The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 37, July 1933 - April, 1934 Page: 79

THE
SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
VOL. XXXVII OCTOBER, 1933 No. 2
The publication committee and the editors disclaim responsibility for views expressed
by contributors to THE QUARTERLY
A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE SIEGE OF THE ALAMO
AND OF THE PERSONNEL OF ITS DEFENDERS
AMELIA WILLIAMS
CHAPTER III
THE LEADERS AT THE ALAMO
It seems fitting here to present a brief account of the principal
figures in the Alamo drama-Travis, Bowie, and Crockett on the
side of the Texans and Santa Anna on the Mexican side. Accord-
ing to their agreement of February 14, Travis and Bowie nom-
inally held joint and equal authority. Probably the authority
was actually equal until February 24, when Bowie fell hopelessly
ill of typhoid-pneumonia. After that time the responsibility of
the entire command was upon Travis, and in no recorded dispatch
from the Alamo, therefore, is Bowie's name even mentioned.
Nevertheless, non-official evidence seems to indicate that sick as
he was, he still held great influence over his men, and at lucid
periods would have his cot carried among his soldiers, in order
that he might advise and cheer them.' Crockett bore at the Alamo
the rank of a private, but at Nacogdoches, on January 14, he had
been elected colonel of a band of 16 mounted volunteers, whom
he at least nominally commanded until they arrived at Bexar.
1See Mrs. Alsbury's "Account of the Siege of the Alamo," to be found
in John Ford's Journal, Archives of the University of Texas. In my talks
with Mrs. Susan Sterling, she told me that her grandmother, Mrs. Dick-
inson, verified Mrs. Alsbury's statements concerning Bowie's influence
over his men.