VIGNAUD, Jean Henry (veen-yo), author, born in New Orleans, Louisiana, 27 November, 1830. He is descended from an ancient creole family, received his education in his native city, and was a teacher in the public schools of New Orleans in 1852-'6, being at the same time connected with "Le Courrier," of New Orleans, and other publications. In 1857 he established in the town of Thibodeaux, Louisiana, a daily entitled "L'Union de Lafourchu," which he edited till 1860, when he aided in founding in New Orleans a weekly review, " La renaissance Louisianaise," which did much to encourage the study of French literature in the state. In 1861 he published " L'Anthropologie," a work partly scientific but mainly philosophical. He became a captain in the 6th Louisiana regiment, Confederate army, in June, 1861, and was captured in New Orleans in April, 1862. In March, 1863, he was appointed assistant secretary of the Confederate diplomatic commission in Paris. At the same time he was a contributor to the "Memorial diplomatique," and in charge of the theatrical criticisms in several dailies. In 1869 he became secretary of the Rou-martian legation in Paris, and in 1872 he was officially connected with the Alabama commission in Geneva, for which he translated nearly all the papers presented to that tribunal in behalf of the United States. In 1873 he was United States delegate at the International diplomatic metric conference, received the appointment, 14 December, 1875, of second secretary of the United States legation in Paris, in 1882 was United States delegate at the International conference for the protection of sub-marine cables, and on 11 April, 1882, was promoted first secretary of legation at Paris. Mr. Vignaud has contributed memoirs to the Institute of France and other learned societies, and since 1869 has been secretary of the Societe savante, of Paris. He has in preparation a "History of the Formation of the American Union" and a "History of the Discovery and Occupation of the Territory of the United States."