Jim Bowie (9 page)

“Tonight we’re going to have a contest. I have my fiddle and John MacGregor has his bagpipes. The contest is to see who can play the loudest. The judge of the contest is Jim Bowie.”

The men cheered and clapped. Davy picked up his fiddle and nodded to John MacGregor. The men began to play. The noise sounded like cats fighting in a bag. The men began to cheer and called for the musicians to play louder. Suddenly it was possible to hear a tune coming from the noise. Davy and MacGregor began to play a song. The men clapped their hands and stomped their feet in time to the song. A few of the men walked over to the women who were watching and began to dance. Soon everyone was laughing and yelling. It seemed that they were having the best time of their lives. The loud music drowned out the sound of the cannons. Jim was laughing and shouting along with the others. At last the music ended. The people cheered and clapped for several minutes.

“We want more,” the people yelled.

Davy and MacGregor played several more songs. More people came to watch and listen. Everyone seemed to forget where they were. They seemed not to care that there was an enemy army surrounding them and that the enemy cannons were tearing down the walls to their fort. At last the music stopped. Davy and MacGregor walked over and stood next to Jim’s bed.

“All right, Jim,” Davy said. “It’s time for you to choose. Who’s the winner?”

Jim raised himself onto his elbows. He smiled as he looked around at the men. They were watching him as if he were going to make a great announcement. Finally he shook his head.

“I tell you, that was the worst bunch of noise I have ever heard. I really can’t tell who was loudest. You were both loud. I think the only thing to do is to have another contest later. Maybe I can pick a winner then.”

Everybody cheered and clapped in agreement with Jim’s announcement. Colonel Travis walked to the front of the group.

“Men. It’s time to get back to your posts.”

The men turned and walked toward the walls. The women returned to the chapel. Four men started to pick up Jim’s bed.

“Wait a minute,” he said. He sniffed the night air. He looked up at the moon that was being covered by a cloud.

“It feels so good to be out here. That room is so small. It’s good to see the sky and smell the fresh air. I wish I could stay out here.”

Jim began to cough and Juana called to the men.

“Hurry. Get him back inside. He’s getting chilled.”

The men picked up the bed and carried it into the room, then left to go back to their posts. As Davy was leaving, Jim called to him.

“Thank you, Davy. I enjoyed that.”

Davy smiled back at him. “We’ll do it again, Jim.”

As Jim watched Davy walk out of the room, I thought I saw a tear roll down Jim’s cheek. He closed his eyes and was soon sleeping. I curled up in front of the fire. I sure hoped that more men would be here soon.

AS THE DAYS PASSED, ALL ANYONE TALKED ABOUT was when reinforcements would arrive. Sentries on the wall scanned the horizon for a sign that men were coming to join us. Jim drifted in and out of consciousness. When he felt good, men would carry him outdoors and he would talk to the defenders. It raised the spirits of the tired men to talk to Jim, and Jim felt better outside. When the fever rose, he turned on his bed while Juana and Gertrudis wiped the sweat from his face. At those times I would walk outside. I could not stand to see my friend suffer like that.

One evening I was lying by the fire when I heard a sentry shout, “Riders coming.”

I ran outside to see what was happening. Men raced to the walls, preparing to fight off an attack. Someone fired a shot, then a voice from outside the walls cried out. “Don’t shoot. We’re Texans.”

The front gate opened and a group of men rode into the courtyard. The defenders gathered around the newcomers as they dismounted. Colonel Travis ran up to the leader. I recognized him as John Smith. Travis had sent him from the Alamo as a messenger early in the battle.

“John,” Travis said as he grabbed the scout’s hand. “I’m glad to see you. How many men have you brought us?”

Smith looked at the group of men who had followed him into the Alamo.

“Here are thirty-two men. I guess these are all the able-bodied men in Gonzales.”

Disappointment crossed Travis’s face. He tried to hide it as he welcomed the new men.

“We’re glad to have you join us. Captain Dickinson will show you where your positions will be.”

Davy Crockett walked in front of the group. “I say let’s give a cheer for the brave men from Gonzales. We welcome you to our little army.”

