Menchaca Memoirs

Its possible Crockett knew Bowie was in Bexar, but probably unlikely that he regarded it as significant. However something that I don't recall is touched on in Davis' book is Crockett's likely attitude to Bowie. For his part we know Bowie could be charming and agreeable on first meeting, but on the other hand if Crockett did know of Bowie beforehand he may well have known of his dodgy land speculating activities and regarded him with suspicion and perhaps even distaste.

As to the ball(s); I'm not aware there was a dance hall in Bexar at this time although open to correction. My understanding is that Mexican tradition was for holding them in a plaza, or in the enclosed courtyard of a house - as in the Bowie wedding celebration scene in Alamo2004.

Possibilities for the Crockett bash might therefore include the Seguin town house or the Veramendi house, where Bowie was living.

Nothing like a happy working relationship eh... with the obvious rejoinder that it was indeed nothing like a happy working relationship.

Just to expand a little on what I said. Crockett probably did know of Bowie's land frauds since he was in Congress at the time, and given his record of opposing land speculation and the abuses perpetrated by men like Bowie - "notorious" sounds just about right.

Add into that the fact that Bowie was known to be Houston's man and there's further cause for avoiding him if Jim is correct (and I see no reason why not) that there was no linkage between Crockett and Houston.

That, however, raises a new and altogether more interesting question. Given the bad blood between Travis and Bowie, did Travis see Crockett as an ally and ultimately as Herb suggests on another thread, a useful if unofficial second in command after the siege actually began and Bowie was effectively out of the picture.

I have to go along with Jim. Although Houston had been in and out of Tennessee politics, he was clearly a Jackson man. Crockett was never comfortable with the Jacksonians and was suspicious of them almost from the beginning. I don't think that he and Houston ever travelled in the same circles and would have been political opponents. That does not mean they would not have been cordial to one another had they met, however. Crockett's mention of Houston is more in the way of gossip regarding Houston's sudden resignation as governor of Tennessee.

My guess is that Crockett went to Texas because there was no future for him in Tennessee, and he had tired of the frustrations he'd experienced in Congress. Crockett had always associated land with opportunity and I think that's what he was looking for in Texas. He spoke of becoming a land agent in Texas and he may even have thought of finding Houston to explore that prospect. He may have volunteered because of the land bounties such volunteers were promised. Crockett (like most of these guys) was a risk taker. He hadn't hesitated to volunteer for the Creek War and signing up for the Texas war, especially with a rich prize in land to be had, was consistent with his behavior. Any political ambtion he may have had in a future Texas would only be helped by his serving in the cause of Texas independence. Crockett was also fed up with the United States, Jacksonism and the impending presidency of Martin Van Buren, who he seems to have genuinely loathed. A new life in a new country might have seemed very tempting to him at that point. Note that most of the men who came with him to Texas went home when Crockett signed up.

As to Bowie, I was surprised to learn recently that even Jackson was aware of Bowie's land shenanegans and wrote to his associates about them. I have not seen the correspondence myself, but I discussed them with the folks at the Jackson Papers project in Knoxville. Apparently, Jackson regarded Bowie with even more disdain than he levelled at Crockett.

I can't recall if it was in Davis or elsewhere that I got the impression that Crockett was closer to Travis than Bowie, and that Travis took a genuine liking to Crockett. I believe that Crockett testified in support of Travis's case in a court martial against a Bowie man prior to the siege. I can't recall any evidence that put Bowie and Crockett together in any way. It's possible that Crockett was aware of Bowie's land deals, if Jackson was, and did look upon him with some suspicion. In any case, given Bowie's illness and isolation, it's not likely they spent much time together. On the other hand, Travis is likely to have regarded Crockett as a senior, experienced guy on whom he could rely for advice or guidance. To the extent that Crockett was close to Travis it would have made him distant from Bowie. I also agree that Bowie and Crockett each had their own circle of friends/family in Bexar and in the Alamo.

There does seem to have been some connection among these 3 men in Bowie's charging Travis and Crockett with the care of Juana and Gertrudis when he was isolated in the hospital.

AW

I don't have it in front of me, but in "Blood of Noble Men" are there not several quotes from Juana regarding Crockett checking regularly on Bowie during his illness? If so, I would not think any possible resentment by Crockett could have amounted to much.

I believe that the account you are referring to in "Blood" comes not from Juana Alsbury, but "madame" Candalaria, who's account seems to be a mix of some truth and a lot of fantasy. So it is hard to know what to make of the Crockett/Bowie interfaces mentioned therein.

Also, relationships may have changed or developed during the seige. Finding themselves in such a tight spot together, it is only natural that some of these issues would not have mattered after some point. I think Bowie's illness would have been troublesome to everyone because he was seen as a leader who had battled his way out of a few tight spots himself.

AW

Yes, Wade; that is the letter I was thinking of. It's too bad the actual statements of Crockett and others did not survive with the letter. I notice this letter is dated February 13, the same day Travis wrote to Gov. Henry Smith complaining that Bowie was drunk all the time and opening the prisons, allowing those convicted by courts martial to go free (pp.22-23 in Hansen). I wonder if Barre was one of those he released.

AW