He Lived A Hollywood Story
James Bowie lived a life ripped straight out of a Hollywood western. His lawless life in the wild west had equal amounts of horse riding, land speculating, and even searching for lost treasure. Bowie had almost an uncanny sense of luck in many battles until he selflessly rode off to save the Alamo. Bowie brought his entire family into the mission and waited for the rapidly advancing Mexican army.
But hopelessly outnumbered, all James Bowie could do was hope that his luck had not run out.
http://www.tspb.state.tx.us/SPB/Gallery/HisArt/01.htm, Wikimedia Commons
1. He Was Born To Battle
James Bowie was born on April 10, 1796, in Logan County, Kentucky. His parents, Reason and Elve Ap-Catesby, had met when Elve nursed Reason back to health after he received a wound while fighting during the American Revolution. Much like his father, battles and wounds ultimately defined Bowie's life as well.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
2. They Were A Busy Bunch
There were 10 children in the Bowie family, and James was the ninth. All the kids had to work the land they had purchased in Opelousas, Louisiana. They also learned essential survival skills like fishing, butchering animals, and how to be in charge of a plantation. Perhaps more importantly, though, he also learned some far more combative skills.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
3. He Was Fearless
As a growing child, James Bowie had the chance to become a master marksman and became lethal with a blade. These skills he could use for hunting and for protection. You see, there were ferocious alligators in the area, and Bowie received valuable life lessons from a Native American friend on how to rope these brutal beasts. Sporting these skills, Bowie earned a reputation for being fearless.
But there was also time for some more cultured activities.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
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4. They Had A Bond
Two of the Bowie children, James and his older brother Rezin, received lessons in languages. In fact, the two boys learned to speak both French and Spanish fluently. There was an intensely strong bond between these two brothers, who were born just three years apart. In 1814, when General Andrew Jackson was looking for volunteers to fight against the British, the brothers enlisted together.
Now, Bowie would have a chance to see if his skills would measure up in battle.
John Wesley Jarvis, Wikimedia Commons
5. He Was Too Late
James Bowie and his brother Rezin arrived in New Orleans ready to rumble with the British. But to their surprise, the battle was already over. Bowie decided to stay away from home and carved out a new life in Rapides Parish. Of course, he had to earn a living, and he did it by floating lumber down the river and selling it.
But Bowie still wanted to fight in a battle. In 1819, he found one.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
6. He Had A Second Chance
One battle that James Bowie was not too late for was the one against the Spanish. At that time, Texas was under Spanish rule, and there were people who wanted that to change. This was not an official US conflict, but rather a group of battle-angry men who wanted to take Texas for their country. Bowie read about the expedition to take Texas in the newspaper and joined the 200 other men.
Once again, Bowie was ready to fight.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
7. He Left In Search Of Food
If Bowie was looking for action in battle, this excursion into Texas would be a crushing disappointment. The group of men, known as the Long Expedition because its leader was James Long, received little to no resistance, and they easily declared Texas as independent from Spain. Bowie then left the excursion the moment they ran low on food.
As it turned out, he left at just the right time.
Screenshot from The Alamo, Amazon MGM Studios (1960)
8. He Narrowly Escaped
James Bowie had no idea at the time, but the Long Expedition was on a collision course with disaster. After a secret spy named Jean Lafitte secretly passed information to Spanish authorities, the Spanish troops showed up and squashed the expedition. The Spanish captured many members, and Bowie certainly could have been one of them. But lucky Bowie was safely back at home.
Safe and sound, he turned his attention to making some cash.
Screenshot from The Alamo, Amazon MGM Studios (1960)
9. He Received A Gift
Just before his father passed, he gave out some essential things that Bowie would need to find success. He and his brother Rezin received cattle, horses, and ten servants. And with that, James and Rezin had an idea to get rich. Louisiana was enjoying a huge population increase, and the brothers thought that if they acted fast, they could cash in by buying and selling land at a profit.
The problem was that they needed money to buy the land right away. Their solution was diabolical.
