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Post by stuart on May 14, 2010 10:25:26 GMT -5
I’m interested to learn what is reliably known of Ben Milam – as distinct from entrenched legend, and Crockett-like embellishments on that legend. I’ve come across various references to his being Welsh, although it seems to be accepted he was born in Kentucky. He’s referred to as being a colonel in the Mexican Army – was this as a filibuster/mercenary with the pre-1824 revolutionaries? He was a close associate of both Arthur Wavell and James Grant. He was Wavell’s business partner in Mexico and involved in the attempt to establish a barrier colony on the Red River. He acted as a courier for James Grant in the 1820s, and was arrested with him by Cos in 1835. He was also involved in the intended Federalist uprising and his stage-managed escape was actually a cover for the rescue of Grant and Viesca. Then come the siege of Bexar he is credited with drawing the line in the sand and shouting “Who will come with old Ben Milam”, but James Ogilvie was later told that he was doing so at Grant’s bidding. Beyond that, what do we really know that can be documented?
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