and the party cross. I cross with them, -but return at once to the French side. The soldiers disappear, the -flag is lowered, and the firing recommences. I have been rather -minute in this description, as the same ceremonies were observed -twice a week, when we sent and received our dispatch-bags. - -The German Government complained on several occasions of the -violation of flags of truce. These complaints were addressed to -the French authorities through us. Indeed, every communication -addressed to the French Government and its replies were sent -through the Legation. This kept us busy even during the quiet days -of the siege. The violation of parole was another fruitful source -of correspondence. The Germans sent us a list of over twenty-five -officers, whom they alleged had broken their paroles. In some -cases--that of General Ducrot, for instance--there are two sides to -the question. He claimed that it was a legitimate escape, and the -French press was unanimously of his opinion. There was another branch -of correspondence that occupied a good deal of our time. The two -governments, to their credit be it spoken, did not allow the war to -interfere with the administration of justice. Under their treaties -each Government was bound to serve upon its own subjects all legal -documents in civil suits emanating from the courts of the other. This -was done throughout the war, and they all passed through our hands. - -There was, too, correspondence between the two hostile governments -upon other subjects. Among them I recollect one in relation to the -Francs-Tireurs. The Germans treated these irregulars as guerrillas. -The French remonstrated. The Germans answered that they had no -uniform; that they wore the blue blouse, which is the national dress -of the French peasant; and that they ought to wear something which -could be distinguished at rifle range. I do not remember how the -matter was settled, but I believe that the Francs-Tireurs gradually -disappeared, absorbed in the Mobiles. - -Not long after Burnside's mission I paid a second visit to Trochu. -Mr. Washburne had applied to the Germans for permission for Americans -and other foreigners to leave Paris. The King accorded it at once. -Any American could leave on Mr. Washburne's pass, any other foreigner -on the same pass, provided that his name had first been submitted -to and accepted by the German authorities. Having obtained this -concession, Mr. Washburne next applied to the French Government -for its permission. To his surprise, it was refused. He could not -understand it. That the Germans should wish to keep in the city -a number of "useless mouths" to help consume the provision, was -natural, but that the French, who, for the same reason, ought to -have wished to get rid of them, should refuse to let them go, was -inconceivable. But Washburne was not the man to sit down quietly -under a refusal in a matter like this. He insisted that they must go, -and should go. Favre was evidently on his side, and we had reason -to believe that he was backed by some, at least, of his colleagues. -Trochu opposed the departure for fear of the effect upon Belleville. -If I had not heard him say so, I could not have believed it. - -As Washburne insisted, and Favre was in favor of the permission -being given, an interview was arranged with Trochu. The "Governor -of Paris," as he loved to call himself, made us another oration. -It was very much a rehash of the first. He then stated that he had -been unwilling that the "strangers" should leave Paris; it looked -like "rats deserting the sinking ship;" he feared the effect upon -Belleville. But out of regard for Mr. Washburne, and in deference to -the opinion of some of his colleagues, he would now consent. He added -that he would send an aid-de-camp to Belleville, to spread the report -that it was the diplomatic corps leaving the capital. I looked at him -with astonishment. That he should tell a lie was bad enough, but that -he should tell it out of fear of that wretched mob was a degree of -weakness I was not prepared for. - -Permission having been given, no time was lost in the preparations -for departure. On the 24th of October, forty-eight Americans and -several Russians went out by Créteil. A number of English started, -but were turned back. Their names had not been sent to Versailles -in season. Permission was subsequently received, and they left -Paris a few days later. We drove to the French outposts, and thence -sent forward the flag with an officer of Trochu's staff, and Mr. -Washburne's private secretary, Mr. Albert Ward, who was charged -with the necessary arrangements on our side. While we waited, a -German picket of six men advanced toward us, dodging behind the -trees, muskets cocked, and fingers on trigger. I confess I was not -much impressed with this specimen of German scouting. It looked too -much like playing at North American Indian. There were some twenty -traveling-carriages, open and closed, filled with ladies, and piled -up with baggage. The party had as little of a military look as can -well be imagined, and yet the picket advanced as if they feared an -ambush. - -The necessary arrangements having been made, we proceeded to the -German outposts. Here the Prussian officers verified the list, -calling the roll name by name, and taking every precaution to -identify the individuals. I heard afterward, however, that a -Frenchman of some prominence had escaped disguised as a coachman. - -I met here a young American, who was living not far from Versailles, -and who was known to Count Bismarck. I gave him a couple of morning -papers. That evening he dined with Bismarck, and offered to sell him -the papers for a quart bottle of Champagne for the big one, and a -pint bottle for the little one. Bismarck offered a quart bottle for -both; but my American indignantly rejected the terms: so Bismarck -accepted his, and paid the bottle and a half. I record this as -perhaps the only diplomatic triumph ever scored against Count de -Bismarck. - - - - -CHAPTER XVII. - - Mob seize Hôtel de Ville.--"Thanksgiving" in Paris.--Prices of - Food.--Paris Rats.--Menagerie Meat.--Horse-meat.--Eatable only - as Mince.--Government Interference.--Sorties.--Are Failures.--Le - Bourget taken by French.--Retaken by Prussians.--French - Naval Officers.--Belleville National Guard.--Their Poetry. - --Blundering.--Sheridan's Opinion of German Army. - - -Late in October, M. Thiers came into Paris on a peace mission, but -met with no success. He brought the news of the fall of Metz. There -was great excitement in Paris. The mob collected, marched to the -Hôtel de Ville, and took possession. They arrested several members -of the Government, and shut them up--others escaped. They then -proceeded to depose the Government, and to set up one of their own. -Ducrot begged Trochu to let him fire on the mob; he could disperse -them, he said, in five minutes. The Mobiles were eager to fire; for -the Mobiles and the National Guard lived like cat and dog together. -Trochu would not consent. The insurgents remained in possession of -the Hôtel de Ville all that night, and the next day gradually melted -away. It was one of those unfortunate mob triumphs which contributed -not a little to the success of the Commune. - -The siege found about two hundred Americans in Paris. I ought to -say "citizens of the United States;" but we have taken to ourselves -the broader title, and in Europe it is generally accorded to us. -Of these two hundred about fifty went away, and about one hundred -and fifty remained. The French live from hand to mouth, buying only -what is necessary for the day, and laying no stores in. This comes, -I think, from their system of living in apartments, and the want of -store-rooms. The Americans, as a rule, laid in a stock of provisions. -The grocers of Paris had imported a large quantity of canned food -for the use of the _colonie américaine_, which was then, and still -is, a power in Paris. The greater part of the _colonie_ having gone, -there remained a quantity of canned vegetables, fruit, deviled ham -and turkey, oysters, lobsters, etc., etc., and, above all, hominy -and grits. The French knew nothing of these eatables till late in -the siege, when they discovered their merits. In the mean time the -Americans had bought up nearly all there was on hand. - -As Thanksgiving approached we determined to celebrate it, -notwithstanding our supposed forlorn condition. Some thirty of us met -at a restaurant on the Boulevard, where we feasted on the traditional -turkey, or, rather, on two of them, at twelve dollars apiece. Under -the circumstances, we had quite an Epicurean repast. Mr. Washburne -presided, and made a humorous speech, dwelling provokingly on the -good things our unbesieged countrymen were then enjoying at home. -Professor Shepherd, of Chicago, was present, and made some clever -and appropriate remarks. The Professor has written one of the most -readable and reliable books upon the siege I have met with. - -Prices of food in Paris had now reached their height. Turkeys, as I -have said, sold at $12 apiece, chickens at $6, cats $1.60, rats 15 -cents, dogs from 80 cents up, according to size and fat. There was a -refinement in rats. They were known as the brewery rat and the sewer -rat. The brewery rat was naturally the most delicate titbit, and -as the siege progressed and but little food found its way into the -sewers, the sewer rats diminished wofully in numbers, while their -brethren of the brewery increased. I know of no better evidence -of the severity of the cold, and the scarcity of food during that -winter, than an incident that came under my own observation. I was -called by the _concierge_ of the building to look at the apartment of -an American gentleman, on the floor below me. The rats had made their -way with great gymnastic agility into the kitchen; they had thrown -down and broken two or three dishes which the cook had imperfectly -washed, and on which there remained a little grease. They had then -made their way into the salons and bedrooms, had gnawed and burrowed -into the sofas and mattresses, and there several lay, dead of cold -and hunger. - -But there was no time in Paris when money would not buy good food, -though it could not buy fuel, for that had been seized by the -Government. Very late in the siege a man brought to the Legation -a piece of _filet de bœuf_ of six pounds, for which he asked four -dollars a pound. Mr. Washburne and I did not indulge in such -luxuries, living principally upon our national pork and beans, and -the poetic fish-ball. A young American happened to be in the office, -however, who took it at once, and paid his twenty-four dollars. - -In the suburbs of Paris food was more abundant. I breakfasted in -December with a French general, who commanded one of the outposts. -We had beef, eggs, ham, etc., and, from what I heard, I should say -that he and his staff breakfasted as well every day. These noonday -breakfasts, by-the-way, ruined the French army. I reached my -general's head-quarters at half-past eleven. He and one of his staff -were smoking cigars and drinking absinthe. At twelve we breakfasted -bountifully, as I have said, and with Champagne and other wines, -followed by coffee, brandy, and more cigars. We got through breakfast -about three o'clock. This was on an outpost, in presence of the -enemy. Had he attacked, what would the general and his staff have -been worth? They were very far from being intoxicated, but certainly -their heads were not clear, or their judgments sound. - -The Prussians soon learned the French habits, and attacked them in -the field when they were making their soup. The French soldiers could -not catch up their soup and pocket it, and eat it at their leisure. -They consequently lost not only their breakfasts, but frequently -their cooking utensils too. The Germans, on the other hand, had a -liberal ration of meat (_fleisch_--what a disagreeable word!)