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Auction: 18038 - Autographs, Historical Documents, Ephemera and Postal History
Lot: 3111

Autographs
France
Siege of Paris
1870 (1 December) "par ballon monté" letter sheet addressed to the Bedford Hotel, 93 Southampton Row, London bearing Laureated Head 30c. tied by indistinct despatch postmarks with boxed "7pd"0 and neat London arrival (10.12). The letter reads, "My dear wife,
This is the third day of our battle before Paris and up to this time we seem to have gained some advantage. I believe this is to be the decisive day - if Trochu cuts through the enemies lines I think the whole face of affairs will be changed. You grant it. We are in a terrible state of anxiety as you may imagine; for two days and nights the roar of artillery has been almost incessant, it seemed to shake the very city. Today the army has got so far away that we can not hear their guns - I am so delighted to know that my letter has gone out in Mr Washburne's bag. He received yesterday his dispatches as a number of letters for private parties dated as late as Nov 1st from London. I was disappointed for I had as hoped for a letter from you. You must have received my directions related in so many letters for written to me nevertheless I will give them again. Write your letter and put it in an envelope - unsealed addressed to me; put that in an envelope addressed 'Hon C.B. Washburne, Paris', also unsealed and take it to the American Legation. Your letter will not be read, it is only to conform to the Prussian government that they are left open - I am writing you a long letter for Mr W's bag next Monday. It is such a comfort to me if I can only get a letter from you darling. I think I can be very brave and bear anything that may be in front of me - I called at Mrs Howell's this morning and found even their all night. The girl sends lots of kind messages, I will write more about it in my long letters - Today is the first day of winter, and it is appropriately cold - we are beginning to hope that this month will see the end of the war and that new year's day will see all out friends back here. I dare not think seriously of it dearest wife; but if only could be - I pray that you all may be kept well and soon brought back to me…". Clean and fine and a good account of how the mail was sent via the American mission. Photo


During the siege, the only head of diplomatic mission from a major power who remained in Paris was United States Minister to France, Elihu B. Washburne. As a representative of a neutral country, Washburne was able to play a unique role in the conflict, becoming one of the few channels of communication into and out of the city for much of the siege. He also led the way in providing humanitarian relief to foreign nationals, including ethnic Germans

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