Letter from François Frachon to Jean... (1839)

NRA-L-000604 / 1839

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1839-02-27

François Frachon describes his exhausting daily routine as a company quartermaster, poor food, family illness and recent bereavement.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000604

NRA-L-000604 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-000604 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-000604 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-000604 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-000604
Date: 1839-02-27
Original date: Paris le 27 fevrier 1839
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-000604.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur
Jn M.e Frachon
Annonay
Ardèche

Address panel

English translation

Mr
Jn M.e Frachon
Annonay
Ardèche

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Paris le 27 fevrier 1839

Mon cher Père, j'ai reçu ta dernière Lettre
avec beaucoup de plaisir et je t'en remercie. Je suis
resté longtems pour y repondre, c'est que mes
occupations ne me permettent pas de le faire. /
depuis 5 h. 1/2 que je me leve jusqu'a 10 h. 1/2
que je me couche je ne reste pas un instant
Oisif je t'assure bien on ne nous en donne pas le
tems. et il n'y a dans notre partie, l'oisif que qui
veux bien.
J'ai vu dans ta lettre que tu te portais
bien ainsi que ma mère, mais ce qui m'inquiete
c'est ma sœur, c'est que vous me cachez son etat et me
la faites mieux portante qu'elle ne l'est reéllement la
pauvre petite, que j'espere bien peut sortir
pour promener a present qu'il ne fait plus froid.
mais je t'en prie si elle est malade dis le moi
franchement plutot que par demi mots.
J'ai appris avec peine la double perte de
Mes cousins Noël et Eugene Bruyere, et qu'auguste
est tres malades et son etat presque deseperé.
Tu me demandais dans ta dernière qu'elles etaient mes
occupations et ce que je fesait ainsi je me leve tous les
jours à 5 h. 1/2, a 6 heures jusqu'a huit du matin nous allons
à l'ecurie, à 8 h ou 9 nous allons dejeuner après il nous faut

Documentary page 2

English translation

Paris, February 27, 1839

My dear Father, I received your last letter with much pleasure and I thank you for it. I took a long time to answer it, it is because my occupations do not allow me to do so. From 5:30 when I get up until 10:30 when I go to bed I do not remain idle for an instant, I assure you; they do not give us the time for it, and in our department, the only idle one is the one who wants to be.
I saw in your letter that you were doing well as well as my mother, but what worries me is my sister, it is that you hide her condition from me and make her out to be better than she really is, the poor little thing, who I hope can go out for a walk now that it is no longer cold.
But I beg you, if she is sick tell me frankly rather than in half-words.
I learned with sorrow of the double loss of my cousins Noël and Eugene Bruyere, and that Auguste is very sick and his state almost desperate.
You asked me in your last what my occupations were and what I did so I get up every day at 5:30, at 6 o'clock until eight in the morning we go to the stables, at 8 or 9 we go to have breakfast after which we must

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

ou distribuer le pain ou faire quelqu'états pour
q/q ordre ou de la division ou du R.t 11 heures l'appel de 11
heures,, à 11 heures 1/2 aller au magasin d'habillement
tantot pour une chose tantot pour une autre, et presque
jamais nous ne pouvons en partir avant 1 heure et 1/2
et il faut 1 bon quart d'heure de chemin pour retourner
au magasin, à 2 heures aller a l'ecole pour apprendre
la topographie (le levé des plans militaires) ou nous restons
jusqu'a 4. heures a la quelle nous dinons, il faut ensuite
aller tous les jours deux fois et quelquefois plus souvent
chez le capitaine qui demeure a 1 bonne demi heure de
la caserne, Outre cela aller 4 fois par semaine à la théorie
qu'il faut savoir litteralement et aux bout des doigts. Quant
a mes fonctions elles sont les compte je suis chargé de la
comptabilité et tenue des écritures de la compagnie sous la
direction du sergent major, responsables des distributions de
pain et de bois, et du casernement qui se compose de
tous les objets mobilliers, qui composent le mobillier des
logemens de la comp.ie a 1 clou près, responsable des
fournitures de lits.
Pour ma pension nous vivons mal je n'ai plus ces joues
Roses et dodues, je suis pale et maigre, je ne paye que 10
sous par jour mais aussi ne mange-je pas pour d'avantage.
et je ne pourrais pas y tenir si je ne pouvais pas acheter
quelque chose.
Adieu, on bat aux fourriers a l'ordre il faut aller
voir ce que c'est, si je n'étais pas de repos auj ce a quoi
je ne tiens pas du tout

Documentary page 3

English translation

either distribute the bread or make some returns for some order either of the division or of the Regiment. 11 o'clock roll call of 11 o'clock, at 11:30 go to the clothing store sometimes for one thing sometimes for another, and almost never can we leave there before 1:30 and it takes a good quarter of an hour's walk to return to the store, at 2 o'clock go to school to learn topography (the surveying of military plans) where we stay until 4 o'clock at which time we dine, then we must go every day twice and sometimes more often to the captain's who lives a good half hour from the barracks. Besides that go 4 times a week to theory which one must know literally and at the tips of one's fingers. As for my duties they are the accounts, I am in charge of the accounting and bookkeeping of the company under the direction of the sergeant major, responsible for the distributions of bread and wood, and of the quartering which is composed of all the movable objects, which compose the furniture of the lodgings of the company to the nearest nail, responsible for the bed supplies.
As for my board we live poorly I no longer have those rosy and plump cheeks, I am pale and thin, I only pay 10 sous a day but I also do not eat for any more than that. And I could not stand it if I could not buy something.
Farewell, they are beating the order for the quartermasters, I must go see what it is, if I was not off duty today which I do not care for at all

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

Je vous embrasse tous comme je vous aime.
Frachon
fourrier

Documentary page 4

English translation

I kiss you all as I love you.
Frachon
quartermaster

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military service
Quartermaster duties
Health and illness
Bereavement
Frachon Family Correspondence

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