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

NRA-L-000608 / 1838

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1838-12-27

François Frachon tells his father of his promotion to corporal, hopes of becoming a quartermaster, garrison duties, winter weather and agricultural work at home.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000608

NRA-L-000608 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-000608 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-000608 image 3 showing a handwritten French letter continuation with closing and signature, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 3**Letter text and closing.

NRA-L-000608 image 4 showing the reverse of a folded French letter with postal evidence, manuscript calculations, retained annotations, sealing evidence and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Postal evidence and retained calculations or later annotations.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000608
Date: 1838-12-27
Original date: Paris le 27 xbre 1838
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: 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-000608.

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Transcript and English translation

working scholarly aid

Address panel

Original transcript

Monsieur
Marie Frachon propriétaire
Annonay
Ardèche

Address panel

English translation

Mr
Marie Frachon, property owner
Annonay
Ardèche

Documentary page 2

Original transcript

Paris le 27 xbre 1838

Mon cher père,
J'ai reçu ta dernière lettre et je t'en remercie. Elle
contenait trente francs que je n'ai pas encore pu aller recevoir étant
très occupé dans ce moment, vu que nous sommes obligés de regler nos
écritures pour la fin du trimestre.
Depuis ma dernière lettre j'ai eu le bonheur d'attraper enfin
les galons de caporal et ai bonne espérance pour ceux de fourrier
mais rien de plus. Ce qui me donne de l'espérance c'est qu'un
jeune homme qui comme moi est passé le premier sur l'ordre
des promotions est passé fourrier 8 jours après et qu'il n'avait
point ainsi que moi de protections. Et ce qui de plus me donne
de l'espérance c'est que mon commandant, le chef de bataillon, que
je remerciais de ce qu'il avait bien voulu me recommander
au colonel, m'a fait espérer de pouvoir obtenir ce nouveau grade
que je méritais par ma conduite. Puisse-t-il avoir dit vrai et
que ces galons de fourrier qui pour le moment sont toute mon
ambition, me soient bientôt donnés. Dans tous les cas j'aurai de quoi
prendre patience pendant quelques jours, et que je tombe dans une
bonne compagnie, où je pourrai encore travailler chez le sergent
major.
Tout en commençant ma lettre j'oubliais l'essentiel, c'était de
vous souhaiter une bonne année, et une bonne santé et tout le
contentement possible, et en plus que ma bonne petite sœur
se guérisse vite et ne soit plus malades, et te prierais de faire mes
souhaits à ma famille toute entière.

Documentary page 2

English translation

Paris, December 27, 1838

My dear father,
I received your last letter and I thank you for it. It contained thirty francs that I have not yet been able to go and receive, being very busy at this moment, seeing that we are obliged to settle our accounts for the end of the quarter.
Since my last letter, I have had the good fortune to finally obtain the corporal's stripes and have good hope for those of quartermaster, but nothing more. What gives me hope is that a young man who, like me, was passed first on the promotion order, was promoted to quartermaster 8 days later and that he, like me, had no connections. And what gives me even more hope is that my commander, the battalion chief, whom I thanked for having been so kind as to recommend me to the colonel, made me hope to be able to obtain this new rank which I deserved by my conduct. May he have told the truth and may these quartermaster stripes, which for the moment are my whole ambition, soon be given to me. In any case, I will have enough to be patient for a few days, and if I fall into a good company, where I can still work at the sergeant major's.
While starting my letter I forgot the essential, it was to wish you a happy new year, and good health and all possible contentment, and furthermore that my good little sister heals quickly and is no longer sick, and would ask you to give my wishes to my entire family.