--one -pound and a half per diem. But, meat failing, they always had a -German sausage and a piece of bread in their haversacks, and could -eat as they marched. Yet such is the power of habit in France, and -the strength of tradition, that I suppose the French soldier will -continue to all time to prepare his soup, even at the expense of -defeat. - -Without stirring from Paris, I had the opportunity during the -siege to taste as many varieties of wild meat as the greatest of -travelers--as Humboldt himself. It was found to be impossible to -procure food for the animals at the Jardin d'Acclimatation, and they -were sold and killed. They were bought mostly by the enterprising -English butcher of the Avenue Friedland. I indulged from time to time -in small portions of elephant, yak, camel, reindeer, porcupine, etc., -at an average rate of four dollars a pound. Of all these, reindeer -is the best; it has a fine flavor of venison. Elephant is tolerably -good. Some of my readers may remember the charming twin elephants, -Castor and Pollux, who carried children round the Garden on their -backs, in 1867 to 1869. They were done to death with chassepots--shot -through the head. I eat a slice of Castor. It was tolerably good -only; did very well in time of siege. But all these meats are but -poor substitutes for beef and mutton; and when travelers tell us of -the delights of elephant's trunk or buffalo's hump, depend upon it, -it is the hunter's appetite that gives the flavor. - -The main-stay of the population, in the way of fresh meat, was horse. -These were requisitioned, and every horseholder having more than one -was compelled to contribute toward feeding the population. The horses -were liberally paid for, so much per pound. Some individuals made a -very good thing out of it. They got in with the horse officials. A -fine animal, requisitioned from the owner, who knew no better than -to send it, appeared at the shambles. One of these gentry, with the -connivance of the official in charge, would take him, and substitute -an old screw of equal or greater weight. I know an American in -Paris who is daily aggravated by seeing at the Bois a beautiful -mare he once owned, and whose loss he had deeply deplored, but had -been comforted by the reflection that she had perished to feed the -starving Parisians. - -The horse-meat was rationed and sold by the Government at reasonable -prices: nine ounces and a half were allowed per diem to each adult. -There is a refinement in horse-meat, as in rats. A young light-gray -is tender and juicy. Black is the worst color; the meat is coarse -and tough. But horse-flesh is poor stuff at best. It has a sweet, -sickening flavor. Some people spoke highly of it as soup; others when -_mariné_. The only way I found it eatable was as mince mixed with -potato. - -From horse-meat to beef is but a slight transition, but one -more easily made on paper than on the table in those days. The -interference of the French Government in almost every detail of -private life is something of which happily we know nothing in this -country. You can not cut down a tree on your own land without its -permission. During the siege you could not kill your own ox without -leave from the Minister of Commerce. If you had providently laid in a -larger supply of fuel than he thought you needed, he took possession -of it, and paid you Government prices for what was then almost -priceless. An American lady resident in Paris had a cow. The cow ran -dry, and she wanted to convert it into beef. She came to the Legation -to secure Mr. Washburne's intervention to obtain for her permission -to kill her own cow. At first it was refused, and it required no -inconsiderable amount of diplomatic correspondence and the waste of -many pages of good foolscap, with a large expenditure of red tape -and sealing-wax, before the permission was obtained. - -I have said very little of the sorties from Paris. The subject is -not a pleasant one. There were five hundred thousand armed men in -Paris, and only three hundred and fifty thousand outside. Yet but -one serious sortie was ever made. This was to the south-east, under -Ducrot; and the fighting was obstinate, and lasted two days. Ducrot -had published a proclamation to the effect that he should come back -victorious, or be brought back dead. He was defeated, but marched -quietly back nevertheless. We are unaccustomed among Anglo-Saxons to -this style of proclamation, and call it bombast. I am told, however, -by those better acquainted with the French character than I am, that -it has its effect upon the French soldier, and is therefore allowable. - -The garrison of Paris should have made a sortie every night, -sometimes a thousand men, and sometimes a hundred thousand, and in -two or three quarters at once. Their central position gave them -every opportunity to do this to advantage. Had they done so, they -would soon have worn out the Germans with constant _alertes_, and -with comparatively little fatigue to themselves. But this, too, was -mismanaged. They surprised and took Le Bourget, a little village to -the north-east. Of course we all supposed that it would be strongly -garrisoned, and the garrison well supported. Not at all. Two days -later the Prussians retook it. The garrison made a most gallant -defense, but they were entirely unsupported. Not a regiment of the -immense army in Paris came to their assistance. No possible excuse -can be given for this abandonment. - -The loss of Le Bourget produced great discontent among the Parisians; -and Trochu was blamed, and most justly. He made an effort to retake -it, but in vain. The sailors, under their gallant officers, made a -spirited assault, but were repulsed with great loss; for they were -not supported by the soldiers. The officers made every effort to lead -them on, but they would not assault. - -The French naval officers are a very superior class of men. They -compare most favorably with those of any other nation. They are -painstaking, intelligent, and well-informed. Under their command the -sailors fought gallantly during the war, for there was a large number -of them detailed to the army, as they had little to do at sea. They -felt strongly the deterioration of their sister service, the army. -At Versailles I was once dining at a restaurant near a naval officer. -An army officer, accompanied by two non-commissioned officers, -entered, called loudly for dinner, and made a great disturbance. They -were evidently the worse for liquor. I overheard the naval officer -muttering to himself, "_Cette pauvre armée française! cette pauvre -armée française!_" - -There was always blundering. They had shut up a brigade of cavalry -in Paris. Jerome Bonaparte, who commanded one of the regiments, told -me he had no idea why he was ordered in, unless it was to eat up -his horses. This they proceeded to do so soon as they were fairly -trained, and so doubled in value. Trochu organized a sortie to the -north-west. Two columns left Paris one night by different gates, -and were to take up their positions simultaneously and attack at -daylight. He forgot that one road crossed the other, and that one -column must necessarily halt for the other to pass. Of course one -of them arrived late on the ground, and the attack failed. When a -sortie was to be made, a flag was hoisted on Mount Valérien. The -Germans soon knew its meaning as well as the French, and prepared -accordingly. An intended sortie was known at least twenty-four hours -before it took place, and its chances discussed on the boulevards. -The National Guard, too, with some honorable exceptions, would not -fight. The heroes of Belleville howled to be led against the enemy. -They got as far as the barriers, and refused to go farther. "They -were enlisted to defend Paris, and they would not go beyond the -_enceinte_; the Reactionists wanted to get them out, that they might -deliver Paris over to the enemy." There was a popular song they sung -as they marched through the streets which perfectly illustrates their -sentiments and character: - - "Nous partons, - ons, ons, - Comme des moutons, - Comme des moutons, - Pour la boucherie, - rie, rie. - - "On nous massacra, - ra, ra, - Comme des rats, - Comme des rats. - Comme Bismarck rira! - rira!" - -An officer commanding a fort applied for re-enforcements to relieve -his exhausted men. They sent him a battalion of our Belleville -gentlemen. The next day he sent them back, saying they had been -drunk and fought in the trenches all night, and that he preferred to -get along as well as he could with his overworked garrison. - -Trochu planned a sortie to the south-east. It was necessary to cross -the Marne. The troops arrived at the appointed hour, but the pontoons -did not. A whole day was lost, and the sortie was _une affaire -manquée_. Outside, things were nearly as badly managed. No serious -effort was ever made to cut the German lines of communication. -The railways to the east were all-important to them, not so much -for provisions (for they drew these mostly from France), but for -ammunition. With the enormous guns in use, the transportation of -ammunition was a serious matter, taxing the railroad facilities -of the Germans to the uttermost. An interruption might have -compelled them to raise the siege. Sheridan, who, being at the -King's head-quarters, and treated with the greatest kindness and -attention, naturally sympathized with the Germans, could not help -exclaiming that if he had been outside with thirty thousand cavalry, -he would have made the King * * * Well, it is not worth while to quote -Sheridan's exact words; they were a little in the style, of the -commander of the Imperial Guard at Waterloo; but the substance of -them was, that an active officer with a good cavalry force could have -so broken up the communications of the German army as to compel it -to raise the siege. For the Germans are not particularly handy at -repairing a broken road or bridge; and a German general does not, as -the rebel soldier said of Sherman, carry a duplicate tunnel in his -pocket. - -As I am quoting Sheridan, let me here record his opinion of the -German army. He _believed_ that they were brave soldiers. They were -well disciplined, well led, and had every appearance of thorough -soldiers; but he could not say so positively, for, so far as his -observation went, they had never met with any serious resistance. He -looked upon the German army as in no respect superior to one of our -great armies at the close of the war--the Army of the Potomac, for -instance--except as regards the staff. That was far superior to ours, -and to any staff in Europe. Their field telegraph, too, excited his -admiration. It had been borrowed from us, but improved. - - - - -CHAPTER XVIII. - - The National Guard.--Its Composition.--The American Ambulance.--Its - Organization.--Its Success.--Dr. Swinburne, Chief Surgeon.--The - Tent System.--Small Mortality.--Poor Germans in Paris.--Bombardment - by Germans.--Wantonness of Artillery-men.--Bad News from the Loire. - --"Le Plan Trochu."--St. Genevieve to appear.--Vinoy takes Command. - --Paris surrenders.--Bourbaki defeated.--Attempts Suicide. - - -A gentleman of rank and great historic name, of approved bravery, and -who had seen service as an officer in the French army, came one day -to the Legation in the uniform of a private. I asked him why he had -enlisted, when he could so easily have got a commission. He replied -that it was true he could easily have got a company in the National -Guard, but before he could know his men, and they could know him, and -he could drill and discipline them, they would go into action. Then -they would inevitably run away. If he ran with them, he would be held -responsible; if he stood, he would be killed. So he had decided to -enlist as a private, to stand as long as the rest stood, and to run -away when they ran. It struck me that this gentleman was wise in his -generation, but that it was not precisely in this way that France was -to be saved. - -In speaking of the National Guard as I have done, it is proper to -state that I speak of the masses, the workmen of Paris, and the -_petite bourgeoisie_ of most of the arrondissements. There were some -few battalions that could be relied upon, some composed in part of -the "gentlemen of France;" but they were insufficient to leaven the -whole lump. The masses, those who drew a franc and a half per diem -for themselves, and seventy-five centimes for their wives, or for the -women who lived with them--for the Government of the National Defense -had decided that it was the same thing--were the turbulent, unruly, -unsoldierly mob I have described. - -One of the most interesting and satisfactory features of the siege -was the American ambulance. Here were order, system, and discipline. -It was located on vacant lots in the Avenue de l'Impératrice. It -did better work than any other ambulance in Paris; and there were -many of them. A number of the wealthy people of the city gave -up their hotels, or parts of them, for this purpose. The Press -organized an admirable ambulance, copied as much from the American -as circumstances