DUANE
Duane's take
Here's the story as the official marker tells it, straight from Chambers County. August 9, 1809. A boy is born in South Carolina, and the world has no idea what it's setting in motion.
His name is William Barret Travis. In 1818, the family moves to Alabama, and by the time young William is nineteen years old, he's already been admitted to the bar. A lawyer before most men have figured out what they want for breakfast.
He doesn't stay in Alabama long. In 1831, he comes to Texas — and Texas, well, Texas has a way of finding the right people at the right time. He lands in Anahuac.
And Anahuac in those days is a place where trouble has taken up permanent residence. Travis joins William H. Jack and others resisting the tyranny of customs collector Juan Davis Bradburn.
For that, he gets jailed — fifty days inside the fort, 1832. Fifty days. Most men would have reconsidered their life choices.
Travis just got sharper. By 1835, he's leading the capture and disarming of the Mexican garrison that had reoccupied Fort Anahuac. The man is not done picking fights.
He is, in fact, just getting started. Then comes 1836. As lieutenant of volunteers, Travis is sent to the key city of San Antonio — the war against Mexican Dictator Santa Anna is no longer a distant rumble, it is right there at the door.
On February 23rd, Travis draws men and food into the Alamo. And when Santa Anna calls for surrender, Travis answers with a cannon shot. Let the record show: that is a no.
Now here's where the story turns heavy. February 24th. Civilian co-commander James Bowie falls ill.
That leaves twenty-six-year-old William Barret Travis in sole command of a crumbling mission surrounded by an army of two thousand five hundred. He sends out a call for aid. Thirty-two men ride in from Gonzales.
Thirty-two. Fannin has five hundred down in Goliad — five hundred men who fail to march in time. You sit with that number for a moment.
With doom upon him — and that marker doesn't flinch from that word, doom — Travis does something that has echoed through every telling of this story since. He draws a line on the floor. Men wishing to leave on one side, men staying to fight on the other.
One man crosses to leave. One. The one hundred eighty-two remaining — among them hero Davy Crockett — make Santa Anna's army of two thousand five hundred pay dearly for their triumph on March 6, 1836.
That is also the day William Barret Travis dies. Born August 9, 1809. Died March 6, 1836.
Before the end came, he wrote. His last message — telling of his resolution to achieve victory or death in the face of the foe's overwhelming numbers — has been called one of the world's noblest documents. Not one of Texas's.
Not one of that era's. One of the world's. A lawyer from South Carolina who came to Texas in 1831 and left a line on the floor that nobody who heard the story ever forgot.
What the marker says
(August 9, 1809 - March 6, 1836) Co-commander with James Bowie, siege of the Alamo. Born in South Carolina; moved with family in 1818 to Alabama, where at 19 he was admitted to the bar; came to Texas 1831. In anahuac he joined william H. Jack and others resisting tyranny of customs collector Juan Davis Bradburn and was jailed 50 days in the fort (1832). In 1835 he led in capture and disarming of Mexican garrison reoccupying Fort Anahuac. As lieutenant of volunteers sent to key city San Antonio in war against Mexican Dictator Santa Anna, he drew men and food into the Alamo on Feb. 23, 1836, and defied with a cannon shot Santa Anna's call to surrender. On Feb. 24, civilian leader James Bowie fell ill, leaving 26-year-old Travis in charge. At Travis' call for aid, 32 men from Gonzales joined the Alamo forces, but Fannin's 500 failed to march in time from Goliad. With doom upon him, Travis drew line on floor to separate men wishing to leave from those staying; only one left. the 182 remaining-- including hero Davy Crockett-- made Santa Anna's army of 2,500 pay dearly for triumph on March 6, 1836. Travis' last message, telling of his resolution to achieve victory or death in face of the foe's overwhelming numbers, has been called one of the world's noblest documents. Incise on base: Erected by Chambers County Historical Survey Committee Guy C. Jackson III, Chairman