Omar Bennett
On February 23, 1836, James Bowie and William B. Travis learned that 1,500 Mexican cavalrymen were advancing on Bexar. Without consulting Travis, Bowie asked for and received terms from the Mexicans: the Texans must surrender. These terms were rejected. On February 24, Bowie, who was suffering from a severe illness, collapsed, ending his active participation in commanding the garrison. He was occasionally carried outside to visit his men and urged the volunteers to follow Travis. On March 6, the Mexicans attacked, and all 188 defenders of the Alamo perished, including Bowie, Travis, and David Crockett.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Response to Bowie's diplomacy | Refused to answer to Bowie; called an election for the men to choose their commander |
| Result of the election | Men chose Bowie, infuriating Travis |
| Joint command agreed | Yes, two days after the election: Bowie commanded the volunteers, and Travis commanded the regular army and volunteer cavalry |
| Travis' actions as commander | Ordered all Texan forces into the Alamo; sent Juan Seguin to recruit reinforcements |
| Travis' letter | Addressed to "The People of Texas and All Americans in the World"; ended with "Victory or Death" |
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What You'll Learn
Travis and Bowie's joint command of Texan forces
James Bowie and William B. Travis shared a joint command of Texan forces during the Texas Revolution, which began on October 2, 1835. Bowie, who considered himself a colonel, refused to answer to Travis, who was a lieutenant colonel. An election was held, and the men chose Bowie as their commander, much to Travis' disgust. However, the two men eventually agreed to share command: Bowie would lead the volunteers, while Travis would command the regular army and volunteer cavalry.
On February 23, 1836, Bowie and Travis learned that around 1,500 Mexican cavalrymen were advancing on Bexar. They sent a dispatch to Goliad, asking for help from James W. Fannin. The Mexicans marched into Bexar and requested a parley. Bowie, without consulting Travis, asked for and received terms: the Texans must surrender. These terms were rejected.
On February 24, Bowie, who was suffering from a severe illness, collapsed, ending his active participation in commanding the garrison. He was confined to bed and urged the volunteers to follow Travis, who became the sole commander of the forces. Santa Anna and his army began a siege of the Alamo, and the Mexican army raised a red flag, warning the defenders that no quarter would be given. Despite his illness, Bowie continued to present himself to the Alamo's inhabitants, boosting the morale of his comrades.
On February 25, Travis sent Juan Seguin on Bowie's horse to recruit reinforcements, and 32 additional men arrived. The Texans were outnumbered, and Travis wrote one of the most famous letters in American history, a passionate plea for aid addressed to "The People of Texas and All Americans in the World." The letter ended with the words, "Victory or Death," reflecting the desperate situation the Texans faced.
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Travis's disgust at Bowie's behaviour
Firstly, Bowie considered himself a colonel due to his age and reputation, which led him to believe he outranked Travis, who was a lieutenant colonel. This caused tension between the two, as Bowie refused to answer to Travis. To resolve the issue, Travis called for an election, and the men chose Bowie as their commander, much to Travis's fury.
Bowie's subsequent actions only served to worsen the situation. He celebrated his appointment by getting drunk and causing chaos in San Antonio, releasing prisoners from jails and harassing citizens. Travis was appalled by this behaviour, which stood in stark contrast to his own sense of duty and discipline.
Despite their differences, the two men agreed to a joint command just two days later. Bowie would command the volunteers, while Travis would lead the regular army and the volunteer cavalry. However, Bowie's illness, which some sources suggest was advanced tuberculosis, soon confined him to bed, leaving Travis as the sole commander of the forces.
Even in his illness, Bowie continued to demonstrate his commitment to the defence of the Alamo. He crawled out of bed daily to present himself to the Alamo's inhabitants, boosting the morale of his comrades. Despite their initial disagreements, both men played crucial roles in the historic defence of the Alamo, ultimately sacrificing their lives alongside 186 others.
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Travis's sole command after Bowie's illness
James Bowie's enigmatic illness during the siege of the Alamo left him bedridden, forcing him to relinquish his command of the forces. William B. Travis, a member of the regular army, became the sole commander of the forces.
On February 24, 1836, Travis wrote one of the most famous letters in American history, a passionate plea for aid for the Alamo garrison. He wrote, "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World," expressing his determination to never surrender or retreat. The letter ended with the words, "Victory or Death," reflecting the dire situation they faced.
During this time, Travis also had to grapple with the challenge of maintaining morale among the defenders. He navigated the complexities of joint command with Bowie, who, despite his illness, continued to play a crucial role in boosting the spirits of his comrades. Bowie, suffering from an undiagnosed illness, would crawl out of bed around noon each day to present himself to the Alamo's inhabitants.
The defenders of the Alamo, under Travis's sole command, fought valiantly against overwhelming odds. Despite their valiant efforts, Santa Anna's troops ultimately toppled the Alamo on March 6, 1836, the same day that Bowie passed away.
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Travis's pleas for aid
On February 23, 1836, Travis and Bowie learned that around 1,500 Mexican cavalrymen were advancing on Bexar. They sent a dispatch to Goliad asking Fannin for help. The Mexicans marched into Bexar and requested a parley. Without consulting Travis, Bowie asked for and received terms: the Texans must surrender. These terms were rejected.
On February 24, the Mexican army laid siege to the Alamo, and Travis became the sole commander of the forces when Bowie was confined to bed, suffering from an illness that has been diagnosed as pneumonia or typhoid pneumonia but was probably advanced tuberculosis. Travis and Bowie began sending out couriers with pleas for provisions and assistance. On the same day, Travis wrote one of the most famous letters in American history, addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World". In it, he passionately pleaded for aid for the Alamo garrison, ending with "Victory or Death" as the only outcome of the battle.
On February 25, Travis sent Juan Seguin, on Bowie's horse, to recruit reinforcements, and 32 additional men arrived. On February 26, Crockett reported that Bowie, though suffering from his condition, continued to crawl out of bed around noon every day to present himself to the Alamo's inhabitants, greatly boosting the morale of his comrades.
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Travis's refusal to surrender
On February 23, 1836, James Bowie and William B. Travis learned that around 1,500 Mexican cavalrymen were advancing on Bexar. The next day, the Mexican army laid siege to the Alamo, where Bowie and Travis were stationed, and demanded that the Texans surrender. Travis, however, refused to surrender. In a letter addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World", he wrote:
> I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat.
Travis became the sole commander of the forces at the Alamo when Bowie, who had been suffering from an illness, collapsed and was confined to bed. Despite his condition, Bowie continued to crawl from his bed around noon every day to present himself to the Alamo's inhabitants, boosting the morale of his comrades. On March 6, the Mexicans attacked, and all 188 defenders of the Alamo perished.
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Frequently asked questions
On February 23, 1836, Bowie and Travis learned that around 1,500 Mexican cavalrymen were advancing on Bexar. Without consulting Travis, Bowie asked for and received terms for surrender from the Mexicans.
Travis was infuriated by Bowie's unilateral action and rejected the terms.
On February 24, the Mexicans began a siege of the Alamo. Bowie and Travis sent out couriers with pleas for provisions and assistance.
On March 6, the Mexicans attacked the Alamo before dawn, and all 188 defenders, including Bowie and Travis, perished.
The siege and the deaths of Bowie, Travis, and their men inspired passionate pleas for aid, including Travis's famous letter addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World," which ended with "Victory or Death." The Battle of the Alamo is considered one of the most famous and tragic battles in American history.
