Letters from the Alamo

David Crockett

DAVID CROCKETT’S LETTER TO HIS FAMILY

Note: Crockett’s original spelling has been retained in this transcription.¹

San Augusteen² Texas 9^th January 1836

My dear Son and daughter,

This is the first I have had an opertunity to write you with convinience I am now blessed with excellent health and am in high spirits although I have had many difficulties to encounter I have got through Safe and have been received by everybody with open cerimony of friendship I am hailed with harty welcom to this country. A dinner and a party of ladys have honored me with an invitation to partisapate both at Nacing doches [Nacogdoches]³ and at this place The Cannon was fired here on my arival and I must say as to what I have seen of Texas it is the garden spot of the world. The best land and best prospects for health I ever saw and I do so believe it is a fortune to any man to come here. There is a world of country to Settle

It's not required here to pay down for your League of land every man is entitled to his head right of 4000-428 acres--they may make the money to pay for it on the land. I expect in all probibility to settle on the Bordar or Chactaw Rio of Red River that I have no doubt is the richest country in the world good land and plenty of timber and the best springs & mill streams good range clear water--and every appearances of health game plenty. It is in the pass whare the Buffalo passes from North to South and back Twice a year and bees and honey plenty I have a great hope of getting the agency to settle that company and I would be glad to see every friend I have sittled thare It would be a fortune to them all I have taken the oath of government and have enrolled my name as a volunteer for [unclear word] H.__ and will set out for the Rio grand in a few days with the volunteers from the United States⁴ But all the volunteers is intitled to a 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.⁵ 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 my family bad as my prospect has been.

I have not wrote to William but have requested John to direct him what to do I hope you will show him this letter and also Brother John as it is not convinient at this time for me to write to them I hope you will all do the best you can and I will do the same Do not be uneasy about me I am among my friends I must close with great respects, Your affectionate father Farewell David Crockett

__To Wily & Margaret Flowers

Memphis                 Mister Wiley Flowers
Feb. 3                        Crockett P.O.
                                                        Wilson county
                                                                    Tennessee

Footnotes

^{1.A corrected transcription of
the letter appears in Bill Groneman's Alamo Defenders (Autin: Eakin
Press, 1990), 133-134. back to text

2.San Augustine, founded in the early 18^th century,
is located about thirty miles east of Nacogdoches on the Old San Antonio Road
and near the Louisiana border. back to text

3.The first Spanish settlement at Nacogdoches was established
in 1716. The community's progress ebbed and flowed throughout the 18^th century
based on international relations between Spain and France. Nacogdoches lay
on the Old San Antonio Road which was part of the system known as the King's
Highway that ran through Mexico. back to text

4.Crockett evidently believed he would be a part of the Matamoros
Expedition, a plan to send a Texan force to capture the port of Matamoros near
the mouth of the Rio Grande. For more information on the expedition, see http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/view/MM/qdm1.html. back
to text

5.Crockett likely would have been elected as a delegate to
the Convention had he arrived in Texas earlier but was unable to placed his
name on the ballot in time. back to text}