Deseronto Archives, Wikimedia Commons
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10. They Found A Loop Hole
At this time, trading in enslaved people was a common practice, but in 1807, the government passed a law making it unlawful to import new slaves. To make this new law work, the government made an offer. If anyone snitched on a slave trader, they would receive as a reward, half of what the slave would get at an auction. The Bowie brothers saw an ingenious loophole in this system and were ready to reap the rewards.
Screenshot from The Alamo, Amazon MGM Studios (1960), enhanced
11. He Partnered With the Enemy
James Bowie then went into partnership with the spy and pirate Jean Lafitte. The plan was brutally simple. Bowie bought slaves from Lafitte and turned them into the authorities. When the slaves were put up for sale, Bowie would purchase them and then get his reward as well. Bowie and his brother performed this diabolical plan on three separate occasions.
They were making oodles of cash. Now, what would they do with it?
12. He Flipped Land
James Bowie and another brother, John, used the money Bowie had earned in the slave trade and began buying and selling property. But back in 1803, something had happened that would have a massive impact on these two “property brothers”: the US government bought the Louisiana Territory.
So with the Bowie name showing up on many of the land deeds in the territory, it soon became clear that the Bowies had been up to no good.
Screenshot from The Alamo, Amazon MGM Studios (1960)
13. He Got Found Out
When the government purchased Louisiana, they made a promise. They would honor the land claims of the former owners. This was great news for Bowie. Except for one thing. When the government started examining the claims, they found that Bowie and his brother had, on multiple occasions, sold land that wasn't theirs to sell.
In other words, the Bowie brothers were in some serious hot water.
Screenshot from The Alamo, Amazon MGM Studios (1960)
14. The Evidence Disappeared
Most of the deeds that the owners of the land held were forgeries. This made the Bowie brothers look even worse. The landowners that the Bowie’s had duped got together and raised chatter about filing a lawsuit against James and John Bowie. But as they were building their case, all the documents that would prove Bowie's guilt miraculously disappeared.
So he escaped that mishap, but Bowie's troubles were still far from over.
Screenshot from The Iron Mistress, Warner Bros. Discovery (1952)
15. He Faced Off With A Sheriff
Around this same time, James Bowie had a heated clash with Norris Wright, who was the sheriff of Rapides Parish. Bowie didn't like Wright because he rejected his application for a loan. Wright didn’t like Bowie because he had stood behind his opponent when he ran for sheriff. Remember, these were the times of the Wild West, and disagreements like this almost always turned violent.
This was no exception.
Screenshot from The Iron Mistress, Warner Bros. Discovery (1952)
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16. He Had A Close Call
When Bowie and Wright had cross words in Alexandria, Louisiana, Bowie heard a loud bang. It was Wright who had fired. Lucky for Bowie, he’d missed. But this terrifying encounter changed Bowie. He made a promise to himself that he would never walk around unarmed. This promise would soon save his life.
Screenshot from The Iron Mistress, Warner Bros. Discovery (1952)
17. They Wanted Blood
The next year, James Bowie came face-to-face with Wright again. This time, they were both in attendance at a duel between two enemies. When the duel ended with no injuries, the crowd still seemed to want to see blood. A chaotic brawl erupted, and Bowie quickly suffered an injury. To retaliate, he reached for his blade that he now never travelled without.
What happened next was bloody awful.
Screenshot from The Iron Mistress, Warner Bros. Discovery (1952)
18. It Was A Bloody Battle
Wright still had a grudge against Bowie, so when Bowie’s blade failed to injure his opponent, Wright took advantage. There was a loud bang, but Wright missed. His plan B was to go for Bowie with his sword cane. Bowie still had his trusty blade and used it for a truly gruesome feat: he disemboweled Wright.
At the end, Bowie had multiple injuries, and Wright was ready for the grave. This fight would go down in history.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
19. He Was A Hero
Even though Wright's sword had brutally impaled him, James Bowie somehow survived. The newspapers reported Bowie’s astonishing survival, and this turned him into a hero. What made him look even better was that he had not instigated the brawl. Even more, his skill with a blade turned Bowie into a feared man.
