William Barret Travis: The Unlikely Hero

"William Barret Travis (1809 to 1836) is best-known as the commander of the Alamo during the 13-day siege (23 February to 6 March 1836), dying in the Battle of the Alamo on 6 March at the age of 26. Arguably, however, Travis should receive greater recognition as the man who almost single-handedly started the Texas Revolution with theof 1832 and 1835."

"Travis' conflict with the commander of the Anahuac garrison, Juan Davis Bradburn, in 1832, and his victory over Mexican troops in the same region in 1835, are often sidelined in discussions of the Texas Revolution as they did not lead to further engagement. The Battle of Gonzales (2 October 1835) is understood as the beginning of the revolution because it led directly to the continuous conflict that ended with the Texian victory at the Battle of San Jacinto on 21 April 1836."

"Even so, Travis was the first member of the so-called War Party, seeking to separate Texas from Mexico, who took action, making a name for himself at Anahuac less than a year before he would die at the Alamo. And yet, prior to his arrival in Texas, it is hard to imagine a less-likely hero than William Barret Travis. Early Life The family name was originally Travers and they established themselves at the Jamestown Colony of Virginia in 1627."

William Barret Travis commanded the Alamo during its 13-day siege and died there at age 26 on 6 March 1836. Travis engaged in conflicts at Anahuac in 1832 against Juan Davis Bradburn and achieved a victory over Mexican troops in the region in 1835. Those earlier skirmishes did not produce continuous war, while the Battle of Gonzales on 2 October 1835 sparked sustained conflict culminating in the Texian victory at San Jacinto on 21 April 1836. Travis was an early, active member of the War Party advocating separation from Mexico. He was born in August 1809 into a family originally named Travers and later started the Claiborne Herald newspaper.

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