The Bixby Letter

[RJNorton]

(01-07-2021 09:56 AM)Gene C Wrote:  For me, the interesting feature to the Bixby letter is whether or not the circumstances behind the letter are true.
Did Mrs. Bixby have five sons who died on the field of battle?

If we are to examine who wrote it, examining John Hay's direct answer to that question carries more weight in my mind than second and third hand comments
or computerized stylometric analysis.

Written under different circumstances than the Bixby letter, I've always admired Lincoln's letter of condolence to Fanny McCullough. http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/linc...0Illinois.

A good article Lane. You did a nice job in presenting your information.

Gene, here is what I have regarding the sons. President Lincoln was misinformed as to the number of Mrs. Bixby's sons who had been killed. She had actually lost only two sons in the war. Sgt. Charles N. Bixby was killed May 3, 1863. Pvt. Oliver Cromwell Bixby was killed July 30, 1864. However, Corp. Henry Cromwell Bixby was discharged on December 19, 1864. Pvt. George Way Bixby was captured July 30, 1864, and then deserted to the enemy. He moved to Cuba after the Civil War. Edward Bixby also deserted from his unit. This information on Mrs. Bixby’s sons comes from p. 277 of Abraham Lincoln: From Skeptic to Prophet by Wayne C. Temple.

Lane, I second what Gene said. You did a very good job of presenting the case for John Hay being the letter's author.