Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-07-11
A Bloody Episode Of the Texan War or
Independence.

undergraduates.
THE DARING LIFE AND TRAGIC DEATH OF COL.
JAMES BOWIE - CROCKETT, TRAVIS AND
OTHER HEROES WHO FELL In THE GkNERAL
There has lately been going the rounds OF the
press paragraph to the effect that one of the
curiosities exhibited At the New Orleans expo
sition was knife which had once belonged to
Col, James Bowie, who was one Of the noted
characters of the southwest during the first
quarter OF the present century. As a duelist
and gambler he was without = peer. He was
the inventor Of o knife which bears his name.
and which he used with terrible effect in many
of his ferocious encounters.
On one occasion, having been challenged, he
stipulated that the fight should take place at
midnight In a darkened room The combat
ants entered and the door was locked, the sec.
Onds and surgeons remaining on the outside
With painful Interest they listened for the fight
moving stealthily over the floor and an occa-
sional moan as of some one in pain. In a few
minutes one of the men was heard to fall. and
voice from within cried out, "Come in" Upon
entering the room the attendants found Bowie
lying In a pool of blood, almost cut to pieces,
out stu breathing; He recovered. The other
Another time he fought his opponent across a
log, each vita an arm tied to his back AS be
BOWIE was badly cut about the head aud body
His antagonist was killed On the spot.
Col; Bowie was very small man, his weigh,
at no Time exceeding ITO pounds. When not
excited he was as gentle and as tender hearted
as woman. He invariably took the side OF
s aa1 he be
occupants were q man and a woman. Col.
Bowie drew newspaper from his pocket and
lighted cigar and began smoking it. In few
minutes the lady requested the gentleman to
stop smoking, saying it made her head ache
Inc man paid no attention to the request. Col
Bowie, who had observed what had taken
pace, iolded up his paper and replaced IT in
ms pocket. He then drew MISUNDERSTANDING
knife FROM its sheath at his side, and address
Ing his male companion, said: 81 am Col. Jas
Bowie; You may know me. You have heard
to throw that cigar out Of The window. If you
don't do 1t you must take the consequences"
me name was enough: The fellow surren:
aered Internationally. The cigar disappeared
through the window and the man through the
door, glad to get away from such dangerous
company with whole skin.
Col. Bowios death was as heroic as his life
mad been lawless and daring. When the war OF
Texan independence broke out he Joined the
patriots and became one of their ablest leaders
hetreatlng with 80 men before an overwhelm-
Ing force Of Mexicans, commanded by Gen,
Santa Anna, he made his way to San Antonio
de l5exar and took up position behind the
strength, and which commanded the city. The
Mexicans, 5000 strong, laid siege to the place,
constructed batteries, and began to play away
against the fort, while masses of infantry rushed
forward to scale the wall. Many daring feat
was performed by Bowie and his men. who,
surrounded on all Sides neither thought OF
captivating or asking for quarters in any ex-
tremity.
Such was the extent of the tort that it re.
CURED the lnceSsant vigilance OF all the beSieged
at the different points of attack. There was
no time for sleeping. The day OF the night on
Whfn the Alamo mo-, fell was one of insessant
hausted patriots sought TO obtain a few hours
sleep. "The Mexicans are upon the WALTZ
were the startling words which caused every
lpYan to spring to his and his riff,
The enemy, taking advantage of the darkness,
had crept up To the fort unperceived by the
drowsy sentinel, and was in possession of the
wall. The struggle was desperate; The patriots
bad no choice between death and victory. Hun
dreds of the enemy were either pitched from
the wall OF put to death by the Bowie knife or
bayonet At last the Me xicans rushed forward
ana surrounding the patriots on all sides, cut
them to pieces. Not man escaped.
On the night of the attack Col. Bowie was
confined to his room by sickness When the
Mexicans broke over the wall, some of them
take his stand at the door, and with his terrible
When his mighty arm grew tired with the
work of death he fell upon the heaps Of the
Slain which he had piled up around him, and
was instantly hacked and stabbed to death.
Colonel Bowie's second in command at the
massacre OF the Alamo was Colonel David
Crockett, many of whose quaint sayings are
household words in this country. AS a hun ter
and backwoodsman he had no equal He
date for reelection, but was defeated. He then
emfgrated to Texas and Joined the patriot
army. He escaped from the massacre of Col.
Fannin's command. and reported to Colonel
Bowie for orders. He was with the little army
during the retreat to San Antonio, and with 1t
entered the Alamo, which became the grave OF
the entire command. The only persons i'm the
fort who escaped were servant woman and her
child, which was afterward adopted by the re.
public of Texas and educated at the public cost.
That Crockett fell when the Mexicans rushed
over the wall is all that Is KNOWN by whom or
how no one was left to tell. But the imayina-
ton can we'll picture him hurting whole Sqad-
rons from the wall, or heaping up pyramids N
the slain where the struggle was most des-
perate.
Another noted duelist, Colonel Travis, who
was admitted to be the best pistol shot in the
United States, also fell at the massacre OF the
Alamo, but how he met his fate is unknown.
His body was found under heap of Mexican
dead, showing that he had fought with desper-
ate courage until overpowered by numbers.
Next day the bodies Of the fallen patriots were
collected and reduced to ashes.
This wholesale butchery sent a thrill OF
horror throughout Texas. General Sam Hous
ton issued a stirring call for volunteers. He
took the field at the head of Il small but
gallant army. Santa Anna, with a greatly SUI
perior force, marched against the patriots.
Houston retreated to San JacinfO where he
determined to make stand. The two armies
met, and victory declared for the Texans.
Santa Anna lost leg and was taken prisoner
This battle ended the war and secured the indie
pendence of Texas.