very grateful to the President and yourself for your kindness in this regard. The dispatch leaves it discretionary with me to remain in Paris, or go out and repair to Tours. It is, therefore, for me to determine what, in my judgment, the interests of my Government requires, and what my duty is in the premises. If I were shut off from all communication with you it might be important that I should leave here in order to hold intercourse with you. Such is not, however, the case at present, for I am now enabled to send dispatches to you and receive them from you once each week, which is as much as I would be likely to do were I at Tours. That being the case, the question for me to decide is, where can I be of the most service, in Paris or in Tours? I have no doubt on that subject, and great as my desire is to get out of this besieged city and to join my family, from whom I have been so long separated, I consider it my duty to remain here, at least for the present. Paris is the seat of government of the country to which I am accredited, and is the seat of the present provisional government of the national defense, which has been duly recognized by the United States. And here is also the minister of foreign affairs, with whom I have to be more or less in communication. There are yet remaining in Paris some one hundred and fifty Americans, many of whom have been unable for various reasons to get away, and some of whom have remained here because I have remained. The French government having heretofore given them every opportunity for leaving, which they did not take advantage of, now declines, for military reasons, to permit the people of any nationality to leave Paris. Therefore, my countrymen now here all look to me for a certain protection, and they would much regret to see me go away, leaving them behind. There is also a large amount of American property in Paris under my protection, and circumstances may arise when it might become important for me to be here. Independently of what belongs to our own legation, I am more or less occupied every day with the affairs of the North German Confederation. I am now furnishing three hundred and forty-one poor Germans pecuniary assistance, and the number is increasing every day. It is impossible for the messenger of the legation to attend to them all, and I have had to employ a man specially for that purpose. Under all the circumstances, therefore, I think my determination to remain at my post will meet with the approval of the President and yourself. I have, &c., No. 87. E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 328.] Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, December 5, 1870. (Received December 30.) SIR: For military reasons the authorities were obliged to decline giving me a "parliamentaire" for last Tuesday morning, the 29th ultimo, to take my dispatches to the Prussian outposts. I now hope to have one for to-morrow morning; and if so, my dispatches will only be one week behind. I received a bag from London last Tuesday afternoon, with London papers up to the 18th, and New York papers up to the 3d ultimo. I was disappointed, however, in getting nothing whatever from the Department. Military operations around the walls of Paris began in earnest on Tuesday, the 29th ultimo. There was heavy fighting on Wednesday, the 30th ultimo, and on Friday the 2d of December. Though I could hear these battles raging distinctly from the windows of the legation, I am unable to give you any particular information in regard to them. As a movement to break through the Prussian lines, it was a failure; as a fight, the French claim an advantage. As the newspapers are forbidden to say anything, and as the official journal does only vouchsafe to us a few solemn official lines, we are utterly in the dark as to the real results of the fighting which actually took place. No statement has yet appeared of the losses of the French in killed, wounded, prisoners, missing, &c. I do not know that I can do anything more, or anything better, than to send you all that has appeared in the official journal in regard to military matters during the last week. The results of the battles, such as they are, and the news received from the provinces during the last week, have done much to inspirit the people of Paris. The morale of both people and soldiers has greatly improved. I do not think the prospects for a successful sortie are very good, and unless it is understood that the armies which are supposed to exist in the provinces have been substantially annihilated, the siege may yet last for a long time. At present the authority of the government is supreme, and all Paris is confronting its sufferings with fortitude and courage. But no one can tell how soon this may all change. The weather is now excessively cold for the season, and the privations of the people are very great. Another sortie is talked of very soon, and if it takes place as is expected, you will hear of it long before this dispatch will reach you. I have, &c., E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 211.] No. 88. Mr. Fish to Mr. Washburne. DEPARTMENT OF STATE, Washington, December 6, 1870. SIR: I inclose herewith a copy of a dispatch of the 5th ultimo, and of its accompaniments, addressed to this Department by Mr. John de la Montagnie, United States consul at Boulogne, in relation to the expense incurred by him in subsisting French soldiers, by order of the authorities at