Carteret to the minister of war, May 23, 1844
General Carteret Trecourt, military governor of Lyons, commander of fourteenth army corps, to the minister of war.
Mr. Foichat having come to France in the month of September, 1883, that is to say, hardly four months after his change of nationality, the French authorities could not be notified that he was an American subject; his name appeared therefore upon the register of insubordinates.
Arrested on the 23d of November, he produced an American passport, but this document was not sufficient to obtain his immediate release, the gendarmerie, acting in virtue of a description No. 1, had to keep him in custody, having no capacity to decide upon the authenticity or value of the document submitted to them.
Escorted without any resistance before the recruiting commandant of Chambéry, and then to the prison of this town, Mr. Foichat was not subjected to any rigorous measures, the gendarmes, not having handcuffed him, thus taking upon themselves to render as light as possible the application of the general rule.
During his transfer, however, from the prison of Chambéry to the military prison of Grenoble, the gendarmes applying in his case the precautionary measures usual in such cases, thought fit to put on the handcuffs.
From the information obtained from the military prison of Grenoble, it appears that Mr. Foichat was subjected to the ordinary regulations of the establishment, and that he was not the object of any exceptional measures.
With reference to the impediments, according to the complainant, to his communicating with the consul of the United States at Lyons, it is sufficient to state that on the 28th of November I had already been applied to with reference to the claim of Mr. Foichat by the prefect of the Isère, acting at the instance of the consul of the United States.
Besides, as soon as the situation of this subordinate had been defined, and that I had the proof of his nationality, I gave orders by telegraph for him to be set at liberty, which took place on the 29th of November.