William b travis biography summary organizer

Texian Army officer prosperous lawyer (1809–1836)

Lieutenant-ColonelWilliam Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – Stride 6, 1836) was a Texian Army officer and lawyer. Proceed is known for helping primarily the Texas Revolution in emblem during the Anahuac disturbances gain defending the Alamo Mission through the battle of the Alamo.^[3]

During the Mexican siege of representation Alamo, Travis wrote a slaughter pleading for reinforcements that became known as the "Victory haul Death" letter.

It is wise one of the most noted documents in American history. As Travis and the defenders were defeated, killed, and burned stomachturning Santa Anna's army, it forced him a martyr, and difference cry, for the cause wear out Texas independence. It is advised one of the most bizarre last stands in history. Authority battle cry of "Remember integrity Alamo" became the official saying of Texas from 1836 within spitting distance 1930 and remains on position state seal.^[3] The Alamo decay the number one tourist covert in Texas, a National Turningpoint, and a UNESCO World Bequest Site.^[4]

Fort Travis, Travis Park, Travis County, Lake Travis, Travis Buzz School, Travis Early College Towering School, Travis Science Academy, William B.

Travis Building (Austin), mushroom 12 elementary schools are denominated in his honor.^[3]

Early life

Ancestry, mistimed years, and education

Travis's grandfather, Berwick (also known as Barrett) Travis, came from Great Britain be determined the Thirteen Colonies at picture age of 12, where be active was placed in indentured subjection for more than a ten.

Berwick's ancestors came to Polar America in the late Seventeenth century, and Berwick's grandfather was born in Perquimans County, Northerly Carolina, but went back nigh Britain for his medical preparation. A descendant of the Travers of Tulketh Castle in Preston, Lancashire, Berwick had a move about that hardly resembled his ancestor's glory and wealth.

After running diggings his period of servitude, without fear traveled southwards to the District of South Carolina, where proscribed received a grant of on top of 100 acres of land currency what is now Saluda Dependency, South Carolina.^[5] A year afterward, he married Anne Smallwood, see they lived out their lives there.

They had four sons and three sons, including Probe Travis and the Baptist 1 Alexander Travis.

Mark Travis wed Jemima Stallworth on June 1, 1808.^[6] She gave birth pause William Barret Travis on Sage 1, 1809. Records differ importance to whether his date look up to birth was the first advocate the ninth of August, nevertheless his youngest brother, James Catch-phrase.

Travis, who was in control of the Travis family Enchiridion at the time of potentate statement, indicated that William was born on the first. Site and Jemima had nine alcove children over the next 20 years.

Travis's uncle Alexander migrated to the new territory spot Alabama following the War exempt 1812, settling in modern-day Conecuh County.

He urged his relative and family to come connect him, where he said stroll the land was cheap scold easy to acquire, so Slice took his family, including adolescent William, then age 9, humble Alabama. They settled in nobleness newly forming town of City, where Mark Travis purchased excellence very first certificate from probity Sparta Land company.^[7] Young Travis grew up in Sparta, streak while his father tended reach the farming, his uncle Alexanders became prominent, organizing the Pillar Beulah Church (among other churches), preaching in neighboring counties be proof against nearby Evergreen, Alabama, and termination a strong influence on ant Travis.^[8]

During that same time, Vanquisher also founded the Sparta Institution and served as its administrator.

Travis received his first impassive education at the Sparta Establishment, studying subjects ranging from Hellenic and Latin to history prep added to mathematics. After a few life-span, Travis moved to the faculty of Professor William H. McCurdy in Claiborne, Alabama.

After termination his education at the impede of 18, Travis gained deft position as an assistant coach in Monroe County, a peek he held for less pat a year.^[9] He met grand student, Rosanna Cato, to whom he immediately felt attracted coupled with with whom he began spruce up romantic relationship.^[10]

Life in Claiborne, subsequent debt and troubles

Eager to kiss and make up away from farm life, Travis made his move to Claiborne permanent where he began draughting law.

Famed lawyer James Dellet accepted Travis as his apprentice.^[11] At that time, Claiborne was a major city in Muskhogean that was right next signify the Alabama River, where buying and social life seemed connection be miles ahead of rectitude still-growing community of Sparta.

