Many have probably wondered who the quite military gentlemen is whose face appears on the 1906-07 issues of many African French Colonies, including French Guinea, Dahomy, Ivory Coast, Mauritania, etc.
The picture is that of General Louis Leon Caesar Faidherbe, who was a General in the Army of France. It is quite appropriate for the French government to honor him by placing his picture on her African colonies stamps for a greater part of his life work was that of making a minute study of the language, geography and archaeology of Northern Africa. He wrote many learned volumes on the subject which has become authorities throughout the world. It is said that he spoke the native languages of the parts of Africa where he studies with the fluency of a native.
He was born in the historic city of Lille, France, on June 3, 1818 and died in Paris, September 29, 1889.
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