Manchester, 10 June 1854 

Dear Marx, 

I was very sorry I was unable to send you an article for 
Tuesday’s post, but it was a sheer impossibility because of the many 
jobs to be done at the office which now absolutely preclude my 
writing articles for you precisely on Mondays or Thursdays. On top 
of that, my present lodgings are almost 3/4 of an hour’s walk away 
from the post, so that nothing more can be done late at night for the 
second post. Hence I have to work on Saturdays and on Wednesday 
evenings. Tomorrow I shall send you a comprehensive article on the 
siege of Silistria which ought to cause a stir; maybe, too, some notes 
on Napier’s absurd naval frolics and on the condition of the army 
in Bulgaria. 

I am now swotting the Hungarian campaign in real earnest and 
shall, I think, have worked my way through all the Sources by 
October; come what may, I shall write the book this winter. The more 
I go into it, the prettier the thing gets on both sides. At present I 
am comparing Gérgey and Windischgratz, and find that in his 
self-apology the latter is as mendacious as in his bulletins he 
hasn’t the courage to disown. Delightful, how each of the two 
adversaries tries to make his own army out to be worse than the 
opposing one. Pére Windischgratz, incidentally, proves himself the 
ass we know him to be—HE HAS ACTUALLY WRITTEN HIMSELF DOWN AN 
ass—and was most ably abetted in his tomfoolery by men even 
more stupid, if such a thing is possible, than himself, namely his 
subordinate generals Wrbna, Csorich and, above all, the chivalrous 
Banus Jellaci¢. Gorgey’s cynicism enables him to record the facts 
much more frankly and correctly than that mendacious apologist 
Windischgratz. However, it is a campaign altogether worthy of the 
year '48/49. 

Cold feet on both sides, the old armies and the revolutionary 
forces both discredited. Next week I hope to receive the official 
Austrian book and one of these days I shall go through the 
Brockhaus catalogues to find what sources are still required. 
Another thing I need is Klapka; then I shall have all the principal 
stuff. 

The thing for The Times will be written next week; I now have 
all the sources and need only do a little more work on them. 
Could you find out in London what military periodicals are 
published there? Just in case of need. 

Now I must go to the bookseller’s if I am not to find it shut; 
let’s hear from you soon. 
Dronke, drunk as usual, was run over by a cab, and is now in 
bed; will be confined to his room for some 8 or 10 days, otherwise 
nothing serious. 

I shall make inquiries about Otto. 

Your 
F. E. 
I hope your wife is well again.