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Three Roads to the Alamo :The Lives and Fortunes of David Crockett, James Bowie, and William Barret Travis

By William C. Davis



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688 pages
1 edition (June 1998)
Harpercollins
ISBN: 0060173343

How close did David Crockett come to being president of the United States? Closer than you might think. That's one of the many interesting issues covered in "Three Roads to the Alamo"

This book is deep and well researched. The foot notes were as interesting as the book itself. Most Bubba Texas history buffs never considered Crockett, Bowie and Travis until they bite the big bullet.

We sometimes forget that Davy Crockett was not much more than a tourist. He had just lost an election and made one campaign promise that he kept. He said, "If I lose this election I'll either go to hell or Texas." He chose Texas. His travels led him to San Antonio at a time that coincided with the defense of the Alamo.

James Bowie was a land swindler that forged a lot of Spanish land grants in Louisiana and did a poor job of that. He was kind of hiding out from creditors and enjoying his new squeeze, a pretty local girl from a influential San Antonio family. She died of typhus that rampaged the area and Jim went into a depression that kept him from a timely exit from San Antonio.

William Travis was thriving in Texas with a law practice. Only after he had sneaked out of Alabama leaving a family and lots of debt.

This book does a great job of explaining how these three men came together and rose above their short comings to lead a brave defense of the Alamo.

Texas Bob