They Have A Chance of Being Shot for Abraham Lincoln

This entry is a letter from King Loepold to Queen Victoria.  "Leopold, King of the Belgians writes to his niece, Queen Victoria, expressing his views on the situation in America. The 'Paris' and 'Robert' he referred to in the letter immediately following are the comte de Paris and the duc de Chartres.  Both young men came to this country with their uncle, the prince de Joinville, and with him joined McClellan's Army of the Potomac." (From" Europe Looks at the Civil War, an anthology edited by Bell Becker Sideman and Lillian Friedman.)

Laeken, 17th October 1861
My Beloved Victoria:


. . . . I regret much Paris and Robert having joined the Federal Army, mixing in a civil war!!  The object is to show courage, to be able to say, "Ils se sont beaucoup distingues."  They have a chance of being shot for Abraham Lincoln and the most rank Radicalism.  I don't think that step will please in France, where Radicalism is at discount fortunately.  The poor Queen is very unhappy about it, but now nothing can be done, only one may wish to see them well out of it.  Poor Queen!. . .


Your devoted and only Uncle, Leopold R.

(A. C. Benson and Viscount Esher, eds. Letters of Queen Victoria)

Leopold I, King of the Belgians and Uncle of Queen Victoria, from Wikimedia Commosn