would permit. The Italians started one, and two or -three other nationalities. But the American ambulance was the only -one organized upon the tent system, which is unquestionably the true -one. Fresh air and fresh water are what is needed for the wounded. -It is impossible to get fresh air in a building, as you get it in a -tent. As Dr. Swinburne expressed it, "The air filters through the -canvas." - -At the Exposition of 1867 we had a remarkably good exhibition of our -ambulance system. It was due to the energy and liberality of Dr. -Evans. At the close of the exhibition he bought the whole collection; -and when the war broke out, he organized an ambulance association, -presented it with this material, and gave it ten thousand francs. -Other Americans contributed, and the enterprise was launched. Dr. -Swinburne, a distinguished corps surgeon of our army, and afterward -Quarantine Officer at Staten Island, happened to be in Paris, -traveling for his health and amusement. He gave up his trip, and -staid in the city, that he might be of service to the wounded French. -He deserves much credit for his humanity. Dr. Johnson, a prominent -American physician in Paris, took charge of the medical department. -Both of these gentlemen discharged their duties with devotion and -skill, and with remarkable success, and without remuneration, except -that they were decorated by the French Government. For an American -residing at home a decoration is of very little account. In France -it is useful. It procures him attention on the railways and at the -restaurants. But it has been very much abused of late years. There -are about one hundred thousand _décorés_ in France, so that they now -say it is the correct thing not to be decorated. I never heard of but -one individual, however, who refused it, and that was from political -motives. - -A number of American ladies and gentlemen who remained in Paris -offered their services in the ambulance, and were enrolled as -volunteer nurses. Among them Mr. Joseph K. Riggs was particularly -conspicuous by his skill and devotion. They went upon the field -after, or even during, an engagement and picked up the wounded. -Indeed, there was quite a contest among the ambulances to get -possession of the wounded; for while the number of the sick in Paris -was very great, that of the wounded was comparatively small. The -medical director of General Ducrot's corps became much interested in -our ambulance. He turned over to Dr. Swinburne the charming house -of M. Chevalier, the eminent French writer on political economy, and -then begged him to take charge of the wounded of his corps. Swinburne -used the house as a convalescent hospital when his tents were full. - -So successful was his treatment that of the amputated only one in -five died; while at the great French ambulance of the Grand Hôtel -four in five died. The mortality there was fearful. - -The apparatus for warming the tents was simple, but most effective. -It had grown up among our soldiers during the war. A hole was made in -the ground outside of one end of a long tent, a stove placed in it, -and the pipe carried the whole length of the tent in a trench. The -result was that the ground was thoroughly dried and warmed, and this -warmed the whole tent. I have known the thermometer outside to be at -20° Fahrenheit, while in the tents it stood at 55°. The doctor said -that for wounded men well covered up in bed 55° was better than 70°. - -The men were well fed, and admirably cared for generally. The French -Government put the best of their stores at the disposition of the -ambulances, and treated them with the greatest liberality. There was -always plenty of canned fruit, jellies, etc., in Paris, so valuable -in sickness. The ladies bought these, and brought them to the -wounded. Tobacco was provided in the same way for the convalescents. - -The American ambulance was soon so well and so favorably known, that -I heard of French officers who put cards in their pocket-books, on -which they had written the request that if they were wounded they -might be carried to _l'ambulance américaine_. - -The great drawback we had to contend with was the impossibility of -procuring new tents. Dr. Swinburne told me that at home they would -have been condemned after a month's use, and new ones substituted. -But in Europe the cloth is not to be had. We use cotton cloth, the -French use linen. Cotton is lighter, is more porous in dry and fulls -in wet weather. The result is that the air filters through it in the -one case, and the water does not penetrate it in the other. In the -absence of new canvas, the doctor thoroughly fumigated the old from -time to time. This answered the purpose tolerably well, but did not -exhibit the tent system in its perfection. - -We had now reached the middle of January, and the end of the -siege was rapidly approaching. The want of proper food, especially -for young children, was producing its necessary results; and the -death-rate had risen from about eight hundred--which is the average -number of weekly deaths in Paris--to four thousand, and this without -counting those in hospital which may be set down at one thousand -more. The number of poor Germans supported by the Legation had also -increased very greatly, and had risen to twenty-four hundred. We -were compelled to hire another room, where the weekly allowance -made them was paid and duly entered in books kept for this purpose; -for every penny expended was regularly entered and vouched for. The -poor German women were obliged to walk two or three miles on those -cold winter days; for the workmen's quarter is far from that of the -Champs Elysées. Mr. Washburne pitied these poor creatures, and gave -them omnibus tickets for the return trip. He bought a cask of _vin -ordinaire_, too, and gave a glass of warm sweetened wine to each of -them. It did them infinite good. - -Provisions were now running short; enough remained for a few days -only. Even in this most vital matter there was blundering. A -gentleman high placed in the office of the Minister of Commerce, the -_ministère_ which had charge of the supplies, told Mr. Washburne that -there were provisions in Paris to last till March. We could hardly -credit it, but it came to us from such high authority that we were -staggered. He spoke positively, and said he had seen the figures. -After the surrender this gentleman met a mutual friend, and said, "I -am afraid your minister must take me for either a liar or a fool. I -hope I am neither. The mistake we made at the _ministère_ happened -in this way: the minister appointed two officers; each was to take -an account of all the food in Paris, in order that one account might -control the other. When their statements came in, he added them -together, but forgot to divide them by two." - -Meantime we were being bombarded, but after a very mild fashion. I -have since talked with a German general who commanded at the quarter -whence most of the shells entered the city. He assured me that there -never was the slightest intention to bombard Paris. If there had -been, it would have been done in a very different style. The German -batteries fired from a height upon a fort in the hollow, and their -shells, flying high, entered Paris. Still, when nearly two hundred -lives were lost, and shells fell among us for nineteen days, people -had a right to say that they were bombarded, and no Parisian will -admit to this day that they were not. Artillery-men of all nations -become not only very careless, but very wanton. The Germans were -eager to hit something, and the public buildings of the Latin Quarter -offered a tempting mark to the gunners. I was complaining to a -French officer one day of the shameful manner in which the French -Government troops during the Commune bombarded the quarter of the -Champs Elysées, a quarter inhabited almost exclusively by friends of -the Government, who were longing for the troops to come in. He told -me that it was due to the wantonness of the artillery-men, and cited -an instance which came under his own observation. A gunner at Mount -Valérien pointed out to the captain of the gun a cart making its -slow way through the distant plain toward Paris, and exclaimed, "O, -my officer! see that cart carrying supplies to the enemy." "Where, -where?" "There, near that white house." "Give it a shell." He fired, -missed half a dozen times, but finally hit. It turned out to be -the cart of a poor washer-woman, carrying the week's wash to her -customers. - -A few days before the surrender bad news came thick and fast. A -sortie in the direction of Mount Valérien had been repulsed. Chanzy -had been defeated. All hope of aid from that quarter had vanished, -and but a few days' provisions remained. Will it be believed that -even then Trochu "paltered in a double sense" with the suffering -people? He published a proclamation in which he said the "Governor of -Paris would never surrender." The next day he resigned, and appointed -no successor. When, three days later, the city surrendered there was -no Governor of Paris. - -But even to the last moment there were people who had confidence -in Trochu's proclamation. The Parisians are credulous, and readily -believe what they wish to believe. Among the populace there was -always a sort of half belief in the "Plan Trochu," which, as he often -told us, when all else failed, was to save France. This plan he kept -mysteriously to himself, or confided it only to a few bosom-friends. -But I had it from a source I thought entitled to belief, that Trochu -confidently anticipated a miracle in his favor in return for his -devotion. St. Genevieve was to appear and save Paris. It is almost -impossible to believe that, in the nineteenth century, and in that -skeptical capital, a man of intelligence, cultivation, and varied -experience, could be found who believed in a miraculous appearance of -the saint; but Trochu was a strange compound of learning, ability, -weakness, and fanaticism, and I have little doubt that he confidently -anticipated the personal intervention of St. Genevieve to save her -beloved city. - -On the 24th of January, Vinoy took command. He suppressed the clubs, -seized the violent press, and took other energetic measures. A mob -attacked Mazas, and released the prisoners. They then tried the Hôtel -de Ville a second time; but they had now a different commander to -deal with, and they were beaten off with ease. Mr. Washburne and I -happened to be in the neighborhood of the Hôtel de Ville, and saw -something of this affair. We did not stay to the end, however, for we -felt that it was not the proper place for us, accredited as we were -to the Government the mob was attempting to overthrow. Had Vinoy or -Ducrot been in command from the beginning, the result might have been -different. There was no reason why the National Guard should not have -made good soldiers; but they needed a discipline of iron. They were -permitted to choose their own officers. This of itself was fatal. In -the beginning of our war in some of the States the company officers -were elected by the men. But the men themselves were the first to see -the folly of this course, and petitioned that their officers might be -appointed by the Executive. Had the officers of the National Guard -been appointed by the Government, and when they halted at the barrier -and refused to go farther, had a battery been ordered up, and a dozen -or so of them shot, "_pour encourager les autres_," as the French -said of Admiral Byng, they might have given a very different account -of themselves in their combats with the Germans. - -On the 27th of January, with seven days' provisions only in Paris, -with every man, woman, and child on the shortest possible allowance, -the city surrendered. An armistice was agreed upon, which was not, -however, to apply to the armies of the East operating toward Lyons. -It is said that the French commander in that quarter was not notified -that the armistice did not extend to him. He was attacked, caught -napping, and defeated. - -If I recollect correctly, it was Bourbaki who was defeated in the -East. Bourbaki is the type of the _beau militaire_ of the French -Empire. A dashing, gallant soldier, he had distinguished himself and -gained his promotion by scaling the walls of an Arab town at the -head of his troops, armed with a light riding-whip only. But these -were not the men then wanted at the head of the French armies. When -Bourbaki was defeated, and his army in retreat, making its disorderly -way to Switzerland, and needing all its General's care and attention, -he attempted to commit suicide. In the German service he would -undoubtedly have been tried for desertion. In France every thing is -pardoned to a man who acts under the influence of strong emotion; and -Bourbaki was never even blamed for leaving his army to its fate. - - - - -CHAPTER XIX. - - Election in France.