The Reincarnation of David Crockett

   The Reincarnation of David Crockett

Suzanne Marsh

The dreams are always the same, the travel by horseback to Texas. The Alamo on the horizon. The other night I fell asleep under the stars camping; the dreams began to reoccur. I tossed and turned, then thankfully went back to sleep. David (Davy) Crockett had held a great fascination for me over the years. I felt as if I knew him somehow. Camping in Tennessee; under the stars, seemed to bring in the reality of reincarnation, I was a reincarnation of David Crockett.

This morning I awoke traveling from my home in in Rutherford, Tennessee. I kissed my wife Elizabeth goodbye. I reckon she understood my need to head for the Alamo in Texas. My gun across my saddle, thirty armed men who were willing to risk their lives for land in Texas. I reckon I was just as willin to go when I discovered the amount of land available. We rode off single file toward what ever fate had in store for us. I think what made up my mind was when I lost my seat in congress. I figured the hell with them I am going to Texas.

We rode into Nacodoches, Texas in January of 1836. We found a tavern which meant hot food and a bed. While there I met John MacGregor whom I convinced to accompany us to the Alamo. John was mighty hard to understand with that dang Scot accent. The following day, we were all well rested, we began the trek toward the Alamo. Texas was cold but then again so was Tennessee made no never mind to me I was happy to be goin to help Texians fight for their independence and their freedom. Most folks were friendly as we made our way to Washington on the Brazos where we spent a few days while hearing how bad things were. We left the following morning heading toward the Alamo.

All thirty one of us rode into San Anton rifles over out saddles. It was February 1836 the cold winds were worse than usual or so a Mexican told me. We found a tavern and wet our whistles. It would be the last good drinking for a while. I had heard of Travis and Bowie and how they were already in the Alamo. Travis I had not really heard to much about other than his arrogance but James Bowie I knew by reputation; especially after the sand bar business.

The following morning we rode into the Alamo. A young man with sandy brown hair and a planter’s hat jumped down from a cannon platform.

“Howdy I am Crockett, David Crockett and who do I have the pleasure of meeting?”

“Ah yes Colonel Crockett, I had heard you were here. My name is Colonel Travis.

Colonel Bowie is indisposed at the moment.”

I found that to be a rather odd statement but I figured I talk my way out:

“Nice to meet you Colonel Travis. I brought thirty one good hard fightin me with me.”

“Colonel, Captain Dickinson will take you and your men to your quarters. I will then

give you a tour of the Alamo.”

“Thank you Colonel Travis.”

We were quartered in the long barracks. I meet Colonel Bowie on the way, he mumbling something about a big mouthed popinjay I figured he must have been talkin about Colonel Travis.

“Howdy, are you Colonel Bowie?”

“I sure am and you are?”

“David Crockett”

Bowie’s eyes flew open:

“Crockett, it is sure nice to meet you. I have heard so many stories did you actually grin down a

bear?”

“Nice to meet you too. I have heard a lot about you and that Arkansas tooth pick.”

“Be care of Travis, Crockett he sometimes doesn’t have both oars in the water.”

“Thanks.”

I began to wonder if coming here was such a good idea. These men in the Alamo were fighting for a cause. They were willing to die to save their country.

February 28^th, Santa Anna arrived in Bexar he did not have his full contingent however he had enough to finish all of us in the Alamo with one thrust.

General Santa Anna sent a messenger asking for the surrender. Travis replied with a blast of a cannon. This must have angered Santa Anna, we saw a red flag hoisted; one of the Tejanos explained that flag meant “no quarter no mercy”. Later that evening the Mexicans began to play the Delguello, although I was not acquainted with it but once again a Tejano explained. The Mexicans played it all night.

This inspired John MacGregor and myself to challenge each other me on the fiddle and John on the bagpipes. The good thing was that it drowned out the Delguello. When John was playing the bagpipes, my fiddle was barely audible. We had some good times. I befriended Mrs. Dickinson. She had been doing my laundry since I arrived in Bexar. She was so young, she had a little girl Angelina.

When I would talk to Mrs. Dickinson I would think of my dear sweet departed wife Polly, then of my present wife Elizabeth. Being inside the Alamo was taking its toll on all of us in one way or another. John and I worked on the morale of the men. Some were nothing more than boys who thought this would be a great adventure. Travis was now in charge completely Bowie was very ill, some said typhoid some said consumption. Jim was in a room off the chapel then was moved to the long barracks.

Several days later after Jim Bonham returned, Travis held a meeting with all the men in the Alamo he began by drawing a line in the dirt:

“Those of you who want to stay we are much beholding if there are any who wish to leave

go out over the wall tonight. You will not be held responsible.”

There was a heap of talking, then one by one the men crossed the line. I crossed and Jim Bowie asked to be carried over. One man did not cross the line his name was Louis Rose, guess he wanted to live more than fight for freedom, which was the right thing to do.

The night of March 5^th the Delguello was not playing. Most of us fell quickly asleep, even the men that were on guard duty. The Mexican Army began to move stealthy toward the Alamo. Suddenly men began to scramble as the alarm spread that this was the fight we had been waiting for. I saw Travis hit between the eyes. I was attempting to make it to the powder magazine, to blow it up when I felt a bayonet run through me.

I woke with a start, I could smell the odor of gun powder. Now I understood why the Alamo and the history of Texas was so important. I woke up in my past life and died, I returned to become a professor of Texas history.