James Bowie – Dying at the Alamo
James "Jim" Bowie, a name synonymous with the American frontier, remains etched in the annals of history as a frontiersman, explorer, and pioneer. His life, a tapestry woven with threads of adventure, speculation, and bravery, culminated in a dramatic demise at the Battle of the Alamo, solidifying his place in Texan and American folklore. His story is one of relentless pursuit, strategic prowess, and ultimately, a heroic sacrifice.
Born on April 10, 1796, in Logan County, Kentucky, James Bowie was the ninth of ten children born to Rezin Bowie, Sr., and Elve Catesby Jones Bowie. The Bowie family’s early life was characterized by constant movement. In 1810, they relocated to Madrid, Missouri, residing there for two years before venturing further south to Louisiana in 1802. The family continued to migrate within Louisiana, eventually settling in the southeastern part of the state. Here, Rezin Bowie, Sr., established a plantation near Opelousas, acquiring 640 acres of land along the Vermilion River. The plantation became a hub of activity, with the Bowies cultivating cotton and sugarcane, raising livestock, and participating in the institution of slavery.
Life on the frontier shaped the young James Bowie and his siblings. Their days were filled with the demanding tasks of clearing land, planting crops, fishing, hunting, and managing the diverse operations of a farm and plantation. Education was also a priority; all the Bowie children learned to read and write. James, along with his older brother Rezin, went further, mastering Spanish and French, skills that would prove invaluable in his later exploits. Even as a boy, James displayed a natural aptitude for firearms and knives, cultivating a reputation for remarkable fearlessness. As he matured, James Bowie stood tall at six feet, weighing around 180 pounds, with light hair, grey eyes, and a fiery temper that mirrored the untamed spirit of the frontier.
In late 1814, James and Rezin Bowie enlisted in the Louisiana Militia, driven by patriotic fervor to participate in the War of 1812. However, their arrival in New Orleans came too late to engage in any actual combat. Following his brief military service, James Bowie settled in Rapides Parish, where he initially supported himself by sawing planks and lumber, transporting them down the bayou for sale. He also invested in property along the Bayou Boeuf, mirroring his father’s practices by owning and trading slaves.
June 1819 marked a pivotal moment in Bowie’s life when he joined the Long Expedition, an ambitious endeavor aimed at liberating Texas from Spanish rule. The group successfully captured Nacogdoches, encountering minimal resistance, and declared Texas an independent republic. Although the extent of Bowie’s involvement in the expedition remains somewhat unclear, he ultimately returned to Louisiana before Spanish troops successfully quelled the invasion.
The Bowie brothers’ paths soon crossed with that of Jean Lafitte, the infamous Gulf Coast pirate known for his involvement in illegal slave smuggling. Before long, Lafitte was delivering enslaved people to Bowie’s Island in Vermilion Bay. The brothers then engaged in a dubious practice, claiming to have "found" the enslaved people and subsequently selling them at auction. After accumulating $65,000, they abandoned this enterprise. Subsequently, they ventured into land speculation and, in 1825, established the Arcadia sugar plantation, encompassing approximately 1,800 acres near Thibodaux, Louisiana.
September 19, 1827, witnessed James Bowie embroiled in the legendary "Sandbar Fight" near Natchez, Mississippi. The incident stemmed from a duel arranged between Samuel Levi Wells III and Dr. Thomas Harris Maddox. Both men had assembled entourages, with Bowie representing Wells. When the duelists exchanged shots without effect, the situation quickly devolved into a chaotic melee.
The Battle of the Sandbar, though lasting less than ten minutes, left a lasting impact. General Samuel Cuny and Major Norris Wright were killed, while Jim Bowie and Alfred Blanchard sustained injuries. Eyewitness accounts highlighting Bowie’s "big butcher knife" circulated rapidly, amplifying his reputation as a formidable knife fighter. This event captured the public’s imagination, solidifying Bowie’s legendary status as the South’s premier knife fighter. Soon after, men clamored for blacksmiths and cutlers to forge them a "Bowie Knife."
At the age of 34, in January 1830, James Bowie, accompanied by his friend Isaac Donoho from Thibodaux, Louisiana, journeyed to Texas. They carried a letter of introduction to Stephen F. Austin at Nacogdoches. On February 20, James Bowie swore allegiance to Mexico and proceeded to San Antonio, Texas, where he once again presented his letter of introduction to influential Mexicans.
Bowie’s group traveled to Saltillo, Mexico, the state capital of the Texas colony. There, he learned of a Mexican law from 1828 offering its citizens land grants of 11 leagues (a league was 4,428.4 acres) in Texas for a nominal fee. Bowie quickly encouraged Mexicans to apply for these grants, which he then purchased from them. He left Saltillo with around 15 of these grants. Despite initial reservations from Stephen F. Austin, he eventually acquiesced to Bowie’s land acquisitions.
