Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-02-16
AN ALAMO HERO.
Col. Bowie, After Whom the Bowie
Knife was Named.


Col. Bowie, After Whom the Bowie
Knife Was Named.
1t Is a safe wager that nine out Of
every eleven boys who are proficient
In the Use of q bowie knife have not the
slightest idea where the instrument got
Its name.
Col. Bowie, of Texas fame, gave the
knife Its title.
And when one writes of the Texas
hero, one must needs think of the battle
Of Alamo, that heroic fight of which our
American boys and girls seem to think
80 little. and half of them know nothing
whatever.
They read how the brave soldiers
fought and held the pass of Thermopy-
lac. but they seldom think of how a
mere handful of men defended the Ala.
mo mission. How they dropped fight
Ing on their knees and then died fac
Ing the foe.
If you should go to the historical city
Of San Antonio, in Texas, you will see
the old mission building standing with
battered, bullet-pierced walls, u monu.
mcnt to the 112 heroes of '36. Behind
these walls the most important battle
In the war between Mexico and Texas
was fought. That was when Santa
Anna was President and the Texans
were fighting for their independence.
Here 1t was that Col. Bowie ended his
brave life, dying with his boots on
and fighting under the most terrible
odds. The story Is this. and every
American child should know 1t by
heart, that he may tell 1t with pride
when other nations are talking of their
great deeds:
One hundred and forty.flve mon TN.
der Captain Travis, n young man Of 90,
were holding the town of San Antonio
against General Santa Anna and 1900
men. They were the only defenders
of the town and were ensconced In the
old mission of the Alamo. Davy Crock.
EFT was also with them and Colonel
Bowie, who was wounded and stretch.
cd out on his cot. OF artillery they had
only fourteen pieces.
Santa Anna demanded surrender. but
the little garrison held out for ten days,
skirmishing secretly for food and wa.
ter. Every shot sent out Of the mission
house told, but not one Of the Alamo
heroes was hurt. Patience and strength,
however. were being rapidly exhaust.
cd. Some Of the little band were fall.
ing sick. others were desperate. Re.
endorsements had been appealed for,
but none had come. Col. Lamein with
800 men and four pieces Of artillery
had started In answer to the appeal,
but hud put In somewhere for fresh
water and food supplies.
At last Captain Smith Joined the OK.
haustcd band with thirty.two men.
Three days after, General Santa Anna
ceased the bombarding. and taking nd.
vantage of this Captain Travis called
his men into line and frankly owned
that there was no earthly hope for
them; that he had led them into this,
thinking that rc.cnfOrccmcnts were on
the way. He does not utter one word
against Lnincln for failing him; he sim
ply gives them their choice Of deaths
J They can surrender ond be shot down
or be killed fighting out their revenge
. The Captain drew line ana said
, EVERY man who IL determined to re-
/ main here ana to die with me will come
| to mo across that line" Every soldier
but one crossed Mt once. When they
finished Colonel Bowie looked up with
! his arm In sling and cried: Boys
don't leave mo. Won't some of YOU
, carry me across?" And tho only back
ward step they made was to go over
the limo and carry the Colonel to the
; young Captains side. The man Rose
who was coward, dropped over the
wall Into ditch to tell the tale. And
then came the terrible day.
Santa Anna brought all his forces Il
bear Oh the fortress. The scaling lad
ders were again and again raised. bu,
those who placed them We're shot down
like grain. Four thousand men charg
Ing into lI5 seemed easy enough. but II
soon reduced the 1000. At last num-
hers conquered and the McXlcnns
climbed over into tho Alamo. The
littra band OF defenders were tramplcd
on and beaten. but they dropped tc
. tilclr kIccS 'lHu IitCNcu uHu suot uHV
pierced until the pile Of the dead wal
awful. Colonel Bowie. too weak t.
rise from his cot, leans on his we'll ell
bow and marks his man every time HI
pulls the trigger. Cut, bleeding, HI
continues to kill until the pistol drop
and the breath leaves his body. DAY!
Crockett, standing In corner, fght'
like \ panther, and the young Captain
backed against the wall, surrender
. only when run though and though.
, The great battle Is over The Next
, cans have won. Out of the IT, Texan
: IRE 172 dead. No spartans were brave
! or moro tenacious, for they killed SO
! OF their enemies and wounded 90
more. Texas, though, was finally freed
. and whenever great deeds thrill younl
, boys hearts they should think Of tha
4 splendid piece Of American daring an,
!. say, as Houston said to his men, IRE
member the Alamo."-St. Louis Reput
n lie.
I,r,,,IAnt Uittlo IN snnI