re: Davy Crockett

David “Davy” Crockett (Volunteer Defender): Crockett was arguably the most famous individual at the Alamo. A former U.S. congressman from Tennessee and a celebrated frontiersman, Crockett had come to Texas after losing his seat in Congress, seeking a fresh start. By the time of the Alamo siege, his reputation as a sharpshooter and adventurer was widely known (fueled by popular tales and almanacs). Crockett arrived at the Alamo with a small group of Tennessee volunteers in February 1836. Travis praised Crockett for “animating the men to do their duty” during the siege. Armed with his long rifle and backwoods grit, Crockett fought as a private among the Alamo defenders. In the battle’s aftermath, Crockett’s fate became the stuff of legend—early accounts said he died heroically while swinging his rifle as a club once out of ammunition, though some Mexican sources claimed he was captured and executed. Regardless, Crockett’s death at the Alamo made him a martyr and folk hero. His larger-than-life persona (often featuring a coonskin cap in art and fiction) helped carry the story of the Alamo into American popular culture.