David Crockett was born in Hawkins County, Tennessee, on 17th August,
1786. His father, John Crockett, moved his family to Jefferson County
in 1794 where he established a log-cabin tavern on the Knoxville-Abingdon
Road.
Crockett
ran away from home at 12 to escape being punished by his father. He
lived for a time in Baltimore before
moving to Alabama. He married Mary Finley in August, 1806, and settled
in Lincoln County, Tennessee. Later he served under Andrew
Johnson as a scout in the Creek War (1813-14).
In
1821 he was elected colonel of the militia and later became a bear
hunter in Tennessee. He also became involved in transporting lumber
to New Orleans. Crockett took a keen
interest in politics and after a period in the Tennessee legislature
(1821-24) was elected to Congress in 1827. Crockett openly opposed
the land policies of President Andrew Johnson
and as a result was defeated by William Fitzgerald in the 1831 election.
Crockett
became a national figure in the United States when The
Life and Adventures of Colonel David Crockett of West Tennessee
was published. This publicity helped him return to Congress in 1833.
The following year he published his autobiography, A
Narrative of the Life of David Crockett of the State of Tennessee.
However, this failed to help his political career and he was defeated
in the 1835 congressional elections.
Disillusioned
by this political reverse, Crockett decided to move to Texas and arrived
in February, 1836. He became involved in the Texas
Revolution and joined the Texas volunteers based at San Antonio
de Bexar. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna and 7,000 Mexican troops
arrived in San Antonio on 23rd February, 1836. About 200 Texans took
refuge in the fortified grounds of the Alamo.
Samuel
Houston signed the declaration of Texas independence on 2nd March,
1836. General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna now became determined to
take the Alamo. He ordered the shelling of the fortress but the Texans
refused to surrender. On 6th March the Mexican army stormed the fortress.
During the battle 189 Texans were killed. This included David Crockett,
James Bowie and William
Travis.
(1)
David Crockett, letter (9th January, 1836)
I must say as to what
I have seen of Texas it is the garden spot of the world. The best
land and the best prospects for health I ever saw, and I do believe
it is a fortune to any man to come here. There is a world of country
here to settle... I have taken the oath of government and have enrolled
my name as a volunteer and will set out for the Rio Grand in a few
days with the volunteers from the United States. But all volunteers
is entitled to vote for a member of the convention or to be voted
for, and I have but little doubt of being elected a member to form
a constitution for this province. I am rejoiced at my fate. I had
rather be in my present situation than to be elected to a seat in
Congress for life. I am in hopes of making a fortune yet for myself
and family, bad as my prospect has been.
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