Mr. Washburne to Mr. Fish
Sir: The “sortie” about which I had the honor to write you on the 19th instant was attempted on Wednesday last, and proved entirely unsuccessful. The loss of men in battle was not very serious, but the army suffered immensely from the intense cold weather of the last five days, I should judge that there will be no further military operations attempted for some time. The failure of the sortie and the great suffering of the army have produced a very bad impression in Paris, and the clubs have become extremely violent. I shall not be surprised to see very serious disturbances take place. Hunger and cold will do their work. The wood-riots have already commenced.
I received, on Tuesday afternoon last, after I had sent off my dispatches, two dispatch-bags from London, one of them leaving there on the 2d, and the other on the 10th instant. The bag leaving on the 10th brought only your official dispatches, and no newspapers. I therefore have London papers only to the 2d instant, and New York papers only to the 19th instant. I am, therefore, without intelligence from the outside for a very long time, except some little items taken from German papers found on prisoners captured in the fight of Wednesday. The most important item of news is the reported denunciation by Prussia of [Page 277] the Luxemburg treaty of 1867, and it has created quite a sensation here. Not enough is known about the matter, however, to enable any judgment to be formed as to the figure it is to cut in the present situation.
The mortality of the city continues to be very great. The number of deaths last week was 2,728, which is the precise number of the week previous. The suffering here has increased very much during the last week, and if it keeps on, and there are no military successes to keep up the spirits of the people, I am not so clear that my prediction in my dispatch No. 337, in regard to the time the city might hold out, will be verified.
The number of poor Germans who are coming to me for aid is increasing very fast. They now number fifteen hundred and forty-seven, and are increasing daily. Our legation is thronged with them every day, from morning till night. I have been compelled to employ two additional men to help me. If this thing is to continue, the charge upon the contingent fund will be larger than I have heretofore estimated.
I have, &c.,