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

NRA-L-000602 / 1838

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1838-12-14

François Frachon writes to his father about promotion prospects in the 30th Line Regiment and describes the freezing Paris funeral procession for Marshal de Lobau.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000602

NRA-L-000602 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-000602 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-000602 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-000602 image 4 showing a handwritten French letter continuation with closing, signature, retained marginal or later annotations, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Letter text, closing and retained annotations.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000602
Date: 1838-12-14
Original date: Paris le 14 Décembre 1838
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: Jean Marie 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-000602.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur
Jean Marie Frachon
Annonay
Ardèche

Address panel

English translation

Mr
Jean Marie Frachon
Annonay
Ardèche

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Paris le 14 Décembre 1838

Je t'écrivis l'autre jour, à la reception de ta
lettre étant de la plus mauvaise humeur qu'on puisse
trouver, en voyant l'injustice qu'on me faisait, et ce qui
était bien fait pour dégouter un homme qui comme
moi n'a pas une minute de punition, ni d'exemption.
Aujourd'hui je n'ai rien de plus que l'autre jour, si ce
n'est quelques jours de plus, mais j'ai recu l'assurance de
passer le premier du Régiment, caporal. Mon chef de
Bataillon et mon capitaine sont allés tout deux
séparément, et sans autres motifs chez le colonel pour le
faire appercevoir de son oubli. Et ils m'ont dit tous
les deux ce soir que je serais le premier à passer et le
colonel leur a dit que ce ne me nuirait pas pour mon
avancement, ce qui me donne l'espoir qu'il veut me
faire passer fourrier, ^grade^ dont je remplis les fonctions à
la compagnie depuis un mois, et qui doit te prouver
que je ne suis pas astreint au service du lezard (sic)
comme mère avait l'air de le croire dans une de ses
lettres, ce dont je ne lui en veux pas, mais ce qui ne
m'avait pas moins faché. Je te prie de ne pas faire
attention à ce que j'aurais pu dire d'outré dans ma
dernière, l'agitation en a seule été cause, ainsi que
l'envie que j'ai de parvenir.

Documentary page 2

English translation

Paris, December 14, 1838

I wrote to you the other day, upon receiving your letter, being in the worst mood one could possibly be in, seeing the injustice that was being done to me, and which was well calculated to disgust a man who, like me, does not have a single minute of punishment or exemption. Today I have nothing more than the other day, except a few days more, but I have received the assurance of being the first in the Regiment to pass as corporal. My battalion commander and my captain both went separately, and without other motives, to the colonel to make him aware of his oversight. And they both told me tonight that I would be the first to pass and the colonel told them that this would not harm me for my advancement, which gives me hope that he wants to make me pass as quartermaster, a rank whose duties I have been fulfilling in the company for a month, and which must prove to you that I am not restricted to the service of a lizard (sic) [menial duty/slacking] as mother seemed to believe in one of her letters, for which I do not hold a grudge against her, but which had nonetheless angered me. I beg you not to pay attention to anything outrageous I might have said in my last one, the agitation alone was the cause of it, as well as the desire I have to succeed.

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

Je ne sais si chez nous il fait aussi froid
qu'ici, mais depuis 8 jours il gèle assez fort et fait
un temps sec, qui fait que nous allons nous geler
toutes les après midi pendant 4 heures au champs de
Mars.
Lundi passé nous avons enterré le Maréchal
de Lobau et il nous a procuré l'avantage de grelotter
de froid depuis 9 heures du matin ^jusqu'à 4 heures du soir^ sur le boulevard
po pour faire la haie à son cortège. Il y avait
une haie de trois rangs de deux cotés depuis la place
du Carousel par les tuilleries jusqu'aux invalides
une distance d'une demi lieue. Il y avait ce jour
là plus de 100,000 hommes sous les armes tant
gardes nationnaux qu'autres. Son cortège était
superbe, il n'y manquait pas de grosses epaulettes.
Plus des 3/4 de Paris s'était portés de ce coté là
et cette cérémonie avait plustot l'air d'un triomphe
que d'un enterrement.
Je pense que depuis ta dernière vous avez
continué a bien vous porter, je le souhaite et que
ma bonne soeur n'a pas été plus fatiguée par
le froid. qu'elle se ménage ainsi que toi et ma mere
ne vas pas te geler au magazin, et n'oublies pas ton
manteau.
Une de tes dernières me disait qu'Etienne était
très occupé depuis qu'il était notaire, depuis quand

Notes

Editorial notes:
Marshal de Lobau (Georges Mouton) died on November 27, 1838. The state funeral described here took place shortly thereafter in Paris.

Documentary page 3

English translation

I do not know if it is as cold at our home as it is here, but for 8 days it has been freezing quite hard and the weather is dry, which means that we go freeze ourselves every afternoon for 4 hours at the Champ de Mars.
Last Monday we buried Marshal de Lobau and he procured us the advantage of shivering from cold from 9 o'clock in the morning until 4 o'clock in the evening on the boulevard to form a line for his procession. There was a line three ranks deep on both sides from the Place du Carrousel through the Tuileries to the Invalides, a distance of half a league. There were on that day more than 100,000 men under arms, both National Guards and others. His procession was superb; there was no shortage of large epaulettes. More than 3/4 of Paris had gone over to that side and this ceremony looked more like a triumph than a burial.
I think that since your last you have continued to be well, I hope so, and that my good sister has not been more tired by the cold. Let her take care of herself, as well as you and my mother, do not go freezing yourself at the store, and do not forget your coat.
One of your last ones told me that Etienne was very busy since he had been a notary; since when

Notes

Editorial notes:
Marshal de Lobau (Georges Mouton) died on November 27, 1838. The state funeral described here took place shortly thereafter in Paris.

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

son oncle lui a-t-il donc cédé son
étude, il doit être bien content.
Adieu je vous embrasse tous comme je
vous aime.
F. Frachon

P.S. quant au dernier paragraphe de ta lettre
tu dois bien penser ce qu'il en est. je me porte bien
mais ma bourse est malade.
J'espère que tu m'adresseras encore ta lettre
comme grenadier, mais pour la dernière fois.

Documentary page 4

English translation

did his uncle cede his practice to him then? He must be very happy.
Farewell, I embrace you all as I love you.
F. Frachon

P.S. As for the last paragraph of your letter, you must well imagine how it is. I am doing well, but my purse is sick.
I hope you will still address your letter to me as a grenadier, but for the last time.

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military promotion
French Army
Marshal de Lobau
State funeral
Paris
Frachon Family Correspondence

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