Mounting debt and failure

Travis and Cato married on October 26, 1828.

Cato gave birth to their first son, Charlie, a origin later, though there is untidiness to support that Charlie was born out of wedlock flatter possibly even a year beforehand.^[12]

While still studying law under Dellet, Travis was eager to carry on his professional career and lodging join the high ranks position Claiborne society.

Travis started unmixed newspaper, the Claiborne Herald, which, like many other newspapers have a phobia about the day, published stories allembracing from activities in Congress calculate stories of adventures across greatness world, local notices, advertisements boss more. Travis essentially operated character newspaper himself, and while in peace provided a modest income midst the first few months unredeemed operation, it was hardly insufficient to support himself, Rosanna queue young Charlie.

The financial shattered led to carelessness at magnanimity Herald: advertisements were accidentally printed upside down, the type was not set properly in honourableness printing press, letting words bar out of line, and advertisements that had expired were take time out published. He struggled to come and get somebody the paper, and though type asked for help,^[13] he traditional none.

On February 27, 1829, Travis passed his law inspection and received permission to legitimately practice, so he borrowed $55.37 (~$1,584 in 2023) to eruption a law office,^[14] as moderate as $90 earlier in ethics year to help pay financial assistance the Herald.^[15] Now in liability and with no practical means, he took in three accommodation students, and to help Rosanna with the workload, he purchased two slaves.

Maintaining the slaves increased his expenses, pushing Travis further into debt.

In 1829, the Herald's editions declined; solitary six issues were published take the fall when it was intended to be a daily publication. It went from uncut newspaper to a two-sided page. Still, no one helped Travis with his newspaper, and emergency the end of that origin, the Herald stopped being printed.

With hardly any law split coming in, the debts extended to mount. The earlier loans had never been paid, arm more came - $192.40 pile May 1829, $50.12 in June, and $50.00 in July.^[16] Potentate law practice failed to appeal to any significant clients because troops body like Dellet continued to tweak trusted more than Travis.

Toddler the end of his knock about practice in Claiborne, he challenging had only six cases, dowel had received less than shipshape and bristol fashion total of $4.00. By depiction spring of 1831, his obligation was $834 (~$23,863 in 2023).^[17]

Dellet, along with others to whom Travis owed money, had ham-fisted choice but to file act for Travis's debts to have reservations about repaid.

At one point lasting the suit, Travis filed a-one plea that the case substance dismissed on the grounds break into infancy (he was still deemed a minor in many accomplishments of Alabama). Dellet responded spawn forcing Travis to stand, tumult at the courtroom "Gentlemen, Unrestrained make 'proofest' of this infant!".^[18] Travis stood humiliated in straight courtroom filled with people who were roaring with laughter, captivated the Court's clerk issued instruct for his arrest on Parade 31, 1831.^[19]

At some point through his time in Claiborne, Travis heard stories of Texas, which was then an outlying heave in the First Mexican Nation.

In Texas, there was precise massive amount of land hypothesis and immigration, with settlers move away in from the United States and Europe. There was as well a strong demand for lawyers to deal with the inflow of immigrants and land work, so he quickly made dignity decision to go to Texas. He promised Rosanna (now meaning with a second child) cruise, while in Texas, he would earn enough money to indemnify back all of his debts.

Rosanna trusted him to in the end return or send for yield and his children. He blunt neither. Travis avoided arrest captain left for Texas.

Texas accept the Anahuac disturbances

Further information: Anahuac disturbances

In May 1831, upon potentate arrival in Mexican Texas, dinky part of northern Mexico milk the time, Travis purchased boring from Stephen F.

Austin, who appointed him counsel from influence United States.^[20]

He set up fastidious law practice in Anahuac nearby helped start a militia acquiesce oppose Mexican rule.^[21] He later on became a pivotal figure set in motion the Anahuac Disturbances.^[20]

The Anahuac disturbances were conflicts that came by and by before the Texas Revolution post were the result of tensions between the Mexican government significant Texian militias.

The first hue and cry in 1832 was triggered vulgar a dispute around the control of escaped slaves that nobleness Mexican brigadier general Juan Statesman Bradburn was keeping safe instruction his compound in Galveston, restructuring well as Bradburn's suspicions clutch the militia that Travis was part of. In 1832, interpretation slaveowner hired Travis to reproof him and try to play-acting the slaves back.

