Where is your documentation that it was made up 100 years ago by a dime store novelist?
Later, when asked by a friend why he had opposed the appropriation, Crockett gave this explanation:"Several years ago I was one evening standing on the steps of the Capitol with some other members of Congress, when our attention was attracted by a great light over Georgetown.
See? The meat of the tale can't even be confirmed by Congressional Record, because it happened later, after the vote. We might be able to look up the writings of his "friend", but his name is not disclosed in the story. We can't look up the Appropriations bill, because it isn't identified. We can't even narrow it down to a year, since Crockett served three terms in Congress, the 20th, 21st, and 23rd, spanning several years.
In the story he relates to his friend, he does say that it was "several years ago [he] was one evening standing on the steps of the Capitol with some other members of Congress." We might then begin our investigation of House appropriations with his last term, in the case of the Naval Officer's widow, or to his first term, in the case of the Georgetown fire. Speaking of which, we might look into Georgetown history and see what great fire coincided with any of the Congresses of which Crockett was a member.
But I would think that just bringing these questions to light should demonstrate once and for all what a flimsy little fable this is. It certainly has its emotional appeal. I give old Mr. Ellis credit for that. But to simply paste this up on a noteworthy Conservative board and take it as the truth is beyond silly. It's sloppy. It's amazing Mr. Ambrose is in the trouble he is in. You would think nobody bothered to check. It seems to me this tale would be much more worthwhile presented for what it is: a tale. Meanwhile, if anyone wants to spend the time tracking down the facts, more power to you. It would probably make an interesting investigative piece. Hell, I have half a mind to take it on myself.