--Terms of Peace.--Germans enter Paris.--Their - Martial Appearance.--American Apartments occupied.--Washburne - remonstrates.--Attitude of Parisians.--The Germans evacuate - Paris.--Victualing the City.--Aid from England and the - United States.--Its Distribution.--Sisters of Charity. - - -During the armistice an election took place. The Assembly met at -Bordeaux late in February, and steps were taken toward peace. All -sorts of rumors were current as to the terms, and it was said that -they were so severe that France must fight on at all hazards rather -than accept them. Ten milliards, it was rumored, were to be paid -(two thousand millions of dollars). Alsace and Lorraine and a French -colony were to be given up, and a number of French men-of-war made -over to Germany. The preliminaries were finally agreed upon: five -milliards were to be paid, and Alsace and Lorraine transferred. -German troops were to occupy Mount Valérien and to enter Paris, and -hold a part of it until peace was definitively signed. The Crown -Prince was reported to have been opposed to the troops entering the -capital, as humiliating to the French, and not a military necessity; -but he was overruled. - -On the 1st of March I was awakened by military music. I had not -heard any for a long time, the French bands having been broken up. I -hurried out, and found that the Germans were entering Paris. First -came the traditional Uhlans. The safety with which these troops rode -in pairs through a great part of France was a curious feature of the -war. They were followed by their supports. Then came a mixed band of -about one thousand troops, representing all arms and the different -German nationalities. They were sent as an advance-guard to secure -and prepare the quarters assigned the troops by the _maires_. In the -mean time, the Emperor was holding a review at Longchamps, on the -very field where, three years and a half before, he had assisted at -the review of sixty thousand French troops by the Emperor Napoleon, -and it was not until the afternoon that the main body, the Prussian -Guard, the Saxons, and the Bavarians, marched into the city. They -occupied the quarter of the Champs Elysées, extending as far as the -Place de la Concorde--in all about one-eighth of Paris. - -This was a busy day for me. Mr. Washburne was overrun with -_concierges_ and servants complaining that the Prussians were -occupying American apartments. I went to the mayor of the -arrondissement. He said that he had quartered the Germans impartially -upon all the householders; that the French law exempted apartments -of an annual value of less than one hundred dollars; that in his -arrondissement, as I knew, the apartments were either remarkably good -or remarkably poor; that the good ones were occupied principally by -foreigners, and that the poor ones were exempt. From the mayor I -went to the German commander occupying the house of Queen Christine -on the Champs Elysées, and was told at his head-quarters that they -had nothing to say in the matter; that they had requisitioned a -certain number of rooms from the French authorities, and that they -must go where those authorities sent them, and had no right to go -elsewhere; that it was then too late to make any change that day, -but that if Mr. Washburne would find them quarters elsewhere, they -would cheerfully vacate all American apartments the next day. In the -mean time Washburne had been to Jules Favre. Favre told him that -there was every prospect that the terms of peace would be accepted -by the Assembly at Bordeaux that evening, and that the Germans, in -accordance with the treaty, would leave Paris the next day. They were -accepted that evening; but Bismarck wished to give as many German -troops as possible an opportunity to enter Paris, and so refused to -accept the telegraphic announcement of the acceptance of the treaty -by the Assembly. The next day the written official notice arrived, -and the day after Paris was evacuated. The Germans remained in Paris -three days. They did no harm. I heard of nothing missing but a few -blankets. By the terms of the treaty thirty thousand were to occupy -Paris. It was rumored that the garrison was changed every night, and -that ninety thousand entered in all. - -The attitude of the people of Paris toward the conquerors was, upon -the whole, excellent. They staid away from the occupied quarter, -and minded their own business. In this quarter the shops were all -closed, except a few restaurants and cafés that the Germans insisted -should be opened. Some of these cafés were afterward gutted by the -mob, which was rather hard on the owners, as they had been compelled -to open them. But a mob is never just. Some few of the populace -fraternized with the invaders, and were to be seen talking amicably -with them; and some of the rougher element attempted to create a -disturbance, but were soon overawed by the great numbers and martial -bearing of the conquerors. While only thirty thousand were in Paris, -there can be little doubt that a hundred thousand were within a -half-hour's march, ready to enter to the assistance of their comrades -if needed. Indeed, I imagine that all the troops who passed in review -before the Emperor at Longchamps either occupied Paris, or were -bivouacked in the Bois during the three days of the occupation. - -They had come in very quietly, and with military precautions against -surprise. They went out with a flourish of trumpets. They had -bivouacked in large numbers about the Arch, and their camp-fires -lighted up the inscriptions on that magnificent monument recording -the victories of French over German arms. It certainly is most -creditable to the conquerors that they did the Arch no harm. Few -nations would have been so magnanimous. The weather was perfect, the -night mild and balmy, the moon nearly full, and the beautiful German -camp-songs, admirably sung, resounded in the stillness of the hour -till ten o'clock struck, when perfect silence reigned in the camp. -When the Germans entered Paris, they marched round the Arch; when -they went out they took down the chains which inclose it, and every -regiment of infantry and cavalry, and every battery of artillery -passed directly under it, drums beating, colors flying, and the men -cheering as they passed. They were gloriously repaid for the trials -of the campaign. - -Ten days passed after the surrender, and apparently the French -authorities had made no provision to revictual Paris. There was no -beef, to speak of, in the city, and very little mutton. The bread -remained the same wretched dark stuff, one-third flour, two-thirds -pease, beans, oats, rice, straw--in fact, any refuse. Delicious -white bread, fresh butter, and eggs were to be bought of the German -soldiers just beyond the barriers; and any one who took the trouble, -and had the means, could procure these luxuries at reasonable -prices. The peasants sold them to the German soldiers, and they -were permitted to resell them at a small profit. The first train of -provisions to enter Paris was sent by the citizens of London, to -their credit be it spoken. Will it be believed that considerable -difficulty was experienced in finding persons willing to take the -trouble to distribute this food gratuitously? It was done to a very -limited extent at the _mairies_. The great dry-goods establishment -of the Bon Marché distributed a portion; but much was stored in the -Halles de l'Abondance for want of distribution, and burned up when -that establishment was destroyed during the Commune. I remember -hearing a Chauvin of the Assembly at Versailles pitch into the -English for coming over after the Commune to visit Paris in her -desolation. He was answered by Jules Favre, as happily as truly, that -"the English, before they organized their trains of pleasure, had -organized their trains of relief." - -In this connection let me state that more than two millions of -dollars were sent from the United States. At least two cargoes of -provisions arrived at Havre, our Government supplying the vessels. -No one could be found to distribute the supplies. The French are so -government-ridden that they are unable to take the initiative in any -thing for themselves. I have seen a strong, bold man, a guide in the -Pyrenees, stand wringing his hands and crying, while his house was -on fire, waiting for the soldiers to come and save his furniture -and put out the flames. One of the shiploads of provisions I speak -of was sent to London, sold there, and the proceeds distributed to -the poor of France. Part of the relief sent was distributed through -the Government, but experience showed this method to be slow--there -was too much red-tape about it. The funds were finally placed in -the hands of American ladies and gentlemen residing at Paris and -Versailles, whose knowledge of France and acquaintance with French -people gave them the means of making a judicious distribution. A part -was expended by a committee of ladies, of which Madame MacMahon was -the President; something was placed at the disposal of the Countess -of Paris, out of regard for her husband, who had served in our army -during the war; and a very large portion was distributed through the -Sisters of Charity. Nothing could be more judicious, and at the same -time more thoroughly business-like, than the manner in which these -admirable women disposed of the money intrusted to them, rendering a -voucher for every franc they expended. One felt that every penny in -their hands had been placed where it was most needed, and would do -most good. - -Mr. Washburne left Paris early in February for Brussels, where his -family were residing, and where, by-the-way, a very large number of -our Parisian Americans had taken refuge. But he came back in a week, -feeling quite poorly. He had been so overrun with visitors making -inquiries or asking favors, that he had had no rest, and so returned -to the lately beleaguered city for a little quiet. I remained until -the Germans had made their triumphal entry, and their more triumphal -departure, and then got leave and went to London to join my family. - - - - -CHAPTER XX. - - The Commune.--Murder of French Generals.--The National Guard of - Order.--It disbands.--The Reasons.--Flight of the Government to - Versailles.--Thiers.--Attempts to reorganize National Guard.--An - American arrested by Commune.--Legation intervenes.--His Discharge. - --His Treatment.--Reign of King Mob.--"_Démonstrations Pacifiques._" - --Absurd Decrees of the Commune.