Elihu Washburne: The Diary and Letters of America's Minister to France During the Siege and Commune of Paris

Description

The inspiring, little-known diary and letters of American diplomat Elihu Washburne, who gallantly provided vital support to his countrymen and other nationals during the brutal Siege of Paris and Paris Commune. This is the remarkable and inspiring story-told largely in his own words-of American diplomat Elihu Washburne, who heroically aided his countrymen and other foreign nationals when Paris was devastated by war and the ensuing ravages of the Commune. Elihu Washburne was appointed minister to France by President Grant in 1869, arriving in Europe shortly before the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian War. He stayed at his post even as the Prussian army laid siege to Paris, and afterward when the revolutionaries of the Commune embarked on a reign of terror that filled the streets with blood. He was witness to countless acts of unspeakable desperation and violence, and yet he remained, at great risk to his own life, to protect American citizens and others as best he could. Michael Hill provides essential background and historical context to the excerpts, which are drawn from the original manuscript sources. Filled with political and military insight, Washburne's writings tell the tale of an American hero rising to greatness in the midst of difficult and extraordinary times.

Michael Hill worked in politics and government before establishing himself as an independent historical researcher. He was a co-producer for Ken Burns's The Civil War series for PBS, a coordinating producer for the Baseball series, and served as a historical consultant for the HBO production of David McCullough's John Adams. He lives in Fredericksburg, Virginia. David McCullough has been widely acclaimed as a "master of the art of narrative history" and "a matchless writer." He is twice winner of the Pulitzer Prize, twice winner of the National Book Award, and has received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian award.

"Elihu Washburne was the eloquent witness to one of the most horrifying sieges of the 19th century. Thanks to the archival and editorial wizardry of Michael Hill, Washburne's long-forgotten account of the Siege and Commune of Paris is available at last-a terrific and mesmerizing read." -- Nathaniel Philbrick, author of Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of the Little Big Horn "Michael Hill has made superb use of Elihu Washburne's private diaries to bring us an unforgettable story of starvation, conflict, butchery and upheaval in the beleaguered Paris of the 1870s-and of the principled, courageous American who survived and recorded it all." -- Michael Beschloss, author of Presidential Courage: Brave Leaders and How They Changed America 1789-1989 "Elihu Washburne was the American ambassador to Paris but he might as well have been the ambassador to Hell. As Mike Hill shows us by skillfully editing and commenting on the ambassador's diary and personal letters, Washburne, a brave and sensitive man, was caught up in one of civilization's great disasters: the siege of Paris by the Prussian army in 1870-1871 and the even more awful grip of the Paris Commune that followed. A gripping, well-told tale." -- Evan Thomas, author of Sea of Thunder: Four Commanders and the Last Great Naval Campaign 1941-1945 "Michael Hill's engrossing, ground-breaking and fascinating book is both a journey of discovery-the amazing diaries and letters of Elihu Washburne, the American Minister to France during the Siege and the Commune of Paris-and a wonderful portrait of the man who 'discovered' Ulysses S. Grant, was one of Lincoln's closest collaborators, and set a benchmark for American diplomats in terms of courage and the alleviation of human suffering in a moment of great danger and crisis. It is riveting reading for anyone who loves history." -- Michael Korda, author of Hero: The Life and Legend of Lawrence of Arabia "A plucky spirit and revolutionary sympathy emerge from these richly detailed dispatches by America's intrepid minister to France during the Franco-Prussian War. . . . Evocative, immensely readable. . . . A wealth of historical and personal detail builds a suspenseful story." * Kirkus Reviews *