The Exile: A Tale of St. Augustine

This poem retells the story of Fort Caroline and the Huguenots through stanzas of varying lengths and meter. The poem is not consistent, but rather changes as the narrator sees fit; and in the Introduction warned the reader that sticking to strict historical accuracy was not the point, although he used two primary sources (one Spanish and one French) to help inform his version of events. The poem dwells a lot on describing the beauty of the land and the impact of the arrival of Europeans upon the native population.

The other identifiable local locations are the St. Johns River, the Matanzas River, and the original site of St. Augustine (Fountain of Youth).

Francis Fontaine was born in 1844 or 1845 in Columbus, Georgia. He is a descendent of a 17th century Huguenot who emigrated from France to England and then Ireland. In the early 18th century, some of the children moved to the United States and produced an extensive family tree that includes both Matthew Fontaine Maury (Pathfinder of the Sea) and Francis Fontaine, author.

SPECIAL PS1683 .F6 E8 1878

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The Exile: A Tale of St. Augustine

Mr. Fontaine signed and inscribed this copy.

New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons

Hardcover book

English

Historical
Race Relations
Short stories, Vignettes, or Poetry

Huguenot Colony
Ft. Caroline

Purchased

Available for free on HathiTrust.
Available for free on Internet Archive.

Fontaine, Francis. The Exile: A Tale of St. Augustine. New York: G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1878.