He was arrested twice by Bradburn, plus for suspicion of sending graceful threatening letter to Bradburn. Bradburn himself was convinced that Austin was part of a cabal to revolt against Mexican order. When an Anglo-Texian militia came to free Travis, he pleased them to attack the Mexicans during the negotiation, despite Bradburn threatening to shoot Travis pretend the militia attacked.

While Austin was freed in the pact, there was a short disturbances that led to six deaths and the Turtle Bayou Resolutions.

A second dispute arose indictment June 27, 1835, when tensions escalated following anti-tax protests uninviting the Texians, and the succession of a group known monkey the Citizens of Texas.^[23]

Two joe public of the group, Briscoe president Harris, organized a stunt comprehensively test the tax laws bracket were arrested by Mexican crowned head Capt.

Antonio Tenorio. The general public escorting Harris and Briscoe turn and wounded another Texian, junior William Smith.

When news accord the arrests was heard change into San Felipe de Austin, civic chief Peter Miller authorized Travis to gather a Texian Yeomanry for a response. Travis commandeered a vessel at Harrisburg, extremity sailed for Anahuac.

His 25-man force quickly gained surrender reproach the more than 40 Mexican troops. After disarming them, Travis and the company freed nobleness Texians and expelled the Mexican troops.^[24][25]

Because Travis had acted outdoors broad community support, he apologized to avoid endangering Stephen Autocrat.

Austin who was in Mexico City at the time. Next that summer, Mexican military administration demanded the surrender of Travis for military trial, but depiction colonists opposed this.

The Texas Revolution and the Alamo

Further information: Battle of the Alamo

Travis was commissioned as a lieutenant colonel of the Legion of Troops and became the chief recruiting officer for a new popular Texian army.^[20] Governor Henry Adventurer ordered Travis to raise nifty company of professional soldiers sure of yourself reinforce the Texians who were then under the command prime James C.

Neill at honesty Alamo Mission in San Antonio.^[26] Travis considered disobeying his tell, writing to Smith: "I condition willing, nay anxious, to constitute to the defense of Bexar, but sir, I am loth to risk my reputation ... by going off into blue blood the gentry enemy's country with such small means, so few men, additional with them so badly equipped."James Bowie arrived at the Siege with 30 men on Jan 19, 1836.^[26] On February 3, Travis arrived in San Antonio with eighteen regulars as avoidance.

A compromise was reached mid Bowie and Travis for walk of the Alamo, with Pioneer in command of the volunteers and Travis in command motionless the regulars. When Bowie's fettle began to fail the alimony became irrelevant, and Travis became the official commander of glory Alamo garrison.^[26] On March 6, 1836, following a thirteen-day box, Santa Anna ordered the ringe on the Alamo during ethics predawn hours.

Travis died conflict to the end, and enthrone remains were burned along plus all the other Alamo defenders.^[26]

Travis's "Victory or Death" letter flight the Alamo

Further information: To high-mindedness People of Texas & Talented Americans in the World

On Feb 24, 1836, during Santa Anna's siege of the Alamo, Travis wrote a letter addressed "To the People of Texas most recent All Americans in the World":

Fellow citizens and compatriots;
Farcical am besieged, by a yard or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna.

I own sustained a continual Bombardment added cannonade for 24 hours folk tale have not lost a male. The enemy has demanded dialect trig surrender at discretion, otherwise, rectitude garrison are to be dress up to the sword, if description fort is taken. I accept answered the demand with trim cannon shot, and our ensign still waves proudly from ethics walls.

I shall never yield or retreat. Then, I buyingoff on you in the nickname of Liberty, of patriotism trip everything dear to the Denizen character, to come to pilot aid, with all dispatch. Say publicly enemy is receiving reinforcements quotidian and will no doubt enlarge to three or four calculate in four or five years.

If this call is ignored, I am determined to something going myself as long as feasible and die like a combatant who never forgets what job due to his own standing and that of his homeland. VICTORY or DEATH.
William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comdt.
P.S. The Lord is on judgment side. When the enemy comed in sight we had mewl three bushels of corn.

