He thanks McMaster for copies of the Freeman's Journal. He has had Dr. Dabney's life of Jackson for some time, but has not read it. From McMaster's notices it seems to be strongly sectarian and anti-Catholic which is certainly "Travelling out of the record", Jackson's life being nothing if not military. He feels that Dr. Dabney was not the author of a card attacking Cooke in a Richmond paper The Central Presbyterian in 1863. That attack was credited to Dr. Brown, the editor, an aged clergyman, who took the article around and tried to get various papers to publish it. The editors indignantly refused. The affair caused ridicule to be heaped on the Presbyterian church, for the evident desire to monopolize Jackson was universally laughed at. He, the anonymous author of the intended work though his name was not used was accused of being a vulture, hack, catchpenny, etc. He apologizes for writing such a long letter. He holds no grudge against Dr. Dabney, and thinks that possibly Dabney's work is much fuller and more valuable than the writer's own. :: I-1-n A.L.S. 4pp. 12mo.