--Destruction of the Vendôme - Column. - - -But it has rarely been my lot, in the course of my official life, -to enjoy an uninterrupted leave of absence. The present was no -exception. I was scarcely fairly installed in England, and fighting -"my battles o'er again," and showing "how fields were lost", when -there came a telegram from Mr. Washburne telling me that there were -disturbances in Paris, and that I must return immediately. Some of -the National Guard of the Belleville and Montmartre quarters had -taken advantage of the confusion reigning immediately after the -surrender, and seized several field-guns and mitrailleuses, and -carried them off to their fastnesses on Montmartre. They now refused -to surrender them; and when the Government attempted to take them, -the troops fraternized with the mob, and deserted their generals, -Lecompte and Thomas, whom the Communists forthwith shot. It was said -that Count Bismarck had urged the disarming of the National Guard at -the time of the surrender. Trochu's Government had refused. They must -have bitterly regretted it afterward. - -On my return I entered Paris by the Gare St. Lazare. That usually -peaceful temple of traffic was thronged by _Gardes Nationaux_--"The -National Guard of Order," they called themselves, or were called, to -distinguish them from the Communists. These gentlemen appeared to be -enjoying themselves. They were comfortably housed in the building, -and lounged and chatted there, not without frequent visits to the -neighboring cafés. I found that they held the Grand Hotel, and the -new Opera-house, both strong positions, and within easy supporting -distance of each other. They also held the Bourse, the Bank of -France, the "Finances," and many other "coignes of vantage." But -"coignes of vantage" are of very little use when the heart to defend -them is lacking. In a very few days these men, outnumbering the -Communists two or three to one, backed by the power of the Government -and the wealth of Paris, and by the moral support of the Germans and -of the civilized world, had disbanded, taken refuge in flight, and -left their families, and their property, and their beautiful city to -the tender mercies of the mob. - -It was a matter of the utmost astonishment to me, and to every one -with whom I conversed, that the National Guard of Order should -have behaved as they did. I never understood it till I talked -with my barber just after his battalion had disbanded, and before -he had escaped to London. They got tired of sleeping away from -their families, getting their meals irregularly, and having to pay -restaurant-prices for them. They were in a state of disgust, too, -with the Government, who refused to pass an act to relieve them from -their rents accrued during the siege. My barber was an excellent -representative of his class, the _petite bourgeoisie_; a well-to-do -man, employing two apprentices, making a good livelihood, and laying -by something for a _dot_ for his children--economical, intelligent, -sober. He belonged to the most respectable battalion in the city, -that of the quarter of the "Finances." I expressed my surprise at -their disbanding. He said that the Government would do nothing for -them, so they would do nothing for the Government: it might put down -the _émeute_ itself. So they abandoned their property and their homes -and their idolized Paris, shut up their shops, and ran away. - -The relations between the Government and the governed in France are -difficult for an American to understand. In the United States and in -England the Government is _our_ government, its interests are _our_ -interests, and we stand by and defend it, not only because it is our -duty to do so, but because it is _ours_. This feeling does not exist -in France among the masses, the _petit commerce_ and the peasantry. -They look upon the Government as a foreign body which has somehow -or other--it matters very little how--got possession of power. As -long as it preserves order, prevents crime, insures prosperity, and -gratifies vanity by foreign conquests, it is firmly seated; but -the moment it ceases to be able to do all this, let it go, and try -another. - -It is a strange notion of the duties of a Government that it must -insure prosperity; but it prevails very generally among the masses -in France, and is not unknown among the uneducated classes in other -countries. The theory of the Long Island fisherman is more generally -acted upon than is acknowledged: "He knew Governor Dix, and he liked -Governor Dix, but he hadn't averaged an eel to a pot all summer; and -he thought he would try a new governor." - -The conduct of the Government, or, rather, that of M. Thiers--for -at that time Thiers was the Government, and he might have said with -perfect truth, "_L'état c'est moi_"--has been much and harshly -criticised. Whether this criticism is just or not, depends upon the -loyalty or disloyalty of the troops. If they were true to their -colors and ready to fight the mob, as they afterward did, there -never was a more cowardly and disgraceful surrender than the retreat -to Versailles, as unwise and unmilitary as it was cowardly, for it -discouraged the respectable citizens, and abandoned to the mob all -the advantages of position, immense war material, and the unbounded -wealth of the capital. It was proceeding upon Artemus Ward's military -plan. Artemus said that if he were in a city with fifty thousand men, -besieged by an enemy with fifty thousand men, he would open the gates -and march out, and let them march in, and then besiege them. Artemus -and M. Thiers appear to have studied in the same military school. But -if, as Thiers alleged, the army could not be relied upon, but were -ready to raise the butts of their muskets "_en air_" and fraternize -with the Communists, then there never was a wiser movement: it was -truly a "masterly retreat." Had what Thiers apprehended happened, -had the troops fraternized with the mob, a movement which was only -an insurrection--a bloody one, it is true, but confined to one -city--would have spread over France, and there would have been -a repetition, with aggravation, of all the horrors of the first -Revolution. - -Before the National Guard of Order disbanded, several -well-intentioned efforts were made by officers of rank to effect -an organization among the citizens against the insurgents. Admiral -de Saissy either volunteered, or was sent by the Government, to -take command. He made his head-quarters at the Grand Hôtel, within -a stone's-throw of the Communists intrenched in the Place Vendôme. -Here they were isolated, far from their supports at Belleville and -Montmartre. Why the Admiral did not place a battery in position -in the Tuileries Gardens, commanding the Place Vendôme by the Rue -Castiglione, or why he did not simply starve the Communists out, I -never knew: probably he could not depend upon his men. I am confirmed -in this belief by a circumstance which happened within my own -observation. Two or three French gentlemen called at the Legation one -morning, to say that a young American friend, a Mr. Delpit, of New -Orleans, had been arrested by the Communists, and was then a prisoner -in the Place Vendôme, and would probably be dragged that day before -a Communist court-martial, condemned, and shot. Mr. Washburne was -at Versailles. I immediately sent his private secretary, an attaché -of the Legation, furnished with all the necessary documents, to -his relief. In a very short time Mr. M'Kean returned, after a most -successful mission. He had seen Delpit, he had seen the insurgent -authorities, and they had promised to discharge their prisoner that -very day. They did so. The next day he came up to thank us for our -prompt intervention in his behalf, which had undoubtedly saved his -life. I naturally asked him how he happened to be arrested. He said -that he had gone to see Admiral de Saissy, whom he knew, at the Grand -Hôtel; that the Admiral was very anxious to send a dispatch to a -distant part of the city; that the Admiral's aid was ready to start, -but that there appeared to be a very unanimous indisposition on the -part of the officers of the National Guard to accompany him; that -thereupon he volunteered. The Admiral jumped at the offer, and said, -"_You_ will go, I know; _you_ are an American; _you_ are not afraid." -A French commander must have been very much provoked by the conduct -of the officers about him to use such language in their presence. -Delpit and the aid started, but had gone but a little way, when they -were surrounded by a squad of the insurgents, who ordered them to -halt. Delpit drew his revolver, and threatened to shoot, while he -told his companion to run. The aid escaped. The insurgents leveled -their pieces, and were about to fire, when Delpit, seeing that his -companion had escaped, concluded that discretion was the better part -of valor, and surrendered. They disarmed him, treating him very -roughly, and one of them--a negro--spat in his face. They shut him -up in a cellar in the Place Vendôme, and it was likely to go hard -with him, when M'Kean appeared upon the scene. Delpit told me that -when they found that he was cared for by the Legation, their conduct -changed marvelously. They treated him with the greatest respect, and -the colored brother who had spit in his face was particularly marked -in his attentions. Delpit has since distinguished himself as a poet. -His work on the siege of Paris was crowned by the Academy, and he is -the author of a successful play, which means much in France. - -But Admiral de Saissy had had enough of it. He gave it up, and went -back to Versailles. The National Guard of Order disbanded, and King -Mob reigned triumphant. - -At first King Mob was a good-natured monarch. He collected a lot of -pitch-pine torches, and lighted them on top of the Vendôme Column. -The effect was good. He made bonfires, fired off guns, organized -processions, made speeches; in fact, behaved like any first-class -American city on the Fourth of July. This did not last long, however. -The tiger soon showed his claws. The party of order, having given -up their arms and disbanded, proceeded to organize what they called -a "_démonstration pacifique_," designed to produce a moral effect -upon a horde of savages. They paraded the streets in large numbers -unarmed. The first day's procession was rather a success. It was -a novelty, and took. The second day's was not so successful. They -marched up the Rue de la Paix, intending, in the grandeur of their -moral strength, to pass straight through the Place Vendôme, the -tiger's lair. The barricades were to disappear at their approach, -the insurgents were to throw themselves into their arms, and there -was to be one huge kiss of peace and reconciliation. Unfortunately, -things did not turn out as set down in the bills. The barriers did -not melt away, and the insurgents refused to kiss and make friends. -On the contrary, they opened fire on the procession, and several of -its numbers were killed. It was a well-meant effort, but Quixotic to -the last degree. - -And now the tiger had tasted blood, and his appetite grew by what -it fed on. But his rage increased by degrees, advancing from one -atrocity to another, till it culminated in the slaughter of the -hostages. - -There was a mixture of the ridiculous with the infamous in the -early acts of the Commune. Its members were very numerous; so, for -working purposes they appointed a "Committee of Public Safety," -which very soon belied its name. These men appointed the ministers. -To call a man "Minister of War" was not democratic, so they called -him "_citoyen délégué au Ministère de la Guerre_." The title of -"General" they found inconsistent with the simplicity of republican -institutions, and so suppressed it. "Colonel" could pass muster, -but "General" was too aristocratic for their dainty ears. Then they -found that, like other mere mortals, they must live and provide for -their families. It was so much easier to pillage a shop than to work! -The shop-keeper should be proud to contribute to the well-being of -the brave defenders of the Republic! Then they published a decree -seizing all the workshops, that they might be occupied by Communist -workmen on the co-operative system. A jury was to be appointed--by -the Commune, of course--to assess the value of the property, and -compensation was to be made to the owner. As a practical measure, -this was not a success. The workmen found it pleasanter to play -soldier, and to take what they wanted, than to work even on the -co-operative system. So the workshops generally remained in the hands -of their owners. Next they commenced the work of demolition, and -almost equaled the great Haussmann in this respect. They pulled down -the house of M. Thiers (the Assembly has since built him a better -one); and they passed decrees to tear down the houses of Jules Favre -and other members of the Government, and confiscate their property. -Happily the patriots to whom the execution of these decrees was -intrusted were not perfectly immaculate; they could generally _be -seen_. In this way much less irreparable injury was done than might -have been expected. - -One of their follies was the destruction of the Colonne Vendôme. An -eminent artist--Courbet--who was a member of the Commune, said that -it offended his artistic taste. Others of this band of brothers said -that it perpetuated the victory of war over peace; that it kept alive -a feeling of triumph in the conquerors and revenge in the conquered; -that the peoples should be brothers, etc., etc. So they pulled it -down; and the present Government forthwith rebuilt it, and the courts -have condemned M. Courbet to pay the expense. - -When the Column was pulled down, all the shop-windows within half a -mile were pasted over with strips of paper to prevent their being -broken by the shock. It fell, and people two hundred yards off did -not know that any thing unusual had happened. It was a question much -discussed how far the prostrate Column would reach. Its length was -generally much overestimated. It was thought that it would extend at -least one hundred feet into the Rue de la Paris. It did not enter -the street, nor even cross the Place Vendôme. The bronze plates -were nearly all saved. Some few were disposed of by the Communist -soldiers. One was sold by a sailor to a lady for five hundred francs. -He afterward denounced her to the Government, and got five hundred -francs more for doing so. A profitable transaction! One was sold to -an American, and made the voyage to New York, where it was found by -the French Consul, reclaimed, and returned to Paris. - - - - -CHAPTER XXI. - - Diplomatic Corps moves to Versailles.