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| A letter from actor James H. Hackett to President Lincoln, dated August 2, 1864—containing a lost Davy Crockett tale. |
“Izzard by G—d!”
Tucked deep within the Abraham Lincoln Papers at the Library of Congress lies a curious letter, dated August 2, 1864. [1] It was written by James H. Hackett—a name largely forgotten today, but once celebrated on both sides of the Atlantic for his booming portrayal of Shakespeare’s Falstaff.
Hackett wasn’t just an actor. He was also a correspondent of President Lincoln. The two men, drawn together by a shared love of Shakespeare, exchanged letters during the darkest years of the Civil War. [2] This final letter, however, contains something unexpected: an unpublished tall tale from the American frontier, passed from a congressman who had served alongside David “Davy” Crockett… to Hackett… and finally to the President of the United States.
Hackett, knowing Lincoln’s fondness for storytelling, couldn’t resist sharing it.
🎬 Story's Context
Before launching into the tale, Hackett offers Lincoln a bit of context [brackets are mine]:
“The late Davy Crockett contended with his fellow member of Congress, the late C. C. Cambreleng—in palliation [in defense or partial excuse] of a charge which he [Crockett] admitted he could not entirely deny: ‘want of edication’—that ‘some men were too high larnt.’ John Quincy Adams, he said, was one of them—his superfluous larning sometimes confused his head and his purpose.” Crockett (according to Mr. Cambreleng, who told me the anecdote—which I think I once repeated to you) proceeded very ingeniously and humorously to instance a case where ‘a man knew too much’—and suffered for it.” [1]
Then Hackett tells the story—as Cambreleng told it to him.
📜 The Tale, As Hackett Told It
“In Tennessee, one John Jones was objected to, as a political candidate for an office; ‘because, he was so illiterate he could'nt spell his given name — John,’ & a wager of $10. was offered & taken that ‘he could not be larnt to spell it within 24 hours.’ The taker of the bet did teach him, in less than one hour, to pronounce J — O — H — N —; & should have been satisfied, but must needs — as he thought — to win for sartin, & make use of all the time allowed, — larn him the whole alphabet — from A to Izzard. John, so crammed with unnecessary larnin', after having pronounced, before the appointed judges of his ability, the letters ‘J’ — ‘O’ — ‘H’ — fluently, was interrupted by him who had taken the wager, — ‘Well done, John! all right! now for the last letter!’ — meaning the — N —: but, poor John, thinking he meant of the alphabet, which he had worked so hard to get into his head, cried out: — ‘Izzard by G—d!’ and lost his friends' bet.”[1]
🔤 What “Izzard” Really Means
"Izzard” was a legitimate historical term for the letter Z, used in Britain and colonial America from the 17th through the 19th centuries Z. It wasn’t slang or a mistake—it was the accepted term, later replaced by the modern “zee.”
So when Crockett says “from A to Izzard,” he means the whole alphabet—from A to Z.
That’s what makes the John Jones story so funny. Under pressure to spell his name, Jones confidently rattles off J–O–H… and then, draws a blank and instead of the final “N,” reaches for the last letter he was taught and blurts out: “Izzard by G—d!”
The punchline lands perfectly: a man crammed with “too much larning” ends up missing the obvious.
🤠 Crockett’s Parable of “Too Much Larning”
The story works on several levels: it’s comic, exaggerated, and steeped in frontier irony. But beneath the humor lies Crockett’s own insecurity.
Famous for his folksy, self-deprecating style, Crockett often leaned into the image of being “unlarnt”—especially when set against polished statesmen like John Quincy Adams. In the preface Hackett shares, Crockett admits to lacking an "edication,” but he quickly flips the script. His lack of schooling, Crockett argues, was no handicap at all. Adams, he claimed, was “too high larnt”—so stuffed with superfluous knowledge that it clouded his judgment.
Enter the tale of John Jones: a man crammed with so much unnecessary learning that he misses the obvious. The parable becomes Crockett’s sly defense—turning ridicule of him into sage wisdom. It’s more than a joke; it’s a frontier rationale for why being “unlarnt” might actually be an advantage.
📄 A Story Without a Source—Except Lincoln
What makes this tale even more remarkable is its absence from the historical record. It doesn’t appear in Crockett’s published writings, nor in biographies, folklore collections, or congressional archives. That it survives only in Hackett’s letter makes it a rare artifact—a lost Crockett anecdote preserved in the papers of a president.
Lincoln didn’t reply to Hackett’s letter—or if he did, the reply is lost. But the story survives. Preserved in ink, carried by laughter, and tucked inside the papers of a president who knew that sometimes, the best truths come wrapped in a tall tale.
💭 Closing Thoughts
This story—passed from Crockett to Cambreleng to Hackett to Lincoln—is more than a frontier joke. It’s a glimpse into how humor traveled in 19th-century America: orally, informally, and often undocumented.
It also reveals something deeper about Lincoln. In the midst of war, he still welcomed stories. He still laughed. He still found meaning in the quirks of language and the wisdom of the “unlarnt.” Hackett knew this—and gave him a tale that was funny, ironic, and unmistakably American.
I wonder if Lincoln ever "retailed" it?
This was another find from the archives of Abraham Lincoln, Storyteller.
