Letter: John S. Mosby to R.T.W. Duke, Jr.

4 April 1915 (MSS 9521-g)

Transcription

The Adams, Washington
April 4th 1915

Judge Tom Duke:
Dear Tom:

Under another cover I am sending you two photos of myself recently taken.
Please give one to Miss Mary Robertson & tell her that I shall be sure to call
to see her. I am also anxious to se Chillie Langhorne–his daughters, Mrs. Astor
& Mrs. Brookes are my friends. It is with no affected modesty that I say that it is
not agreeable to me to talk about myself but the letter of invitation prescribes it.
I rather suspect that it was done because in my recent lecture before the Quill Club
in New York I was requested to give an account of Stuart’s Cavalry in the Gettysburg
Campaign. but you can’t defend Stuart on that campaign with[out] criticizing Genl.
Lee’s report wh. I suppose a Virginia audience does not want to hear. Now Stuart was
just as good a Confederate as Genl. Lee & the audience there–as well as at Toronto–
was impartial between them & wanted to hear historic truth & I gave it to them. Then I
am afraid that if I talk about myself I may gt up the reputation of telling fabulous stories
as Frank Stringfellow did. Most of Frank’s tales wd. have been equally true if told of the
Argonauts. He was a brave soldier, but a great liar. I shall go over to Charlottes[ville] on
April 30th on train that leaves here at 11:00 AM. I shall stay with Prof. Kent.

Yours truly,
Jno. S. Mosby