Personal, political, legal and military correspondence of Charles D. Fontaine (c1817–1871), an attorney of Pontotoc who was active in the political life of the state for three decades and who was offered for Governor on the American Party ticket in 1855. The collection contains a great deal of information concerning the affairs of Mississippi from the campaigns of the American or Know Nothing Party through the War between the States.

Some of the correspondence concerns Charles D. Fontaine's father, Patrick Henry Fontaine, a grandson of Patrick Henry and an early settler in Pontotoc County where he held the position of Surveyor of Lands in Mississippi ceded by the Chickasaws. Correspondence during the 1850s concerns Charles D. Fontaine's nomination and unsuccessful campaign for Governor of Mississippi. Letters during the 1860s are principally personal correspondence of Charles D. Fontaine, his wife Sally Ann (Dandridge) Fontaine, and their sons. Letters of Charles D. Fontaine's brother Edward, an Episcopal minister in Columbus, Mississippi, and later in Texas, make up an interesting part of the collection.

Among the correspondents are: John M. Allen, P. G. T. Beauregard, C. A. Bradford, Albert Gallatin Brown, Joseph W. Chalmers, J. F. Cushman, Jefferson Davis (November 9, 1861), Lyman Draper (June 4, 1849 and February 12, 1853), W. C. Falkner, W. S. Featherston, William M. Gwin, Giles M. Hillyer, A. K. McClung, John Marshall, John J. Pettus, N. S. Price, W. L. Sharkey, W. C. Smedes, Jacob Thompson (eight letters in 1845, 1850, 1852, 1855 and 1856), E. C. Walthall, and A. M. West.

The papers are distributed by dates as follows:

• undated, 17
• 1836–1846, 42 items
• 1847–1856, 224 items
• 1857–1866, 99 items
• 1867–1925, 13 items