Mac
📑Historical Footnotes
James H. Hackett (1800–1871) was a celebrated American actor, best known for his portrayal of Falstaff. He corresponded with Abraham Lincoln during the Civil War, sharing literary insights and theatrical anecdotes.
Churchill C. Cambreleng (1786–1862) served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1821 to 1839, representing New York. A close ally of Andrew Jackson, he later served as U.S. Minister to Russia.
David "Davy" Crockett (1786–1836), was a frontiersman, folk hero, and served three non-consecutive terms a congressman from Tennessee (between 1827 and 1835). Known for his colorful storytelling and rugged persona, he died at the Alamo and became a symbol of American frontier spirit.
🕵️ David or Davy Crockett?
The nickname “Davy” was in circulation long before Walt Disney made it iconic in the 1950s—and Hackett’s use of it in 1864 proves it. The idea that Disney invented “Davy” is a myth. What Disney did was popularize and standardize the nickname for a new generation.
🧭 Timeline of the Name “Davy”
During Crockett’s lifetime (1786–1836): He referred to himself as David Crockett in formal settings, including his autobiography, A Narrative of the Life of David Crockett (1834) and congressional records, and did not like to be called "Davy".
Early 1800s–1850s: The nickname Davy, however, appears in folk tales, plays, and popular culture. The 1831 play The Lion of the West fictionalized Crockett as “Nimrod Wildfire,” helping spread the mythic image—and the nickname began surfacing in print and oral storytelling.
Hackett’s 1864 letter: He calls him “the late Davy Crockett,” [see the entire letter below the Works Cited section] showing that the nickname was already familiar and informal enough to be used in correspondence with Lincoln.
1950s Disney boom: The TV series Davy Crockett starring Fess Parker, along with The Ballad of Davy Crockett (1955)—a No. 1 hit for weeks—ignited a national craze. Sales of “Davy Crockett” merchandise reportedly grossed over $100 million. Coonskin caps became a cultural phenomenon, worn not only by young boys but also by adults, including presidential candidate Estes Kefauver, who famously sported one at campaign events.
Disney didn’t invent the nickname “Davy”—they simply branded it, popularizing and standardizing it for a new generation.
📚 Works Cited
[1] Lincoln, A. (1864) Abraham Lincoln papers: Series 1. General Correspondence. 1833 to 1916: James H. Hackett to Abraham Lincoln, Tuesday, Davy Crockett anecdote. August 2. [Manuscript/Mixed Material] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/mal3500900/, November 12, 2025.
[2] "Collected Works of Abraham Lincoln. Volume 6 [Dec. 13, 1862-Nov. 3, 1863]." In the digital collections, University of Michigan Library Digital Collections. Accessed November 13, 2025.
This is the complete Hackett letter about Davy Crockett's tall tale, transcribed and annotated by the Lincoln Studies Center, Knox College. Galesburg, Illinois:
From James H. Hackett to Abraham Lincoln, August 2, 1864
82 Nassau St New York
Aug. 2. 1864
My dear Mr. Lincoln!
As “Genl. Sanford” was lately on a mission to Secy. Stanton; and “Ex. Judge Cowles” — formerly a supporter of is — now a backslider to your administration, and, as “John K. Hackett” is my only son, (& aged 43,) — possibly the enclosed cut may afford information useful at some future time—1
[Hackett enclosed a clipping which contains brief sketches of Sanford, Cowles and John K. Hackett.]
The late Davy Crockett contended with his fellow member of Congress, the late C. C. Cambrelling, — in palliation of the charge which he admitted he could not entirely deny — “want of edication” — that — “some men were too high larnt — John Quincy Adams being one of such, — his superfluous larning sometimes confused his head & his purpose”— Crockett (according to Mr. Cambrelling, who told me the anecdote — which I think I once repeated to you) proceeded very ingeniously & humorously to instance a case, where “a man knew too much ” & suffered for it”—
[Crockett story as related by Churchill C. Cambreleng to Hackett]
“In Tennessee, one John Jones was objected to, as a political candidate for an office; ‘because, he was so illiterate he could'nt spell his given name — John,' & a wager of $10. was offered & taken that ‘he could not be larnt to spell it within 24 hours'— The taker of the bet did teach him, in less than one hour, to pronounce J — O — H — N —; & should have been satisfied, but must needs — as he thought — to win for sartin , & make use of all the time allowed, — larn him the whole alphabet — from A to Izzard— John, so crammed with unnecessary larnin', after having pronounced, before the appointed judges of his ability, the letters ‘J’ — ‘O’ — ‘H’ — fluently, was interrupted by him who had taken the wager, — “Well done, John! all right! now for the last letter!” — meaning the — N —: but, poor John, thinking he meant of the alphabet, which he had worked so hard to get into his head, cried out: — “Izzard by G—d!”
and lost his friends' bet.”
There is something said in Shakespeare about “a thrice told tale, vexing the dull ear of a drowsy man.” I feel sure you never heard this from me but “onest” before; & contend that if you had, “twict,” you still have the advantage of any listener, who, if bored, cant throw his ears — as you can the enclosed — in the fire, unread— Yrs. always
Jas. H. Hackett [1]
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