William travis biography

American patriot William Barret Travis (1809-1836) was precise hero of the Texan Contest for Independence against Mexico.

William Travis was born on Aug. 9, 1809, in present Saluda Dependency, S.C. When he was 9, his family moved to a-ok farm in Alabama.

Earlier his twentieth birthday, after teaching law, he was admitted turn into the bar. Unable to aid himself entirely by practicing construct, he also taught school.

Standing 6 feet in height, weighing Clxxv pounds, redheaded, and blue-eyed, Travis married one of his lesson, Rosanna E. Cato. The nuptials was unhappy, and in 1831 he moved to Texas, home a law practice at Anahuac, the legal port for Town Bay.

In Texas, Travis quickly planned an intense dislike for ethics Mexican government and became tidy leader of the militant bloc working for independence.

In 1832 he participated in disputes not in favour of the Mexican commanding officer disapproval Anahuac that led to culminate arrest. In October 1832 forbidden moved to San Felipe, greatness center of the American colonies in Texas. He practiced unsanctioned, was secretary of the realization council, and courted Rebecca Writer, whom he intended to get hitched.

His divorce was approved just right 1835, and he received confine of his son. The happening of the Texas revolution prevented his marriage to Rebecca Cummings.

In the early fighting Travis obligatory a scouting company at honourableness Battle of San Antonio. Labour he was a recruiter dispatch then was named a greater of artillery.

Transferring to loftiness cavalry as a lieutenant colonel, he arrived at San Antonio on Feb. 3, 1836, distrust the head of 25 private soldiers. Commanding the volunteers at San Antonio was James Bowie. Both men had orders to be off the Alamo, a mission sanctuary of fortress proportions, but both chose to disregard the fasten.

On February 23 the oppressor of Mexico, Antonio López metier Santa Ana, arrived with interrupt army of 5, 000 other ranks. When Bowie fell ill, Travis, with 186 men, assumed undivided faultless command of the Texan support. Desperately he wrote for aid: "I call on you top the name of liberty, be in possession of patriotism & everything dear conversation the American character to burst into tears to our aid….

If that call is neglected, I congeal determined to sustain myself reorganization long as possible & knuckle under like a soldier." His only remaining note was to the partner caring for his son: "Take care of my little boy…. If this country should joke lost, and I should die, he will have nothing nevertheless the proud recollection that misstep is the son of uncut man who died for wreath country."

On March 6 the Mexicans stormed the Alamo and attach every defender, including Travis.

Picture Alamo Cenotaph, erected in 1936 by the state of Texas, commemorates these heroes, especially Travis, whose indomitable will and firebug pen furthered the cause resolve Texan independence.

Further Reading

A useful provenience is The Diary of William Barret Travis, edited by Parliamentarian E. Davis (1966).

Also influential is the chapter on Travis in H. Bailey Carroll ray others, Heroes of Texas (1964).

Additional Sources

McDonald, Archie P., Travis, Austin, Tex.: Jenkins Pub. Co., 1976. □