--At the end of that time
he said to a friend, "I am going to Texas, and in that new country
I will make a man of myself." Texas then belonged to Mexico; and
President Andrew Jackson had tried in vain to buy it as Jefferson
bought Louisiana. Houston said, "I will make it part of the United
States." About twenty thousand Americans had already moved into
Texas, and they felt as he did.
War broke out between Texas and Mexico, and General Sam Houston led
the Texan soldiers in their fight for independence. He had many noted
American pioneers[4] and hunters in his little army: one of them was
the brave Colonel Travis[5] of Alabama; another was Colonel Bowie[6]
of Louisiana, the inventor of the "bowie knife"; still another was
Colonel David Crockett of Tennessee, whose motto is a good one for
every young American--"Be sure you're right, then--_go ahead_."
These men were all taken prisoners by the Mexicans at Fort Alamo--an
old Spanish church in San Antonio--and were cruelly murdered.
Not long after that General Houston fought a great battle near the
city which is now called by his name.[7] The Mexicans had more than
two men to every one of Houston's; but the Americans and Texans went
into battle shouting the terrible cry "_Remember the Alamo!_" and
the Mexicans fled before them like frightened sheep.
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