Letter book : of the French Consul in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1863-1865, 1868.

ArchivalResource

Fauconnet, Charles. Letter book : of the French Consul in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1863-1865, 1868.

Letter book : of the French Consul in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1863-1865, 1868.

http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/702192778

Manuscript letter book of Charles Fauconnet, approximately 317 pages, consisting of retained copies of dispatches to the French Foreign Ministry from February 1863 to December 1865, and from June to October 1868, written while Fauconnet was Consul in New Orleans. The letter book is divided into two major sections: "Direction Politique," containing copies of reports to the Minister of Foreign Affairs; and "Dépê̂ches Commerciales," with letters addressed to both the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Director of Consulates and Commercial Affairs. The letters record Fauconnet's observations about the political, military, cultural and economic situation in New Orleans and its surrounding plantations, and in the Gulf region in general during the Civil War and the early post-bellum era. The letter book is a resource for the study of the region during these periods through non-American eyes, recording both French diplomatic activity and the personal observations of Fauconnet. The letters document Fauconnet's interactions with Federal authorities in New Orleans, his relationships with other foreign diplomats in the city, and his perspective on local events and legislation. Of particular interest are Fauconnet's reports on battles and other military events during the Civil War, including Confederate guerrilla warfare and the organization of the first African-American battalions in Louisiana; dispatches relating to Napolean III's Mexican expedition and American sentiment against French intervention; and passages discussing New Orleans's economy, including cotton and sugar production, labor organization, and local and foreign trade. Fauconnet also wrote extensively about policies relating to the African-American population of Louisiana, and about the social and cultural impact of the war and its aftermath on the residents of New Orleans and on the French character of Louisiana. The letter book is written in two secretarial hands, with occasional corrections and annotations in a third hand. Title page is signed by "H. C. Fauconnet."

1 v. (circa 317 p. in 1 box) ; 36 x 24 cm.

Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library