--Journey there and back.--Life - at Versailles.--German Princes.--Battle at Clamart.--Unburied - Insurgents.--Bitterness of Class Hatred.--Its Probable Causes.--United - States Post-office at Versailles.--The Archbishop of Paris.--Attempts - to save his Life.--Washburne's Kindness to him.--Blanqui.--Archbishop - murdered.--Ultramontanism.--Bombardment by Government.--My Apartment - struck.--Capricious Effects of Shells.--Injury to Arch of Triumph. - --Bas-reliefs of Peace and War. - - -As soon as the Government had moved to Versailles, the diplomatic -corps followed. Mr. Washburne hired a large room in the Rue de -Mademoiselle (the sister of Louis XIV.--all Versailles bears the -impress of the reign of that monarch). This room had to do for -office, bedroom, and sitting-room; for Versailles was crowded, and -we were lucky to get any thing so comfortable. As we had far more -to do at Paris than at Versailles, and Paris was then, as always, -the seat of attraction, Mr. Washburne spent four days of the week in -that city, and three at Versailles, and I alternated with him. We had -passes from both sides. I made the trip twice a week, and sometimes -under considerable difficulties. I have traveled more than thirty -miles to reach Paris from Versailles, a distance of nine miles, -partly in a diligence, partly on foot, partly in flat-boats to cross -the Seine where the French had most unnecessarily blown up their own -beautiful bridges, and partly by rail. I suppose that I am better -acquainted with the westerly environs of Paris than any foreigner but -a medical student. Some of the drives in the months of April and May, -especially one by Sceaux and Fontaine-les-Roses, and up the valley of -the Bièvre, are very lovely. - -But after a while we had a regular organized line by St. Denis. -The Germans occupied this town, and insisted upon keeping open the -railroad into Paris, the Chemin de Fer du Nord. They said that under -the treaty they had a right to draw certain supplies from France, -and that Paris was the most convenient place to draw them from, and -from Paris they meant to draw them; and that if the Communists did -not keep the Porte St. Denis open, _they_ would. The Commune always -had a wholesome fear of the Germans; this was all that restrained -them from even greater outrages than they perpetrated; and they hated -the Germans less than they did their own countrymen at Versailles. -In going to Versailles we took the train to St. Denis; there we -hired a carriage, or took the public conveyance, and so drove to -our destination, a trip of about three hours in all: or we drove -out by the Porte St. Denis, and so all the way to Versailles. This -was generally my route, for a number of American and French friends -asked me to bring their horses and carriages from the ill-fated city. -If the Communist officers at the gates were close observers, they -must have thought that I was the owner of one of the largest and -best-appointed stables in Paris. - -There was very little to do at Versailles, and perhaps less to -eat. The Government was there, and the Assembly, and the Corps -Diplomatique, and consequently the crowd of people who had business -with these bodies, thronged to that city. At the restaurants it -was a struggle to get any thing; and when you got it, it was not -precisely in the Café Anglais style. I found two or three pleasant -American families who had wintered here very quietly during the -German occupation. They had had no occasion to complain of their -treatment. At the Hôtel de France I found Dr. Hosmer, the intelligent -and cultivated principal correspondent of the _Herald_. That -enterprising journal had its staff of couriers, who were always at -our service during those days of irregular postal communication. At -the Hôtel des Réservoirs several German princes, officers of the -army, were lodged--intelligent, agreeable, cultivated gentlemen. They -were only too glad to have the pleasure of the society of American -ladies, for of course they could not visit the French; and no class -of men long for and appreciate ladies' society like educated officers -on campaign in an enemy's country. They eagerly accepted invitations -to dine with my friends for a double reason, the pleasure of their -society, and that of a good dinner; for the French cook never could -manage, though of course he did his best, to cook a good dinner for -the Germans, and the landlord was always just out of that favorite -brand of Champagne. - -The day after my first arrival at Versailles I made an excursion to -the battle-field at Clamart, near Meudon. The Communists had been -defeated there the day before. I had "assisted" at the battle from -the Paris side. In attempting to reach Versailles in that direction, -I found myself in the midst of the insurgents, and under the fire -of the troops. The manner in which the insurgents behaved had not -given me a very exalted idea of their soldierly qualities. It was -all confusion, talking, drinking, and panic. A mob of them surged up -to the gate, and demanded admission. It was refused, and they were -ordered back to their regiments. But the crowd increased, and became -more clamorous. The principles of fraternity forbade the guard to -keep their brethren out in the cold, where the naughty Versaillais -might pounce upon them; so the draw-bridge fell, the gates opened, -and the runaways entered. - -When I visited the battle-field, many of the dead still lay -unburied, while the soldiers lounged about with their hands in those -everlasting pockets, and looking with the most perfect indifference -upon their dead countrymen. The class hatred which exists in France -is something we have no idea of, and I trust that we never shall. It -is bitter, relentless, and cruel; and is, no doubt, a sad legacy of -the bloody Revolution of 1789, and of the centuries of oppression -which preceded it. At the beginning of the war the peasants in one of -the villages not far from Paris thrust a young nobleman into a ditch, -and there burned him to death with the stubble from the fields. They -had nothing particular against him, except that he was a nobleman. -In Paris the mob threw the gendarmes, when they caught them, into -the Seine, and when they attempted to struggle out upon the banks -hacked off their hands. On the battle-field I have referred to, the -_frères chrétiens_, a most devoted and excellent body of men, were -moving about on their errands of mercy. Seeing these unburied bodies, -they went to the commanding officer, and begged him to detail a -party to bury them. He did it to oblige them. As the soldiers lifted -one of the dead, a young American who accompanied me said, "Why, he -hasn't a bad face after all!" At once the soldiers looked at him with -suspicion, the officer asked him who he was, and, upon being told, -advised him not to express any such sentiments again. - -Our principal occupation at Versailles was keeping a post-office -for Americans in Paris. M. Rampont, the _directeur des postes_, -had escaped, with all his staff, and established the office at -Versailles. The archives of the bureau of the Avenue Joséphine -were placed in our Legation. The Communists were angry enough to -find themselves cut off from all postal communication with the -departments. It diminished their chances of success. The only means -Americans had of communicating with their friends in Paris was to -send their letters to the care of the Legation at Versailles. We -have received as many as fifty in one day. Two or three times a -week we took or sent them to Paris. They were there mailed by the -Legation, and distributed by the rebel post-office. It cost Uncle -Samuel a penny or two, but he and his representatives at Washington -did not grumble. - -The only episode of interest that occurred at Versailles was our -attempt to save the life of the Archbishop of Paris. He had been -arrested by the Commune, and held as a hostage for the release of -some of their own rag, tag, and bobtail. One day the Pope's Nuncio -called to see Mr. Washburne. He was in Paris. The Nonce thereupon -explained his business to me, and afterward sent two canons of the -Metropolitan Church to see me. They came to beg Mr. Washburne to -do all in his power to save the life of the Archbishop, which they -considered to be in imminent danger. They had already tried one or -more European embassies, but were met with the answer that they could -have nothing to do with the Commune. They handed me their papers, -and I went at once to Paris. Mr. Washburne took up the matter with -his accustomed energy and kindliness. He got permission to see the -prisoner. He took him books and newspapers and old wine. He did -all in his power to negotiate an exchange with Blanqui, a veteran -agitator held by the Government. The Commune consented, but the -Versailles authorities would not. M. Thiers consulted his ministers -and his council of deputies. They were unanimously of opinion that -they could hold no dealings with the Commune. It was then proposed to -let Blanqui escape, and that thereupon the Archbishop should escape -too, and that there need be no negotiations whatever. This M. Thiers -declined. - -Matters were complicated by the conduct of the Vicar-general Lagarde. -He had been a prisoner with the Archbishop, and had been released -for the purpose of bringing letters to Versailles with a view to -negotiate the proposed exchange, and on condition that he should -return. Once safely at Versailles, he declined to go back. His -pretext was that M. Thiers's letter in reply to the Archbishop's was -sealed, and that he could not carry back a sealed letter in reply to -one unsealed. I remember the sad and resigned, but not bitter tone, -in which the Archbishop wrote of this desertion, and the exceedingly -cautious terms in which the Pope's Nuncio referred to it. - -But Mr. Washburne's untiring efforts were in vain. He had to contend -with the _vis inertia_ of French bureaucracy, and he who can move -this mass must be ten times a Hercules. - -The Archbishop was murdered; but Blanqui, whom the French Government -held with so relentless a grip, was condemned to a year or two's -imprisonment only. - -I thought at that time, and think still, that no determined effort -was made to save the Archbishop's life, except by two or three canons -of his Church, and by the Minister of the United States. The French -authorities certainly were lukewarm in the matter. The Archbishop -was a Gallican, a liberal Catholic, notably so. Had he been an -Ultramontane, I think that the extreme Right of the Assembly--the -Legitimists--would have so exerted themselves that his life would -have been saved. M. Thiers occupied a difficult position. He was -suspected by the Legitimists of coquetting with the radicals, and of -having no serious intention of putting down the insurrection. The -suspicion was, of course, unfounded; but it may have prevented him -from entering upon those informal negotiations which would probably -have resulted in the release of the prisoner. - -I once expressed these views to a lady in Paris, herself a liberal -Catholic. She would not admit them to be true. Some weeks later, I -met her again, and she told me that she believed that I was right; -that she had heard such sentiments expressed by Legitimist ladies, -that she was satisfied that there was an influential, if not a large, -class of Ultramontanes, to whom the death of the Archbishop was not -unwelcome. He has been succeeded by a noted Ultramontane. - -Meantime the army was being rapidly reorganized. The Imperial Guard, -and other _corps d'élite_, had returned from Germany, where they had -been prisoners of war. Marshal MacMahon took command. Why M. Thiers -did not then assault the city, and carry it, as he undoubtedly could -have done, was a matter of surprise to every one, and especially to -those whose lives and property lay at the mercies of the Commune. -But Thiers had built the fortifications of Paris. He looked upon -them with a paternal eye. To him they were