While writing the " Battles," he became involved in a controversy concerning the merits of Major General Israel Putnam, with Messrs. Griswold and Doming, of Hartford, Conn., in the Daily Post of that city. The correspondence attracted the attention of scholars throughout the entire country, the Legislature of Connecticut being led by it to take special action on the subject; and the letters were subsc- (picntly collected and published in a handsome volume, copies of which have commanded prices as high as fifty dollars each.

In 1862 Mr. Dawson was enabled to make a complete transcript of the receipts and disbursements of moneys for the municipal purposes of the city of New York, during the entire occupation of that city by the Royal Army, 1776 to 178.5, together with all the military orders on which those receipts and disbursements rested, and all the vouchers of the auditors

appointed by the successive Commanders-in-chief

through whom those accounts were settled.

As none of these were ])reviously known and as the Finance Department of the city needed only these to make the financial records of the city complete from a very early period, this work of Mr. Dawson wiis welcomed by the city authorities as few such works have ever been welcomed. The mayor honored it by sending it to the common council with a special message; and the latter sjjread not only the message, but the entire financial and historical statement made by Mr. Dawson on its Minutes, made a liberal ajjpropriation for his compensation ; gave to him an official vote of thanks, a copy of which elegantly engrossed and framed ornaments his dining-room ; and gave to him, also,* the unusual privilege of copying and jiublishing any of its ancient records and files which he should, at any time, desire to employ.