On September 30, 1830, Bowie renounced his American citizenship and became a Mexican citizen. He then partnered with Juan Martín de Veramendi to establish cotton and wool mills in Saltillo. As a Mexican citizen, Bowie was entitled to acquire up to 11 leagues of public land and persuaded more Mexicans to apply for grants, which he then bought. Over time, he amassed approximately 700,000 acres. However, in 1834 and 1835, the Mexican government enacted laws to curtail land speculation, hindering Bowie’s activities.
Meanwhile, in March 1831, the Bowie brothers sold the Arcadia sugar plantation, other landholdings, and 82 slaves for $90,000. The following month, on April 25, 1831, Bowie married 19-year-old Maria Ursula de Veramendi, the daughter of his business partner. The couple had two children. They initially resided in a house in San Antonio on land given to them by Veramendi near the San José Mission, but they soon moved into Maria’s parents’ house.
Shortly after his marriage, Bowie became captivated by the story of the "lost" Los Almagres Mine (also known as the lost San Saba Mine and the lost Bowie Mine), rumored to be located northwest of San Antonio near the ruins of the Spanish Mission Santa Cruz de San Saba. After obtaining permission from the Mexican government to search for the mine, Bowie, his brother Rezin, and ten others set out for San Saba on November 2, 1831. On November 19, just six miles from their destination, they were ambushed by a large raiding party of approximately 160 Caddo and Apache Indians. The ensuing Battle of Calf Creek lasted for 13 hours, with the Indians surrounding Bowie’s men. Tom McCaslin, one of Bowie’s men, was killed, and two others were wounded. However, the Indians suffered heavier casualties, reportedly 40 dead and 30 wounded, and eventually fled.
After losing their horses, Bowie and his men began the arduous journey back to San Antonio. Meanwhile, a group of friendly Comanche rode into San Antonio, bringing news of the attack, leading residents to believe that the Bowie expedition had perished. James Bowie‘s wife, Maria, even began wearing widow’s weeds. On December 6, 1831, the residents of San Antonio were astonished by the arrival of Bowie and his men.
In 1832, Bowie was elected a commander of a citizen militia, with the rank of colonel, to maintain peace and protect the colonists from hostile Indian attacks. During this time, he was involved in several confrontations. This militia group would later become known as the Texas Rangers.
In September 1833, Maria Ursula Bowie, their children, her parents, and her brother were visiting Monclova, Mexico, which had become the new capital of the Texas colony. Between September 6 and September 14, all of them succumbed to cholera. At that time, James Bowie was in Natchez, Mississippi, suffering from yellow fever. He did not learn of the deaths until November, after which he began to drink heavily.
The following year, he returned to land speculation and was appointed a land commissioner tasked with promoting settlement. His appointment ended in May 1835 when President Antonio López de Santa Anna abolished the Texas government. Around the same time, Texians began agitating for war against President Santa Anna, with Bowie and William B. Travis among the most vocal advocates.
In late October 1835, an army of men led by Stephen F. Austin and James Fannin, which included Bowie, marched on San Antonio, where Bowie’s contacts among the population proved invaluable. On October 28, the Battle of Concepción, fought on the grounds of Mission Concepción, two miles south of San Antonio, took place. At that time, the Texian Army was divided, with some encamped at Concepción and others outside San Antonio. When General Martín Perfecto de Cos learned of this, he dispatched 400 soldiers to attack the Texians at Concepción. The Texians, taking cover in a horseshoe-shaped gully, repelled the Mexican soldiers due to their superior defensive position, longer firing range, and better ammunition. Mexican losses included 14 killed and 39 wounded, some of whom later died. Texas suffered one killed and one wounded. This marked the first major battle of the Texas Revolution.
Bowie was hailed as a hero. He also participated in the Grass Fight on November 26, 1835, the last engagement in the Siege of San Antonio.
In January 1836, Jim Bowie was placed in command of the volunteer garrison at the Alamo. Lieutenant Colonel William Travis arrived in February, bringing army troops to reinforce the Alamo’s defenses. Tensions arose between the two leaders, but the arrival of Davy Crockett helped to ease the situation.
On February 23, 1836, the Mexican Army, led by General Santa Anna, arrived and commenced the siege of the Alamo. By this time, Bowie was seriously ill and delirious, confined to his bed. According to legend, when Travis drew a line in the sand, asking those who would stay and fight to cross it, Bowie, too weak to walk, requested to be carried across. The battle continued until March 6, 1836, when all the remaining 188 defenders, including James Bowie, Davy Crockett, and William Travis, were killed. The death of James Bowie at the Alamo cemented his legendary status.