that place. You are instructed to bring this matter to the notice of the French government, and to request that proper steps may be taken for the repayment to the consul of the amount thus expended by him. You will observe from the letter of the mayor of Boulogne to the consul, that he disclaims the right of subjecting the consul of the United States to the tax for the support of soldiers. The act really seems to have been that of billeting soldiers upon the consul, and, as such, is in direct contravention of the 2d article of the convention of 23d Febru ary, 1853. The mayor, in his letter of 15th October, assimilates the position o the American consul to that of certain other consuls, who by custom of previous years have not been subjected to this imposition. The action of the mayor relieves the present case from any serious aspects, and this Government is indisposed at the present time to dwell upon irregularities in this regard which may have occurred. But you will call the attention of the minister for foreign affairs to the violation of the immunities of the consul, which have thus been invaded, and say that the exemption admitted to attach to the consul at Boulogne, exists in the opinion of this Government, by virtue of the conven tion of 1853, and cannot be accepted by reason of any special custom with regard to the consuls of other nations. I am, &c., HAMILTON FISH. No 332.] No. 89. Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, December 12, 1870. (Received January 4, 1871.) SIR: I have the honor to send you herewith a translation from the "Journal Officiel" of December 8 of the government report of the battle of Villiers, and of the military movements immediately connected therewith. I am, &c., E. B. WASHBURNE. [From the Official Journal, December 8, 1870.] The late sorties made by the army of Paris on the 29th and 30th of November, and on the 1st, 2d, and 3d of December, led to engagements on most of the points of the enemy's lines of investment. On the evening of the 23th of November operations commenced. To the east the plateau of Avron was occupied by the seamen of Admiral Taisset at o'clock, supported by the division of Hugues; a powerful artillery of pieces of long range was placed in battery on this plateau, threatening, at a great distance, the positions of the enemy, and the roads used by their convoys at Gaguy, Chelles, and Gournay. To the west, in the peninsula of Gennevilliers, earth-works were begun under the direction of General de Liniers; the batteries were armed anew, gabions were placed, and rifle-pits dug in the islands of Marante, of Bezons, and on the railroad to Rouen. The next day General de Beaufort ended the operations on the west side, making a reconnaissance toward Buzenval and the heights of Malmaison, resting on his right, which joined the troops of General de Liniers in front of Bezous. The 29th at daybreak the troops of the third army, under General Vinoy, made a sortie on Thiais, l'Hay, and Choisy-le-Roi, and the fire of the forts was directed on several points remarked as selected for the concentration of the enemy's troops. /Movements executed during the two preceding days had filled the plain of Aubervilliers with numerous forces, and united the three corps of the second army under the orders of General Ducrot, on the banks of the Marne. The 30th November, at the break of day, bridges, prepared out of sight of the enemy, were thrown across the Marne near Nogent and Joinville, and the two first corps of the second army, led by Generals Blanchard and Renault, rapidly effected the passage of the river with all their artillery. The success of this movement had been secured by a sustained fire of artillery from the batteries of position placed on the right bank of the Marne at Nogent, at Perreux, at Joinville, and in the peninsula of Saint-Maur. At nine o'clock, these two corps d'armée attacked the village of Champigny, the wood of the Plant, and the nearest portions of the plateau of Villiers. At eleven o'clock, all these positions were carried and intrenchments were already commenced by the troops of the second line, when the enemy made a vigorous forward movement, supported by fresh batteries of artillery. At this moment our losses were serious; in front of Champigny, the Prussiau pieces in position at Chennevières and at Cœnilly forced back the columns of the first corps, while a heavy infantry force, descending from the intrenchments of Villiers, charged the troops of General Renault. At this point it was owing to the vigorous efforts of the artillery under the command of Generals Frébault and Boissonet that the advance of the enemy was checked. Thanks to the changes made in our batteries, the Prussian artillery was partly dismounted, and our men, led to the charge by General Ducrot, took final possession of the crests. During these operations, the third corps, under the orders of General d'Exéa, advanced in the valley of the Marne as far as Neuilly-au-Marne and Ville-Evrard. Bridges were thrown across the Petit-Bry, and Bry-au-Marne was attacked and occupied by Bellemare's division. Its advance, delayed by the passage of the river, was continued beyond the village as far as the slopes of the plateau of Villiers, and the efforts of its columns aided in taking possession of the crests effected by the second corps in front of Villiers. In the evening our bivouac fires extended over all the hill-sides of the left bank of the