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Post by Jim Boylston on Jan 6, 2008 20:25:42 GMT -5
If the Williamson letter is authentic, and for me that's a big "if" considering the lack of provenance and the multiple translations, it still doesn't seem to me that Travis was completely buying the Williamson reinforcement story. His March 3 letter to Jesse Grimes is somewhat upbeat, but the letters of the same date to the President of the Convention and to David Ayres are not so much. In both the letters to Grimes and the President, Travis mentions Bonham's arrival and the arrival of the Gonzales 32, but does not remark that he is expecting anyone else specifically. In the letter to the President, he even says that he doesn't believe Fannin will come to his aid at all. He certainly makes no mention of receiving any correspondence from Williamson (though, admittedly, that doesn't mean it didn't happen). Personally, and this is only speculation, I don't think Travis addressed the garrison and offered them the opportunity to leave. I doubt he'd have taken the chance on losing any men.
Despite the fact that the Issac Millsaps letter is likely a forgery, the picture it paints of Travis is the one I tend to imagine: "I have not see Travis but 2 times since here he told us that Fanning was going to be here early with many men and there would be a good fight. He stays on the wall some but mostly to his room..." Maybe it's because of the highly romantic language in his letters (and lots of talk of dying for the cause), but I think of him as aloof while in command. Just my .02. Jim
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Post by Herb on Jan 6, 2008 20:49:27 GMT -5
Jim, I'll grant you the problems you cite, (and this is probably worth a thread of its own), but I'm not so doubtful that the Williamson letter actually existed. Without the actual letter, though, and only an English translation of a Mexican Newspaper account that had to be based on a Spanish translation of the actual letter - the content has to be taken with a grain of salt.
There were so many moving parts, Chenoweth, JW Smith's second reinforcement effort, and the reinforcement effort by LTC Neil, who knows how many Texian troops were actually moving toward the Alamo or operating in the vicinity, and what or who exactly Williamson was referring to.
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Post by elcolorado on Jan 6, 2008 23:24:08 GMT -5
I fully understand your skepticism, Jim. And you're right, Travis did expressed his doubts about Fannin coming to the rescue. In fact, when I read Travis' March third letters he seemed dejected, almost despondent. Save the 32 men from Gonzales, Texas failed to rally to his call and he must have felt abandoned, maybe even betrayed. I think he may have started to realize that he and his men were going to be nothing more then "lambs for the slaughter." But in spite of his doubts I still think he would have addressed his men. And with the arrival of Bonham I firmly believe the garrison would have demanded it. I sure as heck would have. Actually, there is some indication that someone spoke to the garrison. Sue Dickinson recalled "A few days before the final assault three Texans entered the fort during the night and inspired us with sanguine hopes of speedy relief, and thus animated the men to contend to the last." Probably not Dickinson's exact words but the implication is clear. This statement corresponds with Bonham's entry into the Alamo on the third and indicates a message of hope (Williamson's letter?) was delivered. And Travis does acknowledge receiving some news in regards to Fannin. So I think there is, if I may be permitted to borrow a phrase from Mark, "a ring of truth" And if Travis did speak to the men I still get a sense he would have been upbeat. I think he would have kept his doubts to himself. Although he sounds somewhat depressed and bitter in his letters, it's clear he hadn't quite given up all hope. Sometimes I see Travis like a Captain prepared to go down with his sinking ship. He's trying his best to be upbeat and optimistic during the crisis and offering his crew an opportunity to man the life boats at the same time. Gee...I'm such a romantic Glenn
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