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

Je n'ai pas même pu aller chez Monsieur Tavernost, et je ne sais
pas quand je pourrai trouver l'occasion d'y aller, il ne reçoit que pendant
2 heures et c'est justement les deux heures pendant je suis le moins disponible
à cause de l'appel de 11 heures duquel il n'y a pas moyen de se dispenser
et que de notre quartier (Caserne) à la rue de Rivoli il faut au moins
trois quart d'heure, et sans s'arrêter, vu que nous sommes dans un
faubourg du côté opposé. Je vais tâcher d'y aller le plus tôt possible.
Depuis quelque temps il fait froid mais heureusement jusqu'à présent
il fait un temps sec, mais ceux qui montaient la garde souffraient lorsqu'il
fallait faire 2 heures de faction sans bouger. Aujourd'hui nous
avons de la neige ici qui est tombée toute la nuit je la vois à travers
ma fenêtre.
Tu me disais dans ta dernière que les domestiques avaient
fini de miner, qu'elle est donc la partie dont ils se sont occupés cette
année, dans les duffaux ou dans les autres.
Je profite aujourd'hui de ce que je suis moins occupé pour écrire
à mon oncle et frères auxquels je n'ai pas écris depuis longtemps, et il
y a déjà une quinzaine que j'ai reçu une lettre de mon oncle Frachon
Il y a très longtemps que je n'en ai pas eu de mon oncle Vincent dont tu
ne me donnes jamais de nouvelles.
Je suis toujours content, tranquille, et travaille en masse.
Je ne faisais pas le service que celui de fourrier, mais à présent
il me va falloir monter la garde comme Caporal, mais plus de
factions, mais un peu moins de tranquillité et plus de responsabilités
de garde il faudra être constamment sur pied.
Adieu je vous embrasse tous comme je vous aime et
vous souhaite de nouveau une bonne année et beaucoup de
bonheur
faites dire bien des choses de ma part à Louis quand on

Documentary page 3

English translation

I have not even been able to go to Monsieur Tavernost's, and I do not know when I will be able to find the opportunity to go there; he only receives for 2 hours and it is exactly the two hours during which I am least available because of the 11 o'clock roll call from which there is no way to be excused and since from our quarters (Barracks) to the Rue de Rivoli it takes at least three quarters of an hour, and without stopping, given that we are in a suburb on the opposite side. I will try to go there as soon as possible.
For some time it has been cold but fortunately until now the weather has been dry, but those who were mounting the guard suffered when it was necessary to do 2 hours of sentry duty without moving. Today we have snow here which fell all night; I see it through my window.
You told me in your last letter that the servants had finished mining [or excavating], which part then did they occupy themselves with this year, in the Duffaux or in the others.
I am taking advantage today of being less busy to write to my uncle and brothers to whom I have not written for a long time, and it has already been a fortnight since I received a letter from my uncle Frachon. It has been a very long time since I have had one from my uncle Vincent, about whom you never give me any news.
I am always happy, calm, and working a lot. I was not doing the service other than that of quartermaster, but now I will have to mount the guard as a Corporal, but no more sentry duties, but a little less tranquility and more responsibilities on guard duty, it will be necessary to be constantly on foot.
Farewell, I embrace you all as I love you and wish you again a happy new year and much happiness.
Say many things on my behalf to Louis when someone

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

lui écrira

F. Frachon

ma promotion ne date que de Lundi 31 Decembre. Voici mon adresse
F. Frachon Caporal 1e Compagnie 1er
Bataillon, Caserne de l'ours Oursine à Paris

Notes

Contemporary annotation - Image 4:
Caporal au 30me de Ligne [crossed out: 1re Compie], 1er Bataillon 4me Compie
Caserne et Rue de L'ourcine à Paris
ecrit à l'adresse cy dessus le 8 Janvier.

Documentary page 4

English translation

will write to him.

F. Frachon

My promotion only dates from Monday, December 31. Here is my address:
F. Frachon, Corporal, 1st Company, 1st Battalion, Barracks of the Bear Oursine [L'ourcine] in Paris.

Notes

Contemporary annotation - Image 4:
Corporal in the 30th Line Infantry, 1st Company [crossed out], 1st Battalion, 4th Company
Barracks and Street of L'ourcine in Paris
written to the above address on January 8.

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military promotion
Garrison life
Weather
Agriculture
Frachon Family Correspondence

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