Born in South Carolina on 1 August 1809, William Barret Travis

will always be remembered as the Texas commander at the Battle

of the Alamo. He spent his childhood in Saluda Co., SC, which was

also the home of James Butler Bonham, another Alamo defender.

When he was 9 his family moved to near Sparta, Alamaba, in

Conecuh County which is where he was also educted.

Travis graduated from Sparta Academy, in Sparta, alabama.

he then studied law and became a practicing attorney for a brief

time working in the offices

of one of the more prominant attorneys of the area, James Dellet

. He married Roseanne E. Cato on October 26, 1828 at hte age

of nineteen. Within a year, when Travis was barely twenty years old,

they had a son, Charles Edward Travis. Remaining in the area,

Travis began publication of a newspaper, became a Mason,

and joined the militia. He received a comission as

Adjutant in January, 1830.

After arriving in Texas in early 1831, Travis obtained land from

Stephen F. Austin. He set up to practice law first in the town of

Anahuac, with a partner, Patrick C. Jack. During this time he learnt

spanish and studied Mexican law.

When friction developed between Texas and Mexico, Travis was one

of the first to join the Texas forces. When Mexican General

Martin Perfecto de Cos demanded the surrender of the Texan's

cannon that resulted in the Battle of Gonzales, Travis was one of hundreds

to come to the its defense. He arrived too late, however,

to take part in the action.

On orders from Provisional Governor Henry Smith in January

of 1836, Travis entered the Alamo with about 30 men. Within a few days,

he found himself in command, when then commander James

C. Neill took leave to care for his family.

Travis commanded the Texas defenders during the Siege and

Battle of the Alamo. His Appeal from the Alamo for reinforcements

has become an American symbol of unyielding courage and

heroism. Although a few reinforcements arrived before the

Alamo fell, Travis and over 180 defenders gave their lives for

Texas independence on 6 March 1836.

Remarkably, Travis was only twenty-six years of

age at the time of his death.