The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1895-08-16
SCRANTON MISSISSIPPI, FRIDAY

JustlCe " GtliS unuSudl man W - veil
to explain away the Bowie mytn,
which probably originated from a
duel which he fought with the knife
that bears his name in the year 1927.
This, too, occurred near Natchez, on
the opposite bank.
Bowie came on the field with sever
al friends, gentlemen Of good stand
Ing, and so did his opponent. He re-
ceived five wounds, but killed his
man with a long hunting dagger.
which had been made by black.
smith out of a worn-out nle 1t had
double edge and a curved point,
and was afterward patented and man
ufactured in Philadelphia. But this
duel, unfortunately, closed in dead.
ly melee of the spectators, a pitched
battle In which six men were killed
and fifteen wounded.
AS the story Travelled 1t grew to be
believed that Bowie himself had at.
tackled score OF men single-handed,
with this terrible numerical result,
and the name of Bowie in the South
and Southwest became a terror and a
spell.
The plain truth Is that James Bowie
not only never provoked a quarrel In
his life, but prevented great many.
lie was man Of singular mo1csty
and sweetness of disposition, with a
reverence for women, an extravagant
fondness for children and a calm
readiness to protect the weak; in fine
with nothing at all OF the desperate
about him, except that, whenever 1t
happened to be needed, he had on
hand to quote the fine phrase Of Presi-
dent Jackson, 'that desperate cour.
age which makes one a majority"
He was born at Elliot Springs, Ten.
nessce, in 1885, Of Scotch parents, and
with his brother, Rein, became o
planter in Laf0urche Bayou, where,
in 1887, they introduced the first
steam sugar mill ever used in this
country. Rein Bowie, being married
at the time, lived mostly on the plan.
tatiOn. But James took many trips
into Texas, prospecting for gold and
silver, and in 1928 he became citizen
OF Texas.
Another picturesque incident of his
life, which perhaps aided In establish.
ing the myth that he was despera.
do who could fight and win almost
against any odds, occurred November
2, 1881. Accompanied by eight men
and two boys on prospecting trip,
while cncamped in a small grove
with much underground, near San
Saba river, he was attacked, in fact,
surprised, just at sunrise by 1854 Wa
co, Tehuacano and Caddo Indians.
An all-day fight cnsued, in which two
white men and fOrty-two Indians
were killed and many Others wounded.
In the same year Colonel Bowie
went to San Antonio and married the
beautiful Marion Ursula, daufihter of
Don Juan dc Verimendc. Two chill.
dren blessed this union, but in 1898
cholera carried of the children and
mother and after that Bowie became
reckless Of his life and eager to lead
forlorn hopes.
Two years later his great opportu-
nifty came, when the Texas revolution
broke forth. He joined the volun.
teers and led the advance guard of
ninety men with whom at day break
on October % he repulsed a force OF
400 Mexicans.
In the following month he was con-
spicuous in the famous Grass" fight,
and receiving his commission as Col
oncl IN December, he joined Colonel
Travis In the defence Of the Alamo.
There he was taken III Of a fever
and was compelled to stay in bed Feb
rurary %, 1886 when the siege began.
On March 6, the Mexicans captured
the fort and butchered every one Of
its 1873 defenders.
Bowie, lying helpless on his burn.
ing couch, was the last man to die,
with a cowardly Mexican dagger In
his heart. Pathetic end for one who
was no desperado, but true knight Of
the nineteenth century.