The defenders cheered for the new men. Crockett thought for a moment then spoke again. “You men can help us out with a little problem we have. John MacGregor and I cannot decide who can play the loudest. So when you get settled in, I’ll get my fiddle and John will get his bagpipes and we’ll let you be the judges.”

As the men walked away, Travis spoke to John Smith.

“Do you have any news of Colonel Fannin?”

Smith shook his head. “I thought he would be here. We thought we would meet him on the way, but we saw no sign of him. We thought he had come on ahead of us.”

Travis tried to smile. “Well, maybe he’s not far behind. If you could get through the enemy lines so easily, surely Colonel Fannin with his men can too.”

Smith went to join his men, and Colonel Travis walked to his quarters. I followed Davy Crockett as he entered Jim’s room. Jim was sitting up in his bed.

“What’s all the noise about, Davy?”

“Thirty-two men from Gonzales just rode in.”

“Thirty-two men?” Jim shook his head. “We need a lot more than that.”

“I know we do, Jim,” Davy said. “But thirty-two is a start. I’m sure many more will be here soon.”

Jim lay back on his bed. He stared at the ceiling for several minutes.

“I should have done what Houston told me and blown this place up,” he said.

Davy walked over and put his hand on Jim’s shoulder.

“No, Jim. This place is important. What we do here is important. We’re giving time to Texas so she can survive.”

Jim smiled up at Davy. “You’re right. I just wish I could be of more help. I hate lying here in this bed.”

“I know you do, Jim. But the men feel better just knowing that Jim Bowie is with them. They are proud to be fighting with you.”

“Davy, you know just what to say. Pull up a chair and stay awhile.”

Davy shook his head. “I can’t right now, Jim. I promised those Gonzales boys I would let them judge a contest between John MacGregor and me. It seems that the judge we had before had a hard time making a decision.”

Jim laughed and then began to cough. He waved to Davy.

“Go on. I hope those new men don’t leave when they hear you play. Come back when you have time.”

“I’ll come back later.”

He turned and walked outside. I walked over and curled up next to the fireplace. The fire had burned down, but it was still warm. Soon I heard the sound of the fiddle and bagpipes. Men were cheering and laughing as the music got louder. I looked over at Jim. He was smiling as he stared at the ceiling. Soon he closed his eyes and went to sleep. I lay there listening to the music. I hoped that somewhere outside the walls of the Alamo Colonel Fannin could hear the music and was on his way to join us.

The air was not as cold. Jim scratched my ears as I sat by his bed. I reached up and licked his hand.

“Well, Gator,” he said. “When we get out of here, we need to go on a long hunting trip. Maybe go wrestle some alligators. What do you think?”

Wrestling alligators did not sound like fun, but I was glad to hear Jim talk about doing something after we left the Alamo. Juana and Gertrudis were not in the room. I liked it when it was just Jim and me. It made it seem like the old days. Back before Jim got so sick. Suddenly I heard someone yell.

“Rider coming in. Open the gates.”

I ran to the door and looked out. The gates opened and a rider raced his horse into the courtyard. As he leaped from the horse, I recognized James Bonham, one of Colonel Travis’s messengers. Bonham went straight to Colonel Travis’s room. The men stood outside the closed door and waited to hear the news that Bonham had brought. After several minutes, Colonel Travis opened the door. His face was grim. He called to the men.

“Assemble in the courtyard. I have news I need to share with you.”

The men walked into the courtyard and stood in a line. Davy and several men came into Jim’s room.

“Colonel Travis is going to talk to us. Do you feel like listening?” he asked.

“I sure do,” Jim replied.

The men picked up Jim’s bed and carried him outside. They set the bed down on the end of the line. I sat next to Jim. I looked down the line of men waiting for Travis. They were tired and dirty, but there was a look in their eyes that said they were far from beaten. At last Colonel Travis and James Bonham came outside. Bonham walked over and stood in line with the others while Travis walked to the center of the line and faced the men.

“Men, James Bonham has brought us bad news. Colonel Fannin is not coming. Nor does he know of any other groups marching to reinforce us.”

A murmur rose from the men. Travis raised his hand.

