The Abbeville messenger. (Abbeville, S.C.) 1884-1887, 1885-08-05

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aud Other Heroes Who fell In II
General Butchery.
There has lately been going thu
rounds Of the press, q paragraph to the
effect that one Of the curioSi'ics eX-
hibited at the Now Orleans OPPOSITION
Colonel James Bowie, who was one OF
the noted characters Of the Southwcs:.
during tn" first quarter OF the prcscn.
century. AS n duelist and gambler he
was without u peer. He was the in
Sentor OF u knife which bears his nam"
and which he used with terrible effect
in many Of his fcrociouS encounters.
On one occasion, having been chal
lenged, he stipulated TINT the fgh'
should take place at midnight in a dark
ened room. The combatants entered
and the door was locked, the seconds
and surgeons remained on the outside.
With painful interests they listened for
the fight to begin. All was silent saw.
the sounds of feet moving %stenl,hily
over the floor aud an occasional monn
rs Of some one in pain. In n few min
utcs one of the men was heard to fail,
and u voice from within cried out come
in" Upon entering the room, the nj.
PENDANTS found Bowie lying in n pool Of
blood, almost cut to pieces, but still
breathing. He recovered. The Other
mou died in a few hours.
Another time he fought his opponent,
across a log, each with an arm tied
to his back. AS before, the tnrrihl.
knife was the weapon used. Bowi.
was badly cut about the head and body.
His antagonist was killed on the spot.
Col. Bowie was a very small man, his
weight Mt no time exceeded ITO pounds.
When not excited he was MS gentle oud
as tender hearted as a woman. He in
variably took the side Of the weak
against the strong. Entering n strgc.
coach one day. he found that the only
other occupants were a man and a wo-
man. Colonel Bowie drew a newspaper
from his pocket and began to read.
The other male passenger lighted nc:-
gar and began smoking it. In a few
minutes the lady requested the gentle
man to stop smoking, saying it made
her head ache. The man paid no atten-
ton to the request. Colonel Bowie,
who had observed what had taken place.
folded up his paper and replaced it IN
his pocket. He then drew u murdercus
looking knife from it's sheath ut his side,
and addressing his male companion,
said: II am Colonel james Bowie.
You may know me. You have heard
the lady's request. will give you five
minutes to throw that cigar out Of the
window. II you don't do it. you must
take the Consequences
The name was enough. The fellow
surrendered Internationally. The CT
gar disappeared through the window
and the man through the door, glad to
get away from SO dangerous Company
with a whole skin.
Colonel Bowie's death was as heroic
as his life had peer lawless and daring.
when the war Of Texas independence
broke out he joined the patriots and be-
came one Of their ablest leaders. Re-
treating with 100 men before an over
whelming force Of Mcxicans, command.
Ell ny General Santa Anna, he made his
way to San Antonio de Boxer, and took
up a position behind the walls of the
Alamo. a fort Of considerable strength,
and which commanded the city. The
Mexicans 5000 strong, laid siege to the
place, constructed batteries. and began
to ply away against tho fort, Will.
masses of infantry rushed forward to
scale the wall. Many a daring feat was
performed by Bowie and his mru. who.
surrounded on all sides, neither thought
OF captivating or asking FOR quarter in
any extremity.
Such was the extent of the fort TIM,
it required the incessnnt vigilance of all
the besieged at the different poin:s Of
attack. The day Of the night on which
the Alamo fell was une Of incessant
fighting. The night was dark and the
exhausted patriots sought to obtain a
few hours sleep. ''Ihe Mrxicans are
upon the wall" were the startling
words which caused every Texan to
spring to his feet and grasp his riff.
The enemy were either pitched from
the wall or put to death by the Bowie
knife or bayonct. At last the Mcxicans
rushed forward and surrounded th,,.
triots on all sides, and cut them to
p'oces. Not n man escaped.
On the night Of the attack, Colonel
bowie was confined to his room by
sickness. When the Ncxicans broke
over the wall, some Of them rushed 10
his apartment. He was up in time to
taia bic stand a4 .ls