Larry A. Smail's Blog

As a boy I had many influences on numerous on many subjects. One such influence was the three-night series of Davy Crocket. the series featured Fess Parker as Mr. Crockett. Another Alamo related movie featured John “the Duke” Wayne as the Tennessee frontiersman. Of course, much of both versions was strictly hollywood exaggerations. the latter shows Wayne as Crockett on the fort’s ledge swinging his flintlock rifle to take out as many Mexicans as he could before succumbing to his death. There was a report that David Crockett may have been executed, but there is no solid evidence to lead to that conclusion.

In recent months I have read two books about the Alamo and events leading up to the battle and some of men participating in the conflict. Three of which were, David Crockett, of course, William Travis and legendary man with the big knife, James Bowie.

I have heard a few various stories as to how these men died at the Alamo. The books dig deep into words of some of those survivors of the battle, and written accounts by the very same. I must clarify that last sentence. There were no survivors of those doing the fighting within the walls, but there were a few women and children and one slave named Joe who were allowed to leave.

The account of David Crockett states he was killed very early in the hour-long battle. Travis was killed by a shot to the head at the first onslaught of the push to enter the fort. Bowie was killed in his bed, but not the in the way most film depicts with flintlock pistols firing before using his famous Bowie knife. Bowie was so sick he couldn’t move to fight and was shot and bayoneted in his bed. All the fighters were burned after their deaths in huge fires.

How these men died is not the important issue, but the fact they did die for a cause they truly believed in… Texas! The legends live even to this day.