West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1897-03-04

United Stltes Army. II Is now
simply The Alamo"
visited the old fort TODAY and
examined it closely. stood on the
spot where the brave Col. Travis,
who was in command, fell fighting
desperately with many Mexican,
biting the dust in advance Of hIm
self. The little basd Of l12 de
Tenders held the fort thirteen days
against 6.0O0 Mexicaus under that
Arch fend, Old nta Anna. The
latter had his headquarters in an
other old cathedral, that vet stands
about half mile away, and which
visited to dav also. The Texans
sent out several times 10 ether
points for reinforcemonts, but no
help came. The lust scout who
slipped out and went for help. made
desperate plea, but the other posts
were weak and dared not divide
their forces. The brave scout re-
turned to the fort and got safely in
at night and reported to Col.
Travis that no help could be OK
pecled. Next morning the Colonel
drew dead line with his sword
across the earthen floor of the fort
and called on all who were willing
to remain and die with him to step
across the line. lie explained the
situation, that they must either
give up the fort aud try to slip
away in the night and escape, or
remain TO fight it out TO the death
with the hated Greasers. Every
man but one promptly stepped
across the line, led by Davey Crock
EFT. Col. Bowie, or Bowie Knife"
Bowie, as he was called, because
he invented the Bowie kuife, was
sick in bed with tho fever, but he
had four Of the soldiers carry his
bed across the line. The one lone
man who showed the white feather
was named Rose, and had wife
and babies on the east coast. and
got to thinking about them and
the fix they would be in with no
one TO provide for them, so the
poor fellow could not be blamed
much after all, for it il better to be
"a live dog than dead lion. So
they let hlm pack his clothes and
dropped him out rear window Of
the fort that night and he stole
away in the mesquite brush end es-
capped. Every man left WAS slaugh
tered by the horde OF Mexican SOL
diers, who stormed the fort and
gained an entrance first over the
walls and then IN at the big front
gate. The besieged had the doors
and windows blrricaded with bags
Of sand, and hundreds OF the in
vaders bit the dust. but others were
pushed forward in their places, and
finally battered down the front en-
trance and swarmod in like sheep.
DIvey Crockett fell with the Mexi-
cans piled up all around him, and
Bowie had his sword and pistols.
and from his sick bed killed sew
eral as they rushed IN on him, but
be was shot and stabbed fall Of
holes and died a heroic death, as
did all of them The Mexiclns lost
ZOO in the fight. or ten to one Of
the Americans. This 80 cnraged
the Texans that six weeks later. at
the battle Of San Jacisto, Gen.
Sam Houston wiped the Mexican
army of the face or th5 earth and
captured old Santa Anna. They
ought to have hung him, but did
\ not do 50. After the battle Of the
| Almo here, be had all the dead
/ bodies OF the Americans piled up.
! rst row OF rails and wood and
I then a row OF bodies, and burned
/ them all. The ashes and remains
were gathered up o few oavs after
wards and buried here in the Plaz g.
! would like To- write more about
this. but tcmpus keeps 70 fu-gitiue
and ] must cIose now and start for
. Mexico. More anon.
Hastily.