And his weapon was also getting famous.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
20. His Name Is A Legend
There’s been endless speculation about the blade that Bowie used in the fight that became known as the Sandbar Fight. More than one person has claimed to be the one who designed it. The popularity of the blade grew and eventually appeared as far away as Great Britain. To this day, it’s still called a Bowie Knife.
But at the time, all that really mattered was that Bowie had survived the Sandbar Fight. It was time he got religious.
Screenshot from The Iron Mistress, Warner Bros. Discovery (1952)
21. He Got Baptized
After the Sandbar Fight, Bowie had to recover from his long list of wounds. Once he was able, he made the move to Coahuila y Tejas, which was then part of the Mexican Federation. Since that federation banned any religion besides Catholicism and favored granting land to Mexicans, Bowie got himself baptized as a Catholic.
This was the first step of Bowie’s unusual plan.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
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22. He Gave Up His Citizenship
The second part of Bowie’s plan was to become a Mexican citizen. This allowed him to buy up land in the area that would one day become Texas. To get even more land, he had to persuade other Mexican citizens to make an application for land and then transfer it over to him. With this underhanded tactic, Bowie managed to acquire 280,000 ha (700,000 acres).
And with that con underway, he now needed a wife to settle down with.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
23. This Romance Was Cut Short
Bowie’s first attempt at romance was a crushing failure. In 1829, he met and proposed to Cecilia Wells. They set the wedding date for mid-October. But two weeks before the wedding, Bowie had to watch as life passed out of Wells. Bowie was a single man once more. But he wasn't one to give up easily.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
24. He Tried Marriage Again
One of Bowie’s business partners, Juan Martin de Veramendi, had a 19-year-old daughter named Maria Ursula de Veramendi. Bowie set his sights on her for a wife, so he lied about his age. He said he was 30 when he was 35. Then he made a promise to pay a dowry of $15,000, which would be about $450,000 today. He promised the dowry within two years of the marriage.
But before the two years were up, this family wouldn’t exist.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
25. He Was Living The Dream
Bowie was pretending to be worth a lot of money, but when he and his new wife moved in with her parents, it seemed that wasn’t true. He was now living in a grand residence called the Veramendi Palace. Bowie’s father-in-law even paid for Bowie’s spending money. Bowie was living the dream. He lived in a palace, had a young wife, and someone else was paying his bills.
But he still needed one more thing.
26. He Loved Adventure
The one thing that Bowie’s life was missing was adventure. To fulfill this restless desire, Bowie grabbed his brother Rezin and a few other men. Their goal was to find the lost Los Almagres Mine. En route, they met up with 160 hostile Native American men, and it looked like Bowie was a goner. There were 14 enemies for every one of Bowie’s men.
Bowie would need more than his usual luck.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
27. It Was A Miracle
The story goes that the battle lasted 13 hours. Against all odds, the clash was fatal for 40 Indigenous men and 30 left more injured. Bowie only lost one. When he returned home, he found his wife dressed as a widow. She was just that sure he wouldn’t survive. Bowie wrote the story of the battle in Spanish, and the story appeared in newspapers.
Bowie's reputation was spreading.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
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28. He Wanted To Register A Complaint
In 1832, the commander of the Mexican army, José de las Piedras, required that all citizens hand over their arms. Bowie had promised himself never to be without his weapon, so he made a beeline straight for Texas to complain. He got together a group of like-minded men, and the plan was to present their opposition to this new demand.
As you might imagine, they didn’t quite get a chance to complain.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
29. It Was A Huge Battle
Just as Bowie and his men were approaching the office in Nacogdoches, where they wanted to complain, 100 Mexican cavalry members descended on them. A fierce battle began. In the end, the Cavalry lost 33 men, and Bowie and his gang forced the remaining Cavalry members back to Nacogdoches and released them. The battle of Nacogdoches was another glorious win for Bowie.
