William Barrett Travis' man-servant, Joe, assertedthat Travis was killedin the heat of battle. Other sources have hintedhe may have committed suicide.
"How reliable was Joe's account concerningthe death of William Barrett Travis?"Views expressed are not necessarily those of TheSecond Flying Company of Alamo de Parras
From: William R. Chemerka
Date: Fri, 23 Jan 1998
In issue #59 (Dec. '87) of The Alamo Journal, Stephen L. Hardinpenned "A Volley From The Darkness: Sources Regarding The Death of WilliamBarret Travis." He cited Joes' testimony to President David Burnet andhis cabinet. Lawyer William Fairfax Gray, who was present at the meeting,wrote down Joe's tale: "Joe was sleeping in the room with his master whenthe alarm was given.Travis sprang up, seized his rifle and sword and calledto Joe to follow him. Joe took his gun and followed. Travis ran acrossthe Alamo [plaza] and mounted the wall, and called out to his men, 'Comeon boys, the Mexicans are upon us,and we'll give them hell.' He dischargedhis gun; so did Joe. In an instant Travis was shot down. He fell withinthe wall, on sloping ground, and sat up."
William R. Chemerka, Editor
The Alamo Journal
From: Rick Tepker
Date: January 30, 1998
Most of the unreliability in Joe's account comes from editingby the press or by his audience, who reported his words. Some comes fromhis limited opportunity for observation. But the essential facts ring true,and they are pretty consistent with the known facts of the battle.
Rick Tepker
From: Jeff Pendleton
Date: February 1, 1998
I have no burning opinions on this topic (sorry Kevin!) ButI'll chase this rabbit anyway. I understand that there is evidence Joereturned To Alabama to bring Travis' family the news of his demise. Thissuggests that the two men felt a friendship and loyalty for each otherthat we twentieth-century types might not expect out of a master/slaverelationship.
A black man traveling across several southern states in 1836had to have been a harrowing thing. And why would a friend travel so farjust to tell a lie? I believe joe told the truth because if he was goingto lie or embellish the story of Travis' death to his family he would havemade it much more dramatic. Being the first casualty isn't near as memorableas going down surrounded by enemy bodies in hand to hand combat. Anyway,thats my figgering.
Jeff Pendleton
From: Wallace L. McKeehan
Date: 03 February 1998
Joe's description of Travis getting his head blown off in abravado rush to the wall after getting off only one shot is "debatably"consistent with the man's ignorance, poor judgement and erratic adventurismfrom the time he arrived in Texas:
1. Ignorance of law, particularly Mexican law, although hepurported to be a lawyer at Liberty and Perry's Point (renamed Anahuacby AnastacioBustamente, and Miery Teran):
Sedicion. Art. 26 Los que emprendieren cualquierasedicion, conspiracion o motin, o indujeren a cometer estos delitos contrami real servicio, seguridad de las plazas y paises de mis dominios, contrala tropa, su comandante u oficiales, seran ahorcados en cualquieranumeroque sean, y los que hubieren tenido noticia, y no lo delaten luego quepuedan, sufriran la misma pena. Ministerio de Guerra y Marina, Ordenanzamilitar para el regimen, disciplina, subordinacion y servicio del ejercito,2:230. (See:Sons of DeWitt)
Mexican law regarding slavery (inland areas of the Austin andDeWitt Colonies were exempt, but not the 10 league coastal area) and therule of law when he burst into Col. Juan Bradburn's compound as advocatefor slave owners demanding release of the black men before Bradburn coulddetermine what the current policy was on the issue.
2. Resort to treachery when his demands were not met, e.g.the hoax that an army was headed for Anahuac from the Sabine to take overthe Anahuac garrison; and the seduction of Lt. Subaran and men of the garrisonwith aguadiente, if one is to believe the memorial of Col. Bradburnafter his demise. (See: Sonsof DeWitt, )
3.Failure to respond to duty as major of Regular Texian Artilleryat the 3rd Consultation at San Felipe, Nov. 1835 (See:Sonsof DeWitt).
4. Disappearance before the moment of decision at Bexar whenOld Ben Milam made the call.
5.According to some, failing to wisely abandon the Alamo inthe first place. At the end, certainly an ignorance of Mexican army marksmanship??
Wallace L. McKeehan
Sons of DeWitt Colony Texas:
http://www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/dewitt.html
From: Jeff Pendleton
Date: February 3, 1998
Whew!!! What did Travis do to you Wallace, cheat an ancestorat cards? The question was about Joe's accuracy in recounting Travis' death,not whether Travis was a no-good-two-timing-yellow- dog-floor-flushing-commie-loving-rat!!!Why don't you tell us all how your really feel about the guy?
Personally I would agree that he had a suspect value as a leader andmilitary planner, but the fact that he got that bullet FACING the enemyand not running away does say something about his courage and commitment....whichwere elements of character last time I checked. Elements so many thesedays never choose to demonstrate. Oh, and he could write a mean letter!
Jeff Pendleton