William Barret Travis (Commander of the ALAMO)

William Barret Travis Document Signed "W. Barret Travis." Two pages, 7.75" x 12.75", [San Felipe de Austin, Texas], October 15, 1833. Born near Saluda, South Carolina, William Barret Travis (1809-1836) moved with his family to Alabama when he was nine years old. He attended school in Claiborne, Alabama, and eventually was accepted as an apprentice to the town's leading attorney, James Dellet. In 1828, at the age of 19, Travis married Rosanna Caro and their son, Charles, was born the following year. By the time he was 21, W. Barret Travis founded the Claiborne Herald, becoming the publisher and editor. He had accepted a position as adjutant in the Alabama militia and opened a law office. Possibly because his newspaper was not profitable and income from his law office was not enough to pay his debts, as well as an unhappy marriage, Travis abandoned his pregnant wife (Susan was born in 1831) and son and left for Texas in April 1831.

Arriving in San Felipe de Austin, he obtained land from Stephen F. Austin on May 21, 1831, William Barret Travis listing his marital status as "single." He established a legal practice in Anahuac on Galveston Bay. Travis traveled through Texas doing legal work, becoming associated with a group of militants who opposed the Law of April 6, 1830, designed to stop the flood of immigration from the United States to Texas and to encourage Mexican and European settlement. Eventually this group became known as the "War Party" as tension increased between the Mexican government and American settlers in Texas. After the Anahuac Disturbances of 1832, Travis moved his legal practice to San Felipe de Austin. It was here that Travis, a year later, signed as a witness this inventory of the estate of the late William Robinson. The inventory includes debt owed to individuals, land deeds, letters, etc. Countersigned by seven other men. Expertly silked with light to moderate bleedthrough. Edges are uneven.

By March of 1835 a huge rift had grown between "Peace Party" and "War Party" Texans as to what course of action should be pursued regarding centralism and states' rights. Elections for governor, vice-governor, and members of the legislature had recently taken place in Coahuila and Texas. Evidence of legislative corruption appeared in a decree passed on March 14, 1835, authorizing the governor to sell 400 leagues of land, over 1.7 million acres, at less than two cents per acre, without being subject to the provisions of the general colonization law of 1825. The lands were shortly disposed of to speculators. Texas wanted to separate from Coahuila. On March 15th, Stephen F. Austin wrote "The territorial question is dead. The advocates of that measure are now strongly in favor of a state government; and that measure is now before Congress. A call has been made upon the president [Santa Anna] for information on the subject; and I am assured the president will make his communication in a few days, and that it will be decidedly in favor of Texas and the state." Santa Anna was simply delaying until he could get Texas occupied with his troops.

Open rebellion soon erupted and Travis joined in the fight. By December 1835 he had been given a lieutenant colonel's commission of cavalry in the Texan army. Shortly after he was ordered to defend San Antonio de Bexar by reinforcing the Texan force already occupying the Alamo. Travis and his men arrived on February 3, 1836, and nine days later he was given overall command of the garrison. On February 22, Santa Anna and his army had arrived and began a thirteen day siege. The assault of the Alamo came on March 6. Travis perished (he died early in the battle with a single gunshot wound to the head) in the battle with 188 fellow Texas patriots.

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