not like other men's -fortifications. They were impregnable to ordinary assault, and could -only be taken by regular approaches. How I wished that Guizot had -built them! We might have been saved a month of danger, loss, and -intense anxiety. - -On my weekly visit to Paris I had a better opportunity to observe the -progress of events than if I had staid there without interruption, -while my residence of three days gave me ample occasion to appreciate -the full pleasures of the bombardment. It must always be a mystery -why the French bombarded so persistently the quarter of the Arch of -Triumph--the West End of Paris--the quarter where nine out of ten -of the inhabitants were known friends of the Government. They had -their regular hours for this _divertissement_, for so they seemed -to regard it. They took a turn at it before breakfast, to give them -an appetite; and at five o'clock in the morning I was waked by the -shells from Mont Valérien bursting and crashing in the Place de -l'Etoile. About noon they went at it again, and when I went home to -breakfast (_anglice_ lunch), I had to dodge round corners, and take -refuge behind stone columns. Then, just before sunset, they always -favored us with an evening gun, for good-night. The days, too, were -so confoundedly long at that season of the year--April and May--and -the weather provokingly fine. How I longed for a delicious London fog! - -I remember one day, as I dodged behind a stone pillar in the Rue -de Presbourg to avoid a coming shell, the _concierge_ called me in. -I went into his _loge_, but declined to go into the cellar, where -his wife and children had taken refuge. He had two _loges_, and I -strongly advised him to move into the unoccupied one as the safer of -the two, for I had observed that the shells generally passed easily -enough through one stone wall, but were arrested by a second. He took -my advice. The next day a shell from one of their evening guns fell -into the window of the _loge_ he had left, passed through the floor -into the cellar, and there exploded, and tore every thing to pieces. - -My own apartment was struck eight times by fragments of shells. -Fortunately but one exploded in the house, and that two stories above -me. It shattered the room into which it fell fearfully, but, strange -to say, did no damage in the adjoining rooms. Happily the apartment -was unoccupied. The tenants, a few days before, had taken advantage -of a law of the Commune which released all tenants from their rent if -they found it inconvenient to pay it, and had decamped, furniture and -all. - -Mr. Washburne advised me to change my residence, as it was not safe. -But I felt that the dignity of the great American people would not -permit even one of its subordinate representatives to leave the -building while a Frenchman remained in it. Mr. Washburne's practice, -too, was not in accordance with his precepts. If we heard of any part -of Paris where shells were likely to burst and bullets to whistle, -Washburne was sure to have important business in that direction. - -I was not in my house when the shell exploded. I generally came home -to dinner after dark. If there is any thing thoroughly disagreeable, -it is to have shells tumbling and bursting about you when you are at -dinner. It is bad enough at breakfast, but the dinner-hour should be -sacred from vulgar intrusion. - -I recollect one day after my midday breakfast, as I left my house, -I saw a knot of men standing on the corner of the Avenue de -l'Impératrice and the Rue de Presbourg; I thought that I would go and -see what was up. Mont Valérien was blazing away at a great rate. As I -joined the group, one of them said, "They'll fire at us soon, seeing -half a dozen people here." He had hardly said so, when there was a -flash, and a puff of smoke, and in a minute we heard the huge shell -hurtling through the air. It missed us, of course, and fell in the -Place, and exploded. All these men were friends of the Government, -and they were looking to Mont Valérien for help, longing for the -troops to come in. This was the protection the Government gave its -friends, "the protection which the vulture gives the lamb, covering -and devouring it." - -About once a week I was called in by some neighboring _concierge_ to -note the damage done by shells in apartments belonging to Americans. -Shells are strangely capricious. One end of No. 8 Rue de Presbourg, -opposite my own residence, was nearly torn to pieces; the other end -was untouched. At No. 12, shell after shell penetrated the kitchen -departments, while the _salons_ were uninjured. I was called to see -the damage done to the _premier_ of No. 8, a beautiful apartment -belonging to a New York lady. A shell had entered the _salon_ and -exploded. I have never seen more thorough destruction. The mirrors -were shattered; the floors and ceilings rent and gaping; sofas, -chairs, and tables upset and broken. In the midst of all this -destruction stood a little table with a lady's work-basket upon it, -the needle in the work, the thimble and scissors on the table, as if -she had left them five minutes before--the only objects unhurt in the -room. It was a touching souvenir of peaceful domestic life in the -midst of the worst ravages of war. - -Mr. Washburne and Lord Lyons complained to Jules Favre of this -persistent bombardment, for the property destroyed and the lives -endangered were largely American and English. He replied that it -was "bad shooting," but he smiled as he said so, and evidently did -not believe it himself. It was sheer wantonness, that irrepressible -desire of artillery-men, of which I have before spoken, to hit -something--an enemy if possible, a friend if no enemy offers. - -It was singular that while so many shells fell in the immediate -neighborhood of the Arch of Triumph, so little serious injury was -done to it. I remarked a curious circumstance in this connection. -The bas-reliefs on the arch facing the Avenue de la Grande Armée are -Peace and War--on the right, as you face the Arch, War; on the left, -Peace. War was very much injured; Peace was scarcely touched. - - - - -CHAPTER XXII. - - Reign of Terror.--Family Quarrels.--The Alsacians, etc., claim - German Nationality.--They leave Paris on our Passes.--Prisoners of - Commune.--Priests and Nuns.--Fragments of Shells.--"Articles - de Paris."--Fearful Bombardment of "Point du Jour."--Arrest of - Cluseret.--Commune Proclamations.--Capture of Paris.--Troops - enter by Undefended Gate.--Their Slow Advance.--Fight at the - Tuileries Gardens.--Communist Women.--Capture of Barricades. - --Cruelties of the Troops.--"Pétroleuses."--Absurd Stories about - them.--Public Buildings fired.--Destruction of Tuileries, etc., etc. - --Narrow Escape of Louvre.--Treatment of Communist Prisoners. - --Presents from Emperor of Germany. - - -As time passed, the puerilities and atrocities of the Commune kept -equal pace. They had taken possession of the public buildings and -raised the red flag upon them, suppressing the tricolor. They now -passed a decree requiring every man to be provided with a _carte -d'identité_; this, they said, was to protect them against Government -spies. They established a bureau of denunciation, where any man -who had a grudge against his neighbor had simply to denounce him -as a Versailles sympathizer, and he was arrested. They closed the -churches, or turned them into clubs. They arrested the priests; -they shut up some of the convents, and imprisoned the nuns. They -confiscated the gold and silver church plate, and turned it into -coin. It was emphatically a "Reign of Terror." It was estimated -that within a month after the outbreak of the Commune three hundred -thousand people left Paris. - -In the clubs they denounced the Legation. They said that Mr. -Washburne was about to call in the Germans at the request of the -diplomatic corps. They proposed to hang him, and to banish the -rest of us. In point of fact, I believe that Mr. Washburne could -have called in the German army at any time. He had only to report -to General Manteuffel that the lives of the Germans in Paris were -in danger, and that he found himself unable to protect them, and -Manteuffel would have occupied Paris at once. But Mr. Washburne never -entertained an idea of doing this. - -Then the Commune began to quarrel among themselves. The Happy Family -was at variance. Strange as it may appear, at the beginning of the -affair, there were many earnest, honest fanatics in Paris who joined -the movement. The first demands of the Commune under the influence -of these men were not unreasonable, in American eyes. They asked -that they might elect their own prefect, and that Paris should not be -garrisoned by Government soldiers. But events soon outstripped these -men; and as they found the city given over to organized pillage--the -Committee of Public Safety meeting in secret, instead of in the light -of open day, as they had promised, and the model republic of which -they had dreamed as much a chimera as ever--they withdrew from the -Government. Over twenty of them withdrew in a body, and published -their reasons for doing so. But the scoundrels who now directed -the movement "cared for none of these things." They had used these -poor enthusiasts while it suited their purpose; now they threw them -overboard, and replied to their manifesto by removing the Committee -of Public Safety as too mild, afflicted with scruples, and appointing -one of a bloodier type, one of its members a murderer. - -During all this time the Legation was beset from morning till night. -The Alsacians and Lorrains residing in Paris, whom the treaty had -made Germans, but who were nevertheless permitted to choose their -nationality, had fully intended to _opter_ for the French, and -refused with indignation a German nationality. But when they found -that to remain French condemned them to the National Guard, while to -become German enabled them to leave Paris, and return to their homes, -they came in shoals to the Legation to ask for German passports. It -was a renewal of the days before the siege, the days of the German -expulsion. Much of Mr. Washburne's time was taken up in visiting -German prisoners, and procuring their discharge, and sometimes that -of French priests and nuns. To procure the release of Germans was no -very difficult task, for the Commune, as I have said, had a wholesome -fear of the Teuton, and "_Civis Germanicus sum_" was an open-sesame -to Communist prison-doors. But to release the poor French nuns was a -more difficult task. Mr. Washburne effected it in many instances; but -it required all his energy and decision. - -And here I must remark how much better and more humane it was to do -as Mr. Washburne did--to hold such communication with the officials -of the Commune as was absolutely necessary, and so save human life, -and mitigate human suffering--than to sit with folded arms, and say, -"Really, I can have nothing to do with those people," and so let -fellow-creatures suffer and perish. - -Where there is a will, there is generally a way. Mr. Washburne was -able to assist and protect indirectly many persons whom he could not -claim as American citizens or German subjects. We could not give a -United States passport to a Frenchman, but we could make him a bearer -of dispatches, give him a courier's pass, and so get him safely out -of Paris. Colonel Bonaparte escaped in this way. He was on the "Black -List" of the Commune for arrest, and arrest then meant death. - -As the siege progressed, the bombardment became more and more severe. -The beautiful avenue of the Champs Elysées was like a city of the -dead. Not a living creature was to be seen upon it for hours. From -time to time a man would emerge cautiously from a side street, gaze -anxiously up the avenue, then start on a run to cross it. But the -"insatiate thirst of gold" is stronger than the fear of death; and, -at the worst of the bombardment, men and boys were to be seen lurking -near the Arch, and darting upon an exploding shell to secure its -fragments while they were still too hot to hold. A large business was -done in these fragments after the siege, as well as in the unexploded -shells. They were sold as relics; and the Parisian shop-keepers -mounted them as clocks, fenders, inkstands, penholders, and other -_articles de Paris_. - -A battery of immense strength was at length erected at Montretout, -near St. Cloud. It was probably the most powerful battery ever -erected in the world. It opened upon the gate of the Point du Jour, -and in a few days