Alamo Traces

The award-winning historian provides a provocative new analysis of the Battle of the Alamo—including new information on the fate of Davy Crockett. Contrary to legend, we now know that the defenders of the Alamo during the Texan Revolution died in a merciless predawn attack by Mexican soldiers. With extensive research into recently discovered Mexican accounts, as well as forensic evidence, historian Phillip Tucker sheds new light on the famous battle, contending that the traditional myth is even more off-base than we thought. In a startling revelation, Tucker uncovers that the primary fights took place on the plain outside the fort. While a number of the Alamo’s defenders hung on inside, most died while attempting to escape. Capt. Dickinson, with cannon atop the chapel, fired repeatedly into the throng of enemy cavalry until he was finally cut down. The controversy surrounding Davy Crockett still remains, though the recently authenticated diary of the Mexican Col. José Enrique de la Peña offers evidence that he surrendered. Notoriously, Mexican Pres. Gen. Antonio López de Santa Anna burned the bodies of the Texans who had dared stand against him. As this book proves in thorough detail, the funeral pyres were well outside the fort—that is, where the two separate groups of escapees fell on the plain, rather than in the Alamo itself.

Never wavering in its search for the bedrock of fact, this book is a methodical, piece-by-piece dismantling of what we thought we knew and a convincing speculation about what might have really happened during that courageous fight for independence.

"Often the story of the Alamo is dominated by a handful of historical figures such as Crockett, Bowie, and Travis, among others. The Alamo Delegate gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a lesser known Texian volunteer, Jesse B. Badgett, and reminds us that the men who came to the defense of Texas in 1836 were normal men who answered the call of freedom, at great risk to themselves and their families. This book is a captivating story of an Alamo courier who helped change the course of Texas history. The Alamo Delegate is a refreshing new perspective on the struggle for Texian Independence." -- Kolby Lanham, Senior Researcher and Historian at the Alamo "Fascinating, untold history of one man’s almost accidental – but influential – footprint in the battle for Texas independence. 'Obscure' no longer, Badgett’s story serves as a bold reminder that one man can make a difference." -- KK Bruno, Author of Mischiefs and Miseries: A Novel of Jamestown 1607 "Combining painstaking research with vivid characterization, Partee’s biography demonstrates why we should remember Jesse B. Badgett, an original signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence. From his westward travels from North Carolina to his fateful encounter with history in San Antonio, Badgett’s 'Odyssey' is quintessentially American: a tale of struggle, circumstance, and politics. Highly recommended for readers wishing to know more about this fascinating period." -- Thomas E. Jenkins, Ph.D., Professor of Classical Studies, Trinity University As the new nation expanded westward in early 1813, a party of travelers set out from coastal North Carolina bound for a journey none could imagine: Jesse B. Badgett and his family would help settle the then-unchartered lands of the American South. But when destiny called, Jesse left his new life behind to deliver the last hope for his compatriots: a single letter. The only biography of the state’s most overlooked hero, The Alamo Delegate recounts the striking story of the expert rider who carried the fate of Texas in his saddlebag.

The 1813 storming of Fort Mims by Creek Indians brought to light the careers of Andrew Jackson, David Crockett and Sam Houston. All three fought the Creeks and each would have his part to play two decades later when the Alamo was stormed during the fight for Texan independence from Mexico. President Jackson was the first head of state to recognize the fledgling Republic of Texas. Colonel Crockett would be enshrined as a folk hero for his stand at the Alamo. General Houston won Texan independence at San Jacinto in 1836. This book tells the stories of the two landmark battles--at Fort Mims and the Alamo--and the interwoven lives of Jackson, Crockett and Houston, three of the most fascinating men in American history.

A Texas historian presents a vividly detailed account of the 1835–36 battle for independence, shining new light on the experiences of Tejano rebels. In the 1820s and ‘30s, thousands of settlers from the United States migrated to Mexican Texas, lured by Mexico’s promise of freedom. But when President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna came to power, he discarded the constitution and established a new centralized government. In 1835 and ‘36, Mexican-born Tejanos and Anglo-born Texans fought side by side to defend their rights against this authoritarian power grab. After Santa Anna silenced decent across Mexico, Texas emerged as the lone province to gain independence. Offering a unique study of the role the Mexican-born revolutionaries played in Texas’s battle for independence, this account examines Mexico from the fifteenth century through the birth of the sovereign nation of Texas in 1836. Drawing heavily on first-person accounts, this detailed history sheds light on the stories and experiences of Tejanos and Texans who endured the fight for liberty. Enhanced by maps and illustrations handcrafted by the author, this volume contributes an important perspective to the ongoing scholarship and debate surrounding the Alamo generation of the 1830s.

Written in a narrative style, this comprehensive yet accessible survey of Texas history offers a balanced, scholarly presentation of all time periods and topics.From the beginning sections on geography and prehistoric people, to the concluding discussions on the start of the twenty-first century, this text successfully considers each era equally in terms of space and emphasis.

In Standoff at High Noon, the sequel to Old West Showdown, coauthors Kellen Cutsforth and Bill Markley again investigate ten well-known, controversial stories from the Old West. Through their opposing viewpoints, learn more about notorious figures and infamous events, including the controversial death of Davy Crockett at the Alamo; the life and death of Sacagawea who assisted Lewis and Clark on their Corps of Discovery Expedition; the tragic fate of the Donner Party snowbound in the Sierra Nevada; the assassination of Wild Bill Hickok; Arizona’s Lost Dutchman Mine; and the controversy over Butch Cassidy’s death in South America. No matter whose side you are on, there’s always something new to discover about the mythic Old West.