Selections and extracts from Irvine manuscripts, 1776-1834, copied by Draper in 1849 from originals loaned to him by Irvine's grandson, William A. Irvine of Warren County, Pennsylvania. The majority of these copies were later published by Consul W. Butterfield in Washington-Irvine Correspondence (Madison, 1882). The few letters written after 1802 were addressed to Callender Irvine but relate to his father's military service and character.

The topics are prefaced by detailed chronological and subject indexes by Draper in which nearly 150 individual names are listed; those featured most frequently include John Armstrong, (1717-1795) and his son of the same name (1758-1843), Stephen Bayard, Samuel Brady (for whom there are eight pages of index), Daniel Brodhead, Richard Butler, William Butler, James Chambers, George Rogers Clark, Edward Cook, Lord Cornwallis, Thomas Craig, Isaac Craig, William Crawford, David Duncan, John Evans, John Finley, John Gibson, and David Grier. Also included are Richard Hampton, Josiah Harmar, Samuel Hay, Simon Kenton, James Marshal, John Rose (Baron Rosenthal), David Shepherd, Thomas Sumter, Anthony Wayne, David Williamson, and David Zeigler.