What was Davy Crockett’s Role in the Battle of the Alamo?
Written By Nick Straub
David (Davy) Crocket was a legendary American outdoorsman, politician, and folk hero. Often remembered as a formidable opponent in Congress and an excellent public speaker; he is best commemorated for the events leading up to the end of his life. Davy Crockett was killed, along with every last man he fought with, in the Battle of the Alamo. However, the role he played in the Texas Revolution forever solidified his name as one of the greatest heroes in Texian and American history.
Born in 1786 in what is now Greene County, Tennessee, he was quickly put to work as a backwoods farmer. Despite receiving only 100 days of formal instruction from his neighbor, he was highly intelligent, resourceful, and articulate. His early life was filled with many misfortunes, including the destruction of his family’s home by flood, bankruptcy, and working to pay off his father’s debts. In spite of his streak of misfortune, Davy Crockett’s father, John Crockett, was eventually able to build a tavern and stage coach business to start settling his debts. A Revolutionary War veteran, John wanted the best for his son and always attempted to connect him to work so that he could be more successful. He even tried to enroll Davy in school, which was unsuccessful due to his playing hooky. Davy would spend the majority of his time driving cattle, and once his father’s debts were paid, he would leave home shortly after.
At this point in his life, Davy Crockett finally began making a name for himself. During the Creek War, he served in the Tennessee militia as a scout. He spent most of the war hunting and gathering food for the rest of the army, which he allegedly preferred to combat. After his military service, he turned his attention to the political realm. In 1821, he ran for and was elected to represent his district in the Tennessee General Assembly. There, he represented and fought for the rights of the impoverished farmers in the area and in all of Tennessee. Later on, he would be elected to the United States House of Representatives. In this high position, he continued to fight for the rights of poor farmers across America, and even voted against the Indian Removal Act, which earned him praise from the Cherokee people, but ultimately cost him his seat in the next election.
At the end of his political career, Crockett decided that if Martin Van Buren was elected President of the United States, he would move to Texas, which at the time was a part of Mexico. After Van Buren was elected, Crockett set off for Texas, leaving his family at home. In Texas, he began advocating for Texian independence from Mexico, and enlisted as a volunteer.
He was then stationed at the Alamo, a church within a small town that had been fortified, where his fate would soon befall him. The Mexican General, Antonio López de Santa Anna, led a force of 1,500–5,000 soldiers who soon laid siege to the small fort containing about 180 men. Each day, the Mexican army would continue to bombard the Alamo, moving its cannons closer to be more effective. As the siege continued, supplies were growing thin, and the leadership told everyone to reduce how much they shot. However, Crockett and his men were allowed to continue shooting because of their effectiveness and accuracy. The Alamo defenders kept sending messengers to other forces in the area asking for reinforcements, which never came. Some men had heard of the Alamo situation and decided to come help. Even though Santa Anna’s army had surrounded the fort, entering would prove difficult. Crockett and two other men were sent out to find the reinforcements and bring them back to the Alamo. Luckily, he found one of the groups just before daylight and successfully escorted them back to join the forces in the Alamo. The second group, however, was chased away by Mexican cavalry. Nonetheless, Crockett had successfully brought a small number of fresh troops to the tired and weary Alamo defenders.
The siege would last for 13 days, and the Alamo defenders would repel many of Santa Anna's attacks, demonstrating the determination of the Texians to establish their independence. On March 6, 1836, the Mexican army scaled the walls of the Alamo. The remaining men retreated and fought from the safety of the barracks, but Crockett and his men were caught out in the open. Soon after, Santa Anna and his forces had taken the Alamo and the lives of all of the defenders.
There is lots of controversy surrounding the death of Davy Crockett. Some say he died heroically in battle while fighting for Texian independence. Others claim he was captured, begged for his life, and was killed. However, there are really no reliable sources that can tell us how he was killed. Yet, it can be confirmed, no matter how he died, he gave his life for Texian independence.
Santa Anna had assumed that the news of what happened at the Alamo would successfully bring an end to the Texas rebellion. Unfortunately, it had a different effect. Santa Anna’s army was six times the size of the Texian army, but news of the heroics at the Alamo brought great numbers of men to join the rebellion. On April 21st, the Texian army attacked the Mexican Army with the battle cry, “Remember the Alamo.” They were able to capture Santa Anna and release him under the condition that he lead his forces out of Texian land, effectively winning Texian Independence. Upon his capture, he told Texas General Sam Houston, his captor, “That man may consider himself born to no common destiny who has conquered the Napoleon of the West. And now it remains for him to be generous to the vanquished." Houston replied, "You should have remembered that at the Alamo.”
