Page 327

“…he could work unimpeded…”

See “…the French artists…,” above.

Sims may be distorting facts here—some accounts claim work on the book started much earlier (and most of the book is made up of adjustments to pieces he had already published).

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 329.

Harris, S. (1950). Woman's surgeon: The life story of J. Marion Sims. New York: Macmillan, p. 237.

“…May 5, 1863…”

Sims and his biographer disagree on the exact date. The duchess’s letter, a portion of which appears in the printed book, is dated only “Tuesday.” April 5, 1863, was a Sunday; May 5, 1863, was a Tuesday.

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 332.

Harris, S. (1950). Woman's surgeon: The life story of J. Marion Sims. New York: Macmillan, p. 234.

Letter from the Duchess of Hamilton to J. Marion Sims, May 5, 1863, included among a selection of original documents, letters, notices, etc., relating to Sims’s time in Paris is held in the Southern Historical Collection at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill libraries.

“…Lincoln had replaced his top general…”

This is the standard narrative about Lincoln’s decision to replace McClellan as head of the Union army—citable in virtually any history of the American Civil War.

“It was the selfsame boy…”

See “…gingerbread and taffy.” above.

“…a southerner in almost every respect.”

Sears, S. W. (1999). George B. McClellan: The young Napoleon. New York: Da Capo Press, p. 6.

“…to avoid antagonizing representatives of the United States…”

The officials of the United States were going to great lengths to follow the movements of Southerners in Paris in an attempt to determine Napoleon’s intentions.

Letter from U.S. Minister to France William Dayton to Secretary of State William Seward, August 25, 1863. This transcription is held in the State Department archives at the Archives II facility in Washington D.C.

“Sims had made Slidell’s acquaintance…”

See “…a meeting place for southerners…,” above.

There is no record of Sims and Slidell meeting, and Sims’s autobiography avoids mentioning Slidell completely. Sims’s biographer characterized them as close friends, without citation.

Harris, S. (1950). Woman's surgeon: The life story of J. Marion Sims. New York: Macmillan, p. 240.

“…Union victories were exaggerated.”

I am imagining the instructions that Slidell gave to Sims, but the instructions are consistent with what Slidell was attempting to communicate to the emperor, through other intermediaries.

Letter from John Slidell to Minister of Foreign Affairs Édouard Thouvenel, July 21, 1862, held at the Archives du ministère des Affaires étrangères, in Paris, France.

“…its navy conferred upon it…”

Letter from John Slidell to Minister of Foreign Affairs Édouard Thouvenel, July 21, 1862, held at the Archives du ministère des Affaires étrangères, in Paris, France.

“The emperor was waiting…”

SIMS, J. Marion, (1885). The Story of my Life, ed. by H. Marion-Sims. D. Appleton & Co: New York, p. 332.

“…not a tall man…”

See “Dr. Sims looked like a young boy…,” above.

Evans, T. W., & Crane, E. A. (1905). The memoirs of Dr. Thomas W. Evans. New York: D. Appleton and Co., p. 33.

“…the size of his head…”

Evans, T. W., & Crane, E. A. (1905). The memoirs of Dr. Thomas W. Evans. New York: D. Appleton and Co., p. 33.