[undecipherable: probable reading "Newark"], Sept. 23^d 1800 My Dear Sir, I am much obliged to you for the polite [undecipherable] you paid my Friend D^r. Buchanan when he [undecipherable] [undecipherable] City on his first visit to [undecipherable] an appointment [undecipherable] — he acknowledges [undecipherable] with great gratitude [undecipherable] attention to him & I feel myself under [undecipherable] to you on his & my own account — He is [undecipherable] way to Washington to obtain a d[undecipherable] [undecipherable] on the subject of his Surgeoncy — as the [undecipherable] [undecipherable] he has been not been kindly or [properly?] [undecipherable] getting a promise [undecipherable] the President — he was [undecipherable] Cap^t. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] he has lost the [undecipherable] by the Surgeon of another Ship [undecipherable] a [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] from another [undecipherable] for him — he [undecipherable]. Not [undecipherable] yet [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — Surgeon — If my dear [undecipherable] you can have [undecipherable] [undecipherable] you can [undecipherable] to [undecipherable] Secretary of the Navy as to [undecipherable] or [undecipherable] Ships for D^r. Buchanan I [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] upon it as a matter of great moment to have [undecipherable] of good Medical Education & well [undecipherable] as Surgeons of our national Ships — who can [undecipherable] against those [undecipherable] [undecipherable] [undecipherable] well acquainted with the theory as [undecipherable] [undecipherable] practice of Medicine & Surgery. [undecipherable] is [undecipherable] that the United States has not a better or [undecipherable] more [undecipherable] mind in medicine [undecipherable] [undecipherable] — I am [undecipherable] [undecipherable] goodness in getting my Business [undecipherable] [undecipherable] Armstrong in the [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] [undecipherable] on it [undecipherable] — [undecipherable] affectionate Regards to M^rs. [undecipherable] [undecipherable] your [undecipherable] [undecipherable] John R.B. Rodgers [Endorsement, outer wrapper: two archival stamps reading "Received from State Dep't. Nov. 24. 1894. B.P.O.401810."; left panel bears partially legible address or filing notation including "Dr. Buchanan" and other undecipherable text; lower right bears large handwritten name or address, undecipherable]