Letter from François Frachon to Mlle... (1838)

NRA-L-000601 / 1838

Letter from François Frachon to Mlle Frachon, 1838-12-09

François Frachon writes to his sister from Paris about being passed over for promotion to corporal, patronage by Mr Boissy, his work as company clerk with the grenadiers and his determination to seek service in Africa if he receives no stripes.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000601

NRA-L-000601 image 1 showing a folded address panel to a Frachon correspondent at Annonay, with handwritten delivery address, postal marks, sealing evidence, folds and retained annotations. — **Image 1**Address panel to a Frachon correspondent at Annonay, with postal evidence and retained annotations.

NRA-L-000601 image 2 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript dateline and text, visible fold lines and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 2**Letter text - Page 1.

NRA-L-000601 image 3 showing a handwritten French letter page with manuscript dateline and text, visible fold lines and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 3**Letter text - Page 2.

NRA-L-000601 image 4 showing a handwritten French letter continuation with closing, retained marginal or later annotations, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Letter text and closing.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000601
Date: 1838-12-09
Original date: Paris le 30 9bre 1838 / Paris le 9 Xbre 1838
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: Mlle Frachon
Places: Paris / Annonay, Ardèche
Extent: 4 documentary sides: Documentary page 1; Documentary page 2; Documentary page 3; Documentary page 4; 4 digital images.
Citation: Neruda Archives, NRA-L-000601.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Mademoiselle
Mlle Frachon
chez Monsieur J. M. Frachon
Annonay

Address panel

English translation

Miss
Mlle Frachon
c/o Mr J. M. Frachon
Annonay

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Paris le 30 9bre 1838
répondu le 16 Xbre
Ma chere Soeur
J'ai reçu votre lettre, la tienne et celle de ma
mère avec beaucoup de plaisir, car je les attendais
avec impatience et je vous en remercie toutes les deux -
Paris le 9 Xbre 1838
J'étais à vous écrire le 30 9bre, quand on battit pour
rappeller les fourriers pour copier un ordre de promotion
dont le commandant du Bataillon et le capitaine
m'avaient faits espérer de faire partie, ce qui contre
leur attente n'a pas eu lieu, et qui me décourage
totalement. voilà la protection de Mr Boissy.
il ne se donne seulement pas la peine de me
faire avoir les gallons de caporal, il se contente
de me faire avoir de mauvaises épaulettes de
Grenadiers que je jetterais volontiers à la Seine et changerai
sans preun contre. Je ne puis comprendre ce
qui m'a empêché de passer caporal, plus de
cinquante caporaux ont été faits et tous plus jeunes
que moi, et à parler franchement sur ces cinquante
il y a de véritables ganaches qui ne savent pas
signer leurs noms, tandis que moi qui ne m'en
vais pas aux pour pouvoir en faire un, puisque
je suis porté pour fourrier, et que je n'y ai été porté
que lorsqu'on a vu ce que je répondais faire

Documentary page 2

English translation

Paris, 30 November 1838
Answered 16 December
My dear sister,
I received your letter—yours and our mother's—with great pleasure, for I had been awaiting them impatiently, and I thank you both.
Paris, 9 December 1838
I was writing to you on 30 November when the drum beat to recall the company clerks to copy a promotion order. The battalion commander and the captain had led me to hope that I would be included, but contrary to their expectations I was not, and this has completely discouraged me. So much for Mr Boissy's protection. He does not even take the trouble to obtain corporal's stripes for me; he is content to have obtained for me the wretched epaulettes of a grenadier, which I would gladly throw into the Seine and exchange without regret. I cannot understand what prevented my promotion to corporal. More than fifty corporals were made, all younger than I am, and, to speak frankly, among those fifty there are real blockheads who cannot sign their own names; while I, who [unclear clause], am listed for company clerk, and I was put forward only after they had seen what I could do