Born in 1786 in what is now Greene County, Tennessee, he was quickly put to work as a backwoods farmer. Despite receiving only 100 days of formal instruction from his neighbor, he was highly intelligent, resourceful, and articulate. His early life was filled with many misfortunes, including the destruction of his family’s home by flood, bankruptcy, and working to pay off his father’s debts. In spite of his streak of misfortune, Davy Crockett’s father, John Crockett, was eventually able to build a tavern and stage coach business to start settling his debts. A Revolutionary War veteran, John wanted the best for his son and always attempted to connect him to work so that he could be more successful. He even tried to enroll Davy in school, which was unsuccessful due to his playing hooky. Davy would spend the majority of his time driving cattle, and once his father’s debts were paid, he would leave home shortly after.
At this point in his life, Davy Crockett finally began making a name for himself. During the Creek War, he served in the Tennessee militia as a scout. He spent most of the war hunting and gathering food for the rest of the army, which he allegedly preferred to combat. After his military service, he turned his attention to the political realm. In 1821, he ran for and was elected to represent his district in the Tennessee General Assembly. There, he represented and fought for the rights of the impoverished farmers in the area and in all of Tennessee. Later on, he would be elected to the United States House of Representatives. In this high position, he continued to fight for the rights of poor farmers across America, and even voted against the Indian Removal Act, which earned him praise from the Cherokee people, but ultimately cost him his seat in the next election.
At the end of his political career, Crockett decided that if Martin Van Buren was elected President of the United States, he would move to Texas, which at the time was a part of Mexico. After Van Buren was elected, Crockett set off for Texas, leaving his family at home. In Texas, he began advocating for Texian independence from Mexico, and enlisted as a volunteer.
He was then stationed at the Alamo, a church within a small town that had been fortified, where his fate would soon befall him. The Mexican General, Antonio López de Santa Anna, led a force of 1,500–5,000 soldiers who soon laid siege to the small fort containing about 180 men. Each day, the Mexican army would continue to bombard the Alamo, moving its cannons closer to be more effective. As the siege continued, supplies were growing thin, and the leadership told everyone to reduce how much they shot. However, Crockett and his men were allowed to continue shooting because of their effectiveness and accuracy. The Alamo defenders kept sending messengers to other forces in the area asking for reinforcements, which never came. Some men had heard of the Alamo situation and decided to come help. Even though Santa Anna’s army had surrounded the fort, entering would prove difficult. Crockett and two other men were sent out to find the reinforcements and bring them back to the Alamo. Luckily, he found one of the groups just before daylight and successfully escorted them back to join the forces in the Alamo. The second group, however, was chased away by Mexican cavalry. Nonetheless, Crockett had successfully brought a small number of fresh troops to the tired and weary Alamo defenders.
The siege would last for 13 days, and the Alamo defenders would repel many of Santa Anna's attacks, demonstrating the determination of the Texians to establish their independence. On March 6, 1836, the Mexican army scaled the walls of the Alamo. The remaining men retreated and fought from the safety of the barracks, but Crockett and his men were caught out in the open. Soon after, Santa Anna and his forces had taken the Alamo and the lives of all of the defenders.
There is lots of controversy surrounding the death of Davy Crockett. Some say he died heroically in battle while fighting for Texian independence. Others claim he was captured, begged for his life, and was killed. However, there are really no reliable sources that can tell us how he was killed. Yet, it can be confirmed, no matter how he died, he gave his life for Texian independence.
Santa Anna had assumed that the news of what happened at the Alamo would successfully bring an end to the Texas rebellion. Unfortunately, it had a different effect. Santa Anna’s army was six times the size of the Texian army, but news of the heroics at the Alamo brought great numbers of men to join the rebellion. On April 21st, the Texian army attacked the Mexican Army with the battle cry, “Remember the Alamo.” They were able to capture Santa Anna and release him under the condition that he lead his forces out of Texian land, effectively winning Texian Independence. Upon his capture, he told Texas General Sam Houston, his captor, “That man may consider himself born to no common destiny who has conquered the Napoleon of the West. And now it remains for him to be generous to the vanquished." Houston replied, "You should have remembered that at the Alamo.”
Trivia:
- The Mexican General Santa Anna often compared himself to the French Emperor, Napoleon Bonaparte, calling himself the “Napoleon of the West”
- Did you know that the Alamo was first a church before it was fortified?
- The Battle of the Alamo was a turning point for Texas to gain independence from Mexico.