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

NRA-L-000617 / 1839

Letter from François Frachon to Jean Marie Frachon, 1839-12-17

François Frachon writes to his father about the Saumur fort, his journey by road and steamer, military travel arrangements and a destructive local fire.

Neruda Archives
NRA-L-000617

NRA-L-000617 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-000617 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-000617 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-000617 image 4 showing a handwritten French letter closing with signature, postal marks, retained annotations, visible folds and complete physical paper edges. — **Image 4**Letter text, closing and postal evidence.

Archive Record

Identifier: NRA-L-000617
Date: 1839-12-17
Original date: Saumur le 17 Xbre 1839
Type: Family correspondence
Language: French / fr
Sender: François Frachon
Recipient: Jean Marie Frachon
Places: Saumur / 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-000617.

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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

Saumur le 17 Xbre 1839

Mon cher père

J'ai reçu hier seulement ta lettre du 12 avec
beaucoup. Je fus très satisfait sur ce que tu m'annonçais
sur ta santé et celle de ma mère et ma sœur; j'espère
que vous continuerez à vous bien porter.
Je te remercie de toutes les nouvelles que tu me donnes
et te reprie de tous les soins de m'en donner quand vous le pourrez
Comme je vous le disais dans ma dernière lettre je continue
à bien me porter et est en bonne espérance, Nous sommes
bien ici à Saumur, la ville est agréable et bien située
pour nous nous sommes casernés dans un vieux fort au millieu
duquel est un vieux chateau rempli de plusieurs milliers de
quintaux de poudre et de je ne sais combien de vieux
fusils. nous avons ponts levis, fossés, et de plus une
vue superbe, nous dominons toute la ville, nous voyons
la loire à une très grande distance; mais par exemple
la bise vient nous y phrapper en première loge et pour
y avoir un air très vif qui nous fait jouer des machoires
Comme vous l'avait dit charles, j'étais parti le

Documentary page 2

English translation

Saumur 17 December 1839

My dear father

I only received your letter of the 12th yesterday with
much. I was very satisfied with what you announced to me
about your health and that of my mother and sister; I hope
that you will continue to be well.
I thank you for all the news you give me
and beg you again to take every care to give me some when you can.
As I told you in my last letter I continue
to be well and am in good hope, We are
well here in Saumur, the town is pleasant and well situated
as for us we are barracked in an old fort in the middle
of which is an old castle filled with several thousands of
quintals of powder and I don't know how many old
rifles. we have drawbridges, ditches, and moreover a
superb view, we dominate the whole town, we see
the Loire at a very great distance; but for example
the north wind comes to strike us there in the front row and 
there is a very sharp air there which makes our jaws play
As charles had told you, I had left on

Documentary page 3

Original transcript

mardi de Lyon et je suis arrivé le [...]
dimanche matin à Angers après avoir été en
voiture jusqu'à Orléans où je pris le bateau
à vapeur jusqu'à Angers. Ma route m'a couté
encore plus que je ne m'y attendais, j'ai depensé
jusqu'au retour de Saumur compris 73 francs
79 centimes.
Ma tante a du être bien contente de savoir
que louis restait à Alger, je suis sur que pour son
compte il brule d'aller venger nos soldats indignement
assassinés, Pour nous, nous brulons tous ici du
désir d'y aller; mais malheureusement notre tour
n'est pas venu, et nous espérons bien pourtant, qu'il
ne tardera pas à revenir, il y a bientôt neuf ans
que le régiment en est revenu et beaucoup des
régiments qui y sont y était en même temps que le
notre, Il n'y a qu'une chose qui fera que nous
n'irons pas de sitot c'est la distance ou nous sommes
des points d'embarquements, ainsy soyez sans inquiétudes
Nous sommes ici aussi tranquilles qu'on puisse
l'être; nous passons notre temps assez agréablement entre
nous ou à travailler ou à nous amuser tranquillement
nous sortons peu, je n'ai pas de plus grand plaisir que
d'aller voir le manege ou l'école de cavalerie

Documentary page 3

English translation

Tuesday from Lyon and I arrived on [...]
Sunday morning in Angers after having been in
a carriage as far as Orléans where I took the steamboat
as far as Angers. My journey cost me
even more than I expected, I spent
up to the return to Saumur included 73 francs
79 centimes.
My aunt must have been very happy to know
that louis was staying in Algiers, I am sure that on his
account he burns to go and avenge our soldiers indignantly
assassinated. As for us, we all burn here with the
desire to go there; but unfortunately our turn
has not come, and we hope well however, that it
will not delay in returning, it has been almost nine years
since the regiment returned from there and many of the
regiments which are there were there at the same time as
ours, There is only one thing that will make us
not go anytime soon it is the distance where we are
from the points of embarkation, so be without worries
We are here as quiet as one can
be; we pass our time quite pleasantly among
ourselves either working or amusing ourselves quietly
we go out little, I have no greater pleasure than
to go see the riding school or the cavalry school

Documentary page 4

Original transcript

le premier dimanche que nous avons eu à nous
nous l'avons passé au feu dont nous n'avons pu nous
rendre maîtres que lors que dans les maisons qui étaient
atteintes il n'y a plus rien à bruler
Adieu mon cher père je vous embrasse tous comme
je vous aime – remercie ma mère de ses quelques mots
Aimez moi comme je vous aime
F. Frachon

Documentary page 4

English translation

the first Sunday that we had to ourselves
we spent it at the fire of which we were only able to
make ourselves masters when in the houses which were
affected there was nothing left to burn
Farewell my dear father I embrace you all as
I love you - thank my mother for her few words
Love me as I love you
F. Frachon

Discovery Terms

Family correspondence
Military service
Travel
Fire
Saumur
Frachon Family Correspondence

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