“As you know, I have sent out many messengers requesting reinforcements. It seems that all the requests are not going to be answered. So the question now is, what do we do? It’s not a question for me. I’ll stay and fight here as long as I can. Every day we keep Santa Anna here is another day that the rest of Texas has to build up its army to defeat him. But I can ask you to do no more. You have done all that can be expected of you. If any of you wants to try and escape through the enemy lines, you may do so. There can be no blame attached to you for such an attempt. But if you want to stay here with me and fight for Texas independence, then I will thank you and Texas will thank you.”

Travis drew his sword. He walked to the end of the row of men and traced a line in the dirt from one end of the row to the other. He replaced his sword and walked back to the center of the line.

“All those who wish to stay with me and fight for Texas independence…cross the line.”

For a moment no one moved. Each man was thinking about what Travis was asking them to do. He was asking them not to fight for Texas independence, but to die for it. Finally I saw a young man step out of the ranks and cross the line. Then another. And then another. Soon the entire line was moving toward Colonel Travis. Soon only Jim and one other man were left. I saw Jim struggle to one elbow, then sink back down onto his bed. I heard him call out to the men on the other side of the line.

“Boys, I would dearly like to join you, but it seems I can’t get up. I would appreciate it if some of you could give me a hand in coming over to your side.”

Several men rushed to Jim’s bed. They lifted him up and carried him across the line. The men cheered as Jim was placed down next to Travis. I followed Jim and sat next to his bed. All the men stared at the man standing on the other side of the line. His name was Louis Moses Rose. Jim knew him. Jim called over to him.

“You seem not to be willing to stay with us, Rose.”

Rose shook his head. “No. I don’t believe I’m willing to stay.”

Davy Crockett stepped forward and said. “You might as well come over to us. You can’t get away.”

Rose shook his head. “No. I’ll try.” He looked at his friends and then looked at the wall. “I’ve done much worse than to climb that wall.”

We watched as Rose climbed to the top of the wall. He looked back at us and waved. He jumped to the other side and vanished into the darkness. Travis turned to the men.

“I thank you. And Texas thanks you. Now we had better get back to our posts.”

The men walked away. Each was lost in his own thoughts. Some of the men carried Jim into his room. I sat next to the bed. Davy Crockett walked into the room. He came over and laid two pistols next to Jim.

“I think you’ll need these when the attack comes,” he said.

Jim nodded. “Thanks. Would you hand me my knife? I feel better when I have it nearby.”

Davy picked up the knife and handed it to Jim. “I don’t think it’ll be long until the final attack comes.”

Jim nodded. “I think you’re right.” Jim reached out his hand to Davy. “Thanks for all you’ve done, Davy. Good luck to you.”

Davy took his hand. “Thank you, Jim. Good luck to you.” Davy walked outside.

Jim looked over at Gertrudis and Juana. “I want you to go and stay with the women.”

“Who’ll take care of you if we do?” Juana asked.

“I’m fine right now. You’ll be safer there. Besides, I have Gator. He can watch out for me. Now go on. I need to get some rest.”

The two women walked out into the dark courtyard. I watched them walk toward the Alamo chapel. Jim lay on his bed and was soon asleep. I curled up in a corner of the room. I noticed that the enemy cannon was not firing. I was glad. Maybe I could get some sleep tonight.

It was the best sleep I had had in weeks. I dreamed I was running through a field of tall blue flowers, chasing rabbits. The wind blowing through my ears felt good. I saw Jim running behind me, laughing and yelling. It was like old times.

The sound of a cannonball crashing into the wall of the Alamo woke me from my dream. I heard someone shout.

“Here they come!”

I ran to the door and looked out into the courtyard. I saw Colonel Travis running from his room carrying his shotgun. He ran toward the north wall shouting, “Don’t surrender, boys.”

I saw men stumbling from the rooms where they had been sleeping. They rubbed their eyes as they ran toward their positions on the walls. Davy Crockett and his men were firing at the advancing enemy. I heard the enemy band playing loud music, and then the roar of the cannons and the firing of the muskets drowned the music out.

I turned and saw that Jim had raised himself into a sitting position on the bed. He braced his back against the wall and held a pistol in each hand. His knife lay across his lap. He looked at me and gave me a small smile.