25 East 30^th St.,

                                                                                                New York, Aug. 31^st 95.

 

General E. M. Law,

            Dear Sir,

                        Your esteemed favor of the 28^th inst. is at hand. Something I cannot explain has happened, and has caused you much annoyance, I fear, and me much surprise.

 

            Your previous letter, dated May 17^th, was received by me about the 20^th. In it you requested me to address you at Huntsville, Ala. I made, at once several final, but ineffectual/efforts to dispose of the papers, and then mailed you a reply on May 29^th directed to Huntsville. I do not keep copies of my letters, but I know the contents and purport were about as follows—That I considered you had been exceedingly patient and considerate in the matter of the documents, but that, in spite of all my exertions, the hard times and lack of ready money had prevented my disposing of them, and that for the same reasons I could not afford to purchase them myself. I also thanked/you most heartily for the very kind wish expressed in your letter, that I should retain some of the papers for my collection, as a remembrance of yourself and of our very pleasant intercourse and correspondence. This I said I should be most charmed to do and would keep, if quite agreeable to you, the Lee letter (N^o 71.), and the package of letters (No. 66) which I thought you would set no special store by. N^o 66 contains letters to yourself, written/since the war by Gens. Butler, Hoke, M^cLaws, &c,&c. In conclusion I  stated that the remainder of the relics were all packed up and ready to be forwarded to any address you might send me, which they have been ever since.

 

I regret exceedingly that you did not receive this letter, and cannot at all understand why it was not either delivered or forwarded to you. I even took care to place the pkges under my brother’s eye,/ during a trip to visit some friends in the country during in July, so that when I rec’d the address he might dispatch them at once.

 

            I am very very sorry this delay should have occurred but I really fail to see that I am to blame.

 

            I will of now say if you can also part with one of the books, you will make me a very happy man and please me beyond measure.

 

            Business and every thing else, here, is still/very bad, the Hull, and other papers, notwithstanding.

 

            Hoping you have been caused no great inconvenience, and that I may soon have the pleasure of hearing from you again, I remain, with deep respect,

 

                                    Very truly yours,

                                                Robt. Coster

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