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

parce que j'ai de mauvaises épaulettes sur
l'épaule on me laisse là, parce que Mr Boissy ne
veut pas se donner la peine de s'occuper de moi
de dire un mot au colonel, ce qui lui serait bien
facile il le voit deux ou trois fois par mois et
il fait bien avancer comme il le veut ceux dont
les parents peuvent avoir de l'influence -
témoin ce feray ou Mauvas dont le père est un
des électeurs de Mr Boissy qu'il lui procure des voix -
son fils lui demande a passer fourrier de sergent
qu'il était, il le fait passer de suite.
Il y a longtemps que je voulais t'écrire, mais j'étais
fatigué par les injustices que je vois faire, et je
l'avouerai si je n'avais pas reçu la lettre de mon
père je n'aurais pas écrit avant d'avoir des gallons
ce qui je l'espère bien ne peux pas tarder à venir
parce que desuite que Mon capitaine et le chef
de Bataillon se sont apperçus que je n'étais pas passé
ils sont allés chez le colonel pour le prier de se
ressouvenir et j'espère que cette recommandation de
leur part me servira tandis que je ne veux pas
de la recommandation d'un Mr Boissy, parce qu'il
le font parce qu'ils savent que je le mérite, tandis
que Mr Boissy qui ne veux pas me reconnaître
quand je veux aller le voir, qu'il ne fera jamais rien
pour moi que pour paraître vouloir satisfaire mon
oncle.

Documentary page 3

English translation

because I have wretched epaulettes on my shoulders, I am left where I am, because Mr Boissy does not wish to take the trouble to concern himself with me or say a word to the colonel. That would be very easy for him: he sees him two or three times a month and readily advances, as he wishes, those whose relatives can exercise influence. Witness [Feray or Mauvas], whose father is one of Mr Boissy's electors and obtains votes for him. His son asks to move from sergeant to company clerk, and he has him promoted at once.
I had wanted to write to you for a long time, but I was wearied by the injustices I see being done. I admit that, had I not received my father's letter, I would not have written before obtaining stripes. I hope they cannot be long delayed, because as soon as my captain and the battalion commander realized that I had not been promoted, they went to the colonel and asked him to remember me. I hope their recommendation will help me. I do not want Mr Boissy's recommendation: they act because they know I deserve it, whereas Mr Boissy, who does not even wish to acknowledge me when I go to see him, will never do anything for me except to appear to satisfy my uncle.

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

Je suis fonctionnaire fourrier à la compagnie de
Grenadiers, je tiens les écritures et si je n'en étais pas
capable on ne me les confierais pas, car dans les
grenadiers on est un peu plus difficiles que dans
les pioupioux -
tu me pardonneras l'aigreur de ma lettre
mais il y a quinze jours que je ne puis dormir
par l'inquiétude où je me trouve, quoique
il en arrive je ne veux plus écrire avant d'avoir
gallons et si au premier janvier je ne les ai pas
je pars pour l'affrique où j'irai les prendre
sur les bras des bedouins - 
Je me porte bien mais suis ennuyé que ma
Soeur ne soit pas encore rétablie je pense que
le sillence de mon frère ne fait que me prouver
qu'il continue à se bien porter. Je te remercie
de ses nouvelles, ainsi que de celles que tu me donnes.
Il fait froid. et je n'ai - nous avons passé la
Revue ce matin sur le terrain par un grand froid
et nous étions gelés après être restés deux heures
immobiles
Je vous embrasse 
F. Frachon

je suis à la

Documentary page 4

English translation

I am serving as company clerk with the grenadier company; I keep the records, and if I were not capable they would not entrust them to me, for among the grenadiers they are rather more demanding than among the ordinary soldiers.
You will forgive the bitterness of my letter, but for a fortnight I have been unable to sleep because of the anxiety I am in. Whatever happens, I do not wish to write again before I have stripes; and if I do not have them by 1 January, I shall leave for Africa, where I shall go and take them from the arms of the Bedouins.
I am well, but sorry that my sister has not yet recovered. I think my brother's silence merely proves that he continues in good health. I thank you for his news and for the other news you give me.
It is cold. We held a review on the field this morning in severe cold and were frozen after standing motionless for two hours.
I embrace you.
F. Frachon

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military promotion
Patronage
French Army
Military service
Frachon Family Correspondence

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