the scene of devastation in that quarter was -fearful. Not a house was left standing, scarcely a wall. Bodies of -soldiers of the National Guard lay unburied among the ruins. The fire -was too hot for their comrades to approach them. - -In the mean time dissension reigned among the Communists. A new -Committee of Public Safety was appointed. They arrested Cluseret, -their Minister of War, as they had already arrested Lullier. They -accused him of treason, and it would have gone hard with him had the -Commune continued much longer in power. They said that "a hideous -plot had been discovered," but that the guilty were known, and "their -punishment should be exemplary as their crime was unparalleled." They -announced that if the Commune fell, they would fire the city, and its -beauty and its pride should be buried with them. They wrote forcibly, -those fellows! Had they fought with as much vigor as they wrote, -the world would at least have respected their courage, instead of -pronouncing them as cowardly as they were cruel. But their career of -crime and folly was drawing to a close. - -One day a citizen of Paris, a civil engineer, was taking his -afternoon walk. As he approached one of the gates, not far from -Auteuil, he was surprised to find no National Guard on duty. He -kept on, and came to the fortifications. There was not a defender -in sight, while the French troops lay outside under cover watching -for some one to fire at. Why they had not discovered the absence -of the enemy can only be accounted for by the general inefficiency -into which the French army had fallen. The engineer raised his white -handkerchief on his cane, and when he saw that it was observed, -quietly walked through the ruins of the work, crossed the fosse, and -asked the officer in command why on earth he did not come in; there -was a gate, and no one to defend it. It occurred to the officer that -it might be as well to do so; that perhaps that was what he was -there for: so he marched in with his company, and Paris was taken. -It was rather an anticlimax! After a delay of months, and a fierce -bombardment, to enter Paris on the invitation of a citizen taking -his afternoon walk! It was never known how that gate came to be left -unguarded. It was probably owing to dissensions in the Commune. The -battalion holding it had not been relieved, as they expected to be; -so they voted that they would not stay any longer, shouldered their -muskets, and marched off. - -The troops entered on the 22d of May. Once fairly in, the work -was comparatively easy; but they proceeded with great caution. It -was said that Gallifet urged that he should take his cavalry, and -scour the city. I believe that he could have done it on that day, -for the Communists were thoroughly demoralized; but it was thought -to be too hazardous an operation for cavalry. The next morning the -troops advanced unopposed as far as the Place de la Concorde. I -have the word of an American friend, whose apartment looked upon -the Place, that the strong barricade which connected the Rue St. -Florentin with the Tuileries Gardens was then undefended, and that -if the troops had advanced promptly they could have carried it -without resistance; but while they sent forward their skirmishers, -who found no one to skirmish with, and advanced with the utmost -caution, a battery, followed by a battalion of the National Guard, -galloped up from the Hôtel de Ville. The troops then began regular -approaches. They entered the adjoining houses, passing from roof to -roof, and occupying the upper windows, till finally they commanded -the barricade, and fired down upon its defenders. They filled barrels -with sand, and rolled them toward the barrier. Each barrel covered -two skirmishers, who alternately rolled the barrel and picked off the -defenders of the barricade if they ventured to show themselves. My -informant saw a young and apparently good-looking woman spring upon -the barricade, a red flag in her hand, and wave it defiantly at the -troops. She was instantly shot dead. When the work was carried, an -old woman was led out to be shot. She was placed with her back to the -wall of the Tuileries Gardens, and, as the firing party leveled their -pieces, she put her fingers to her nose, and worked them after the -manner of the defiant in all ages, or, as Dickens expresses it, "as -if she were grinding an imaginary coffee-mill." - -Many of their strongest positions were abandoned by the insurgents, -having been turned by the troops. Those that resisted fell one after -the other, carried in the way I have described. Indeed, I can see -no possibility of a barricade holding out unless the adjacent houses -are held too. That at the head of the Rue St. Florentin was of great -strength, a regular work; for the Communists had several excellent -engineers in their ranks, graduates of the military schools, men who -had been disappointed under the Government in not meeting with the -promotion they thought they deserved, and so joined the Commune. The -ditch of the barricade St. Florentin was about sixteen feet deep. -It made a convenient burying-ground. The dead Communists, men and -women, were huddled into it, quicklime added, and the fosse filled -up. As the pleasure-seeker enters the Rue de Rivoli from the Place -de la Concorde he passes over the bodies of forty or fifty miserable -wretches--most of them scoundrels of the deepest dye--but among them -some wild fanatics, and some poor victims of the Commune, forced -unwillingly into its ranks. - -Much must be pardoned to soldiers heated with battle, and taught -to believe every prisoner they take an incarnate devil. But making -all allowances, there is no excuse for the wholesale butcheries -committed by the troops. A friend of mine saw a house in the -Boulevard Malesherbes visited by a squad of soldiers. They asked -the _concierge_ if there were any Communists concealed there. She -answered that there were none. They searched the house, and found -one. They took him out and shot him, and then shot her. One of the -attachés of the Legation saw in the Avenue d'Autin the bodies of six -children, the eldest apparently not over fourteen, shot to death as -_pétroleuses_, suspected of carrying petroleum to fire the houses. -There was no trial of any kind, no drum-head court-martial even, such -as the laws of civilized warfare require under all circumstances. -Any lieutenant ordered prisoners to be shot as the fancy took him, -and no questions were asked. Many an innocent spectator perished in -those days. An English officer had a narrow escape. He approached a -crowd of prisoners halted for a moment on the Champs Elysées; and -when they moved on, the guard roped him in with the rest, and would -not listen to a word of explanation. Happily he was able to attract -the attention of the Marquis de Gallifet and explain his position. -An officer of high rank who was escorting a batch of prisoners to -Versailles is said to have halted in the Bois, ridden down the -column, picked out those whose faces he particularly disliked, and -had them shot on the spot. The number of lives taken after the defeat -of the Commune can never be accurately known; but it was generally -computed at the time to exceed the number of those lost in both -sieges. - -Petroleum next became the madness of the hour. Every woman carrying -a bottle was suspected of being a _pétroleuse_. The most absurd -stories were told of its destructive properties. Organized bands of -women were said to be patrolling the streets armed with bottles of -petroleum. This they threw into the cellar windows, and then set -fire to it. The windows were barred, and the cellars in Paris are -universally built in stone and concrete. How they effected their -purpose under these circumstances is not readily seen. If this was -their _modus operandi_, they were the most inexpert incendiaries ever -known. The Commune should blush for its pupils in crime. I do not -believe in the petroleum story, and I do not think that one-third of -the population believed in it. Yet such was the power of suspicion -in those days, and such the distrust of one's neighbor, that every -staid and sober housekeeper bricked up his cellar windows, and for -weeks in the beautiful summer weather not an open window was to be -seen on the lower stories. No doubt every second man thought it a -great piece of folly thus to shut out light and air from his lower -stories; but if he had not done as his neighbors did, he would have -been denounced by them as a _pétroleux_. - -The leaders of the Commune, as I have said, had sworn that, if the -city were taken, they would blow up the public buildings, and bury -every thing in a common ruin. Happily, their good-will exceeded their -ability. They had no time to execute their atrocious projects. They -burned the Tuileries, the Finances, the Hôtel de Ville, the Comptes, -the Hotel of the Legion of Honor, and a small portion of the Palais -Royal. The only irreparable loss was that of the Hôtel de Ville. The -Finances, the Comptes, and the Legion of Honor had no imperishable -historical associations connected with them. The Tuileries was an -old and inconvenient building. The Emperor had already rebuilt it in -part. Plans for reconstructing the whole building had been prepared -and still exist, and nothing but the want of money had prevented -their being carried into execution long before. - -I do not propose to dwell upon the horrors of the nights of the -23d and 24th of May, when all Paris appeared to be in flames. The -view from the high ground upon which the Legation stands was very -striking. A pall of smoke hung over the city by day, and pillars -of fire lighted it by night. One of the most painful features of -those days was the prolonged suspense. We did not know which of -the magnificent monuments of Paris were in flames; for the troops -permitted no approach, and the most startling rumors were current. -The Louvre was at one time in danger, but happily escaped. - -I pass over, too, the cruelties of the march of the prisoners to -Versailles, and the sufferings they there endured. These things -are written in the annals of the times, and no good can be done -by reviving them. Beautiful France has been sorely tried with -revolutions. Let us hope that she has seen the last. - -In the hotel of the German Embassy at Paris may be seen several -articles of value, mostly Sèvres and Dresden china, which the -German Government desires to present to Mr. Washburne, General -Read, and some few other officers of the United States, in token of -its gratitude for services rendered to German subjects during the -war. These articles can not be received without the permission of -Congress. The House promptly passed the joint resolution. The Senate -still hesitates. Mr. Fox, formerly Assistant Secretary of the Navy, -and the officers who accompanied him to Russia, were permitted to -receive such presents as "the Emperor might see fit to give them." -Are Mr. Washburne and his subordinates, who certainly rendered some -services, and suffered some hardships, less entitled to receive this -permission than Mr. Fox and his companions, who took a monitor to -Cronstadt? - - - - - * * * * * * - - - - -Transcriber's note: - - Obvious typographical errors and punctuation errors have been - corrected after careful comparison with other occurrences within - the text and consultation of external sources. - - Except for those changes noted below, all misspellings in the text, - and inconsistent or archaic usage, have been retained. For example, - reconnoissance; embassador; encumbered, incumbrance; titbit. - - Pg 10, 'Bass-reliefs' replaced by 'Bas-reliefs'. - Pg 234, 'mlliards' replaced by 'milliards'. - Pg 256, 'Bass-reliefs' replaced by 'Bas-reliefs'. - Pg 270, 'bass-reliefs' replaced by 'bas-reliefs'. - - - -***END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK CAMP COURT AND SIEGE*** - - -******* This file should be named 51195-0.txt or 51195-0.zip ******* - - -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: -http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/5/1/1/9/51195 - - -Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions will -be renamed. - -Creating the works from print editions not protected by U.S. copyright -law means that no one owns a United States copyright in these works, -so the Foundation (and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United -States without permission and without paying copyright -royalties. 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