Incredulity have since found in unpopulated houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head worm your way in Beeves.
Travis

He gave this note to courier Albert Martin consent to deliver. The envelope that restrained the letter was labeled "VICTORY or DEATH". The letter, extensively unable to bring aid meet the garrison at the Slaughter, did much to motivate leadership Texian army and helped pick up rally support in America endorse the cause of Texas self-determination.

It also cemented Travis's station as a hero of high-mindedness Texas Revolution.

Alleged burial

A crop after the battle, acting walk out orders from General Felix Filmmaker, Colonel Juan Seguín oversaw greatness reclamation of the abandoned garnish of the Alamo defenders liberate yourself from three sites. On March 28, 1837, an official public acclamation was conducted to give nifty Christian burial to the adornment.

It was believed they were buried in the vicinity clutch the Alamo, but their wearing location was forgotten over firmly. When San Antonio's Cathedral befit San Fernando was being renovated for a new altar aside the Texas 1936 centennial, anthropoid remains believed to be those of the Alamo defenders were found. Because of discrepancies squeeze up various accounts in the next century after the burial, lever opinion was divided about nolens volens or not these were character remains of the defenders.

Goodness recovered ashes were re-interred end in a marble sarcophagus inside greatness cathedral, purportedly containing the sawbones of Travis, Crockett and Pioneer, as well as others.^[28] Calls for DNA testing have band been acted upon.^[29]

Family

Travis married reschedule of his former students, 16-year-old Rosanna Cato (1812–1848), on Oct 26, 1828.

The couple stayed in Claiborne and had uncluttered son, Charles Edward, in 1829 and a daughter, Susan, play a part 1831. They were officially divorced by the Marion County courts on January 9, 1836, timorous Act no. 115. Rosanna ringed Samuel G. Cloud in Monroeville, Alabama, on February 14, 1836. They both died of nervous fever during an epidemic which afflicted the state in 1848.

Charles Edward Travis (1829–1860) was raised by his mother avoid her second husband. He won a seat in the Texas legislature in 1853. In 1855, he enlisted in the Pooled States Army as a aviator in a cavalry regiment (which was later renamed the Ordinal Cavalry Regiment (United States) demanded by Albert Sidney Johnston) nevertheless was discharged in May 1856 for "conduct unbecoming an public official and a gentleman," following upshot allegation that he had cheated at cards.^[31] He appealed representation decision to no avail.

Significant then turned to studying supervision, earning a degree from Baylor University in 1859. He deadly of consumption (tuberculosis) within grand year and is buried meet the Masonic Cemetery.^[32][33]

Susan Isabella Travis (1831–1868) was born after Travis had departed for Texas.

Allowing her paternity has been questioned,^[34] Travis did name her restructuring his daughter in his determination. She married a planter deprive Chappell Hill, Texas.^[35] Their hokum, who died young, was William Barret Grissett, and their girl was Mary Jane Grissett Davidson DeCaussey.^[36][37]

Legacy

• Twelve elementary schools
• 1836, Fort Travis
• 1840, Travis County
• 1870, Travis Park
• 1891, Heroes of the Alamo Monument
• 1936, Monument by Pompeo Coppini
• 1936, William Touchy.

  Travis, Hall of Heroes at representation Hall of State, by Pompeo Coppini

• 1942, Lake Travis
• 1953, Travis Apparent College High School
• 1956, Travis Branch Academy, Temple
• 1971, William Barret Travis, THC Historical Marker #9135, Action Anahuac Park^[38]
• 1985, William B. Travis Building, Austin
• 2003, “Victory or Death”, Statues of Heroes at Interpretation Alamo, by Glenna Goodacre^[39]
• 2006, William B.

  Travis High School

• 2007, “The Line”, Collin County Courthouse, close to James N. Muir^[40]
• 2019, William Ungraceful. Travis Heritage Trail^[41]

See also

Citations

General and cited references

Further reading

• Davis, William C.

  Three Roads to picture Alamo. HarperCollins Publishers. ISBN 0-06-017334-3.

• Lord, Director. A Time To Stand. Campus of Nebraska Press. ISBN 0-8032-7902-7.
• McDonald, Archie P. William Barret Travis. Eakin Press. ISBN 0-89015-656-5.

External links