But he was about to face a horrible loss.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
30. He Worried About A Disease
When Cholera broke out in the area, Bowie packed up his pregnant wife and their one child, and also his father and mother-in-law. He sent them to Monclova, where he was sure they would be safe. Sadly, Cholera found its way to Monclova, and in one tragic swoop, all of Bowie’s relations there passed. This devastated Bowie, and he started drinking.
But there was more bad news already on the way.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
31. He Was A Fugitive
In the spring of 1835, a presidential order came down from Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. He threw out the government of Coahuila y Tejas and, worse yet, called for the arrest of any Texan who was involved in business deals in Monclova. As a land owner, this included Bowie. Bowie wasn’t about to wait around for authorities to take him in.
He escaped the area and started working on a plan to fight back.
Manuel Paris, Wikimedia Commons
32. He Started Amassing Fighters
Bowie and the other Anglos in Texas reacted with rage to the President’s announcement. Bowie joined forces with William B Travis and planned a battle against President Santa Anna. Bowie went to the Native American villages and tried to get more support for the movement. When Santa Anna got wind of this rebellion, he sent more men to the area.
It was now called The Texas Revolution, and it was looking bad.
Henry McArdle, Wikimedia Commons
33. He Went On A Mission
On October 28, Bowie and some men came across Mission Concepcion and thought it would be an ideal position of defense. To his horror, 300 Mexican infantrymen, led by General Domingo Ugartechea, descended on the mission ready to fight. An outnumbered Bowie launched a brave offensive and took one of the two cannons they had. The Mexicans, having lost 10 men, retreated. Bowie only had one fatality.
Bowie was enjoying the thrill of battle, and he wanted more.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
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34. He Signed Up
To stay near the battle, Bowie enlisted as a private in the army. It didn’t take long for him to stand out for his cunning and bravery. In November, Bowie proved his mettle by attacking General Martin Perfecto de Cos’ 187 men who were collecting grass for the horses. Two of Bowie’s men received injuries, but there was a reward. Bowie took all their horses and mules.
Next, Bowie would face the ultimate battle.
Unknown authorUnknown author, Wikimedia Commons
35. He Had To Defend It
Word got to Bowie that Santa Anna had his army heading to San Antonio. Bowie quickly put together 30 men who volunteered to get to San Antonio and retrieve their artillery from the Alamo. When he and his 30 men got there, they found that there were only 104 men ready to defend the mission. Bowie conferred with James C Neill, who was the commander at the Alamo.
They decided to stay put rather than retreat. It was a risky decision.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
36. He Begged For Help
In the 1800’s, there was no “GoFundMe”, so Bowie had to resort to old-fashioned letter writing. He desperately appealed to anyone nearby who could donate arms, money, or even cannon powder. Anything that would help defend the Alamo. Bowie had put it out there that he needed help.
His own life and many others depended on the answer.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
37. He Got his Answer
Davy Crockett was the first to answer Bowie’s plea for help. He brought 30 men from Tennessee. More men followed. But then Commander Neill decided to leave to see his family. When he left the younger, less experienced William B Travis in charge, Bowie was as far from happy as he could get.
He thought he should be the leader, and he made his displeasure known.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
38. He Had Reason To Celebrate
Bowie simply refused to take orders from Travis, which led Travis to make a foolish decision. He was going to let the men decide who should lead them. When the vote went decidedly in Bowie’s direction, Bowie wanted to celebrate his victory. This would turn out to be a huge mistake.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
39. He Celebrated Too Much
Most of us would forgive Bowie for drinking too much to celebrate his victory over Travis. But what Bowie did really went too far. He was so out of it that he harassed San Antonian residents, and then he went to the local penitentiary. Once there, he opened the cells and freed everyone inside.
