Office of the Historian

No. 95.

Mr. E. B. Washburne to Mr. Fish.

No. 310.
Legation of the United States, Paris, October 31, 1870. (Received November 25, 1870.)

Sir: Under the permission obtained from both belligerents, forty-eight of our countrymen left Paris on Thursday last. I have the honor to send you herewith the report on the subject made to me by Mr. Ward, temporarily employed at this legation. Many persons who had professed to be very anxious to get away declined to leave when the opportunity presented itself. There are some others who now want to depart, but it is very doubtful if I can now get permission of the French authorities for them to leave. They had insisted that the whole number of those who intended to leave should go out at the same time on Thursday last. The English and the Swiss received yesterday from Count de Bismarck their permission to pass the Prussian lines, but the French authorities now hesitate to fix the day on which they may leave. The Russians went out on the same day as the Americans. I ‘believe there is yet some trouble about the Austrians going out. I am very glad that I have so many of our countrymen safely away.

E. B. WASHBURNE.

Mr. Ward to Mr. Washburne.

Legation of the United States, Paris, October 27, 1870.

According to your instructions, and having previously obtained from the governor of Paris, General Trochu, the necessary pass for the list of Americans drawn up at this legation, I proceeded on horseback, as per appointment, at 6 a. m., with two staff officers, trumpeter, and flag of truce, to the gate of Charenton, where the convoy was to meet. Having formed the line, we passed out of the city under military escort, and proceeded to the village of Créteil, on the post road to Bale, just beyond which was the Prussian outpost. Before reaching the village, however, an examination of your passes was made. Leaving the convoy in Créteil, the staff officers, flag of truce, trumpeter, and myself rode up to within a hundred yards of the Prussian barricade outpost. After waiting some time, and doing considerable trumpeting, a lieutenant and two soldiers appeared bearing a white flag. We parleyed, and, on the arrival of his superior officer, ordered on the convoy.

Examination of your passes was again made by Lieutenant Tillié, of Seventy-fifth regiment of the line, and myself; and German sauf-conduits being delivered by the lieutenant for the occupants of each carriage, prescribing their line of march, the convoy, consisting of forty-eight Americans, (men, women, and children,) in nineteen carriages, as per list herewith, (as also the Russian convoy of seven carriages and twenty-one persons, having your passes,) then passed on through the barricade into the Prussian lines; from whence I was informed they would proceed, each carriage escorted by a soldier, to the Prussian post beyond, at Boissy. Your son and Colonel Hoffman went to the outpost and returned with me to Paris, where I reported at the legation the execution of your instructions.

ALBERT LEE WARD.

List of Americans who left Paris on the 27th October, 1870.

Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Cramer, Mr. G. W. Kidder, Mr. W. H. Fuller, Mr. V. Masson, Mr. H. Helmick, Mr. B. F. Meyer, Mr. G. N. Sanders, Mr. H. A. Stone and two coachmen; Dr. L. S. Burridge, two sons, governess, and coachman; Mr. E. Preble, Mrs. O. Closterman and Miss E. J. Closterman, Mr. I. C. Lynes, Mr. J. G. Peniston and Mr. J. A. Peniston, Mr. C. H. Welles, Mr. E. L. Leeds, Mr. G. L. Whittaker, Miss A. Whinnery and governess, Mr. Felix Gelin, Mr. I. F. Sterling, Mr. I. L. O’Sullivan and wife, Mr. Henry Turnbull, Mr. H. Palmieri, Mr. L. M. Sargent, Mr. W. H. Sizer, Mrs. Wagner and two children and coachman, Mr. I. A. Marsh, Mr. L G. Bernell, wife, and four children; Mr. A. S. South-worth and courier, Mr. F. Pendleton, Mr. M. Helman, wife, child, nurse, maid, and coachman; Mr. L. A. M. Rossi, Mr. W. F. Duff, Mrs. Pollock and coachman.

Recapitulation.—48 Americans, 6 coachmen, 2 governesses, 1 courier, 1 nurse, 19 carriages, 1 saddle-horse.