Marne, while those of our reserve blazed on the slopes of Nogent and Fontenay. The same day, November 3, the division of Susbielle, supported by a strong reserve of the "bataillons de marche" of the National Guard, advanced in front of Crêteil and carried the positions of Mesley and Montmesley, which they occupied till evening. This diversion on the right of the operations of the second ariny was supported by fresh sorties, made on the left bank of the Seine, towards Choisy-le-Roi and Thiais, by the troops of General Vinoy. To the north, Admiral La Roncière, supported by the artillery of his forts, occupied Drancy and the farm of Groslay in the plain of Aubervilliers; strong bodies of the enemy were thus drawn to the banks of the rivulet, the Morée, behind the bridge of Iblon. Toward two o'clock, the admiral passed through Saint Denis, and, at the head of fresh troops, directed an attack on Epinay, which our soldiers, supported by the batteries of the peninsula of Gennevilliers, successfully occupied. The 1st December, there were only some skirmishes of sharp-shooters at the beginning of the day in front of the positions of the second army, the fire of the plateau of Avron continued to disturb the movements of the enemy at Chelles and at Gournay, as he concentrated his troops in large numbers, (at night particularly,) with a view to bring up fresh forces behind the positions of Conilly and of Villiers. December 2, before day, the fresh forces, thus concentrated, attacked the positions of the army of General Ducrot; on the whole line the attack was made suddenly and unexpectedly upon the advanced posts of the three corps d'armée, from Champigny as far as Bry-au-Marne. The effort of the enemy failed; supported by a considerable force of artillery, our troops, notwithstanding the losses they sustained, opposed the most solid resistance. The fight was long and terrible. Our batteries checked the advance of the Prussian columns on the plateau; at 11 o'clock, the efforts of the enemy were entirely defeated. At 4 o'clock the fire ceased, and we remained masters of the field of battle. The 3d of December, without the enemy being able to harass our retreat, aided by the fog, 100,000 of the second army recrossed the Marne, leaving the Prussian army to carry off its dead. *It is to be observed that in this number of wounded soldiers are included at least one-third slightly wounded not sent to hospital. A detailed report addressed to the minister of war will be published hereafter. The losses of the enemy were very considerable; they are in proportion to the efforts he made to carry our positions. Overwhelmed by a formidable artillery fire on all points where he showed himself, our projectiles reached his most distant reserves. In addition, officers, prisoners of war, have stated that several regiments were annihilated by the fire of our infantry in front of Champigny. By order: SCHMITZ, General Chief of Staff. No. 335.] No. 90. Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, December 12, 1870. (Received January 4, 1871.) SIR: Since my dispatch of one week ago to-day, No. 328, no events of any importance have transpired in Paris. The extreme cold weather of the last week has prevented any military operations about the city. It is said that preparations are going on for another sortie, and if the weather be favorable, that it is likely to take place the last of this week. In the Paris journals that I have the honor to transmit you herewith, you will find the correspondence between Moltke and Trochu, which will explain itself. The news of the defeat of the army of the Loire, and the retaking of Orleans, as communicated by Moltke, seems to have made but a very little impression on the people of Paris. General Trochu has been fully sustained in his refusal to send an officer to verify the facts, as suggested by Moltke. The government of the national defense and the people of Paris seem to have abandoned all idea of an armistice, or of a peace, and to have made up their minds to resist to the last extremity, and until every resource is exhausted. There are various opinions as to the length of time the city can hold out. Yesterday there was a great bread panic, but it is allayed to-day by the announcement in the official journal that there is bread enough, and that there is no necessity of any rationing for the present. I think the prevailing opinion is that it is possible for the city to hold out until the 1st of February, but that must be guess-work to a very considerable extent. A good many people think that the provisions will give out suddenly, to be followed by an irresistible clamor for a surrender. We shall see. You may infer from what I have written that I do not expect to see the siege raised by a successful sortie. Everything seems ↑ almost as bad as can be for the people of Paris as well as France. The suffering in the city is much aggravated by the extreme and unseasonable cold weather. The mortality last week was frightful, over two thousand. A great many old people and a great many children perish from the want of suitable food and from the cold. I have, &c., E. B. WASHBURNE. No. 91. No. 338.] Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish. LEGATION OF THE UNITED STATES, Paris, December 19, 1870. (Received January 14, 1871.) SIR: There have been no military movements in or about Paris for the last week, and since my dispatch No. 335; but, on the other hand, |