The next morning, he awaited his punishment.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
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40. He Went Down A Notch
Bowie had certainly come down a notch in the view of Travis and the other men. As such, they agreed to a joint leadership between Bowie and Travis. No matter, Bowie threw himself into filling the Alamo with provisions and cattle. His thoughts then turned to the rest of his family. He had to keep them safe.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
41. He Brought Everyone to Safety
Remember, most of Bowie’s in-laws had perished in the cholera epidemic, but he still had cousins to think about. He rounded them up and got them safely inside the Alamo. He also brought some of the servants from the Veramendi Palace.
Meanwhile, the Mexican army was on its way to destroy it.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
42. He Got Sick
At the worst possible moment, Bowie became gravely ill. To maintain morale, the obviously unhealthy Bowie continued to appear to the residents of the Alamo. Their morale really needed lifting as the approaching Mexican army had raised a red flag. This meant that they planned to heartlessly take the lives of anyone who defended the Alamo.
Everyone who was in the Alamo was at risk of perishing.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
43. He Crossed A Line
According to legend, the situation of those holed up in the Alamo seemed so dire that at one point, Travis took a stick and made a line in the sand. Anyone who was willing to give their life for this battle should step over it. Bowie was in his hospital bed, but asked Crockett and some others to carry his bed over the line.
Even in his sick bed, Bowie was ready to risk everything.
Screenshot from The Alamo, The Walt Disney Company (2004)
44. It Was A Slaughter
March 6, 1836, was a sad day. Bowie and all the other Texans who were actively defending the Alamo lost their lives. It was a brutal slaughter. The only bright spot was that the Mexican army let those not fighting, including Bowie’s relatives, live. Of course, because of Bowie’s celebrity, everyone wanted to know how Bowie actually lost his life.
Well, that depends on who you ask.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
45. There Were Rumors
One story goes that the Mexicans used their bayonets on Bowie while he was still in his bed. Another story said that Bowie ended his own life. A more imaginative tale has Bowie castigating a Mexican in his perfect Spanish, and then having his tongue brutally cut out as punishment.
This was a time of exaggerated stories, but there’s one that many believe is actually the truth.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
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46. He Went Down In His Glory
Because Bowie’s demise at the Alamo is so important in history, there have been countless theories about it. The most popular one has Bowie sick in his cot, but with his back against the wall. He was firing with one hand, and in his other hand, he held his iconic Bowie blade. Sadly, there were just too many Mexican fighters, and they took his life in his bed. Regardless of who's story you believe, Bowie’s luck had finally run out.
But he lives on in legacy.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
47. He Was Humble
Hearing about Bowie’s shady business dealings and his amazing battle record, it’s easy to picture him as a loud braggart. Captain William Y Lacey spent quite a few months living with Bowie in the wilderness. Lacey said that Bowie never used vulgar words or profanity. Apparently, he was also humble about his life successes.
As it turned out, he may have had a very good reason to be humble.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
48. He Wasn’t Worth Much
From all the land he bought, it sounded like Bowie was swimming in cash. When he passed, his possessions went to auction. They brought in less than $100. Even accounting for inflation, this is a minimal amount. But it was really the battlefield where Bowie excelled.
And while many elements of hist story lie in legend, it seems clear that he was a courageous leader who put his men first.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
49. He Put His Men First
In business, Bowie was as brutal as they come, but in battle, this wasn’t the case. One man under his command remembers him as being a “born leader” who hated to risk the lives of his men. Many remember him calling out during battle, “Keep under cover boys, and reserve your fire; we haven't a man to spare”.
Bowie’s life would go on to inspire many people with his courage and valor. He’d even inspire a rock star.
Screenshot from The Adventures of Jim Bowie, Falcon Picture Group (1956-1958)
50. He Influenced Music History
Many people struggle with the pronunciation of Bowie, and rock star David Bowie only adds to the confusion. The musician pronounced his stage name differently, but there was still a surprising connection between the two men: David Bowie took the name from James Bowie and his famous knife. More than a century after James Bowie made his name on the American frontier, his legend had reached a young David Robert Jones all the way in Britain.
CBS Television, Wikimedia Commons
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