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David Crockett

Chapter 2: PREFACE
By Charles Fletcher Allen
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About This Book

The biography traces the life of a frontier-born outdoorsman from his youth in the Appalachian backcountry through roles as hunter, scout, militia fighter, and national legislator, highlighting family migrations, encounters with Native American tribes, and the hardships of mountain settlement. It recounts episodes of hunting and wilderness survival, political campaigning and congressional service, and later travels to Texas. The narrative culminates in an account of his participation in the Alamo siege. Chapters move chronologically while also examining character, popular reputation, and the mixture of fact and legend that surrounded his story.

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Title: David Crockett

scout, small boy, pilgrim, mountaineer, soldier, bear-hunter, and Congressman, defender of the Alamo

Author: Charles Fletcher Allen

Illustrator: Frank McKernan

Release date: January 31, 2019 [eBook #58797]

Language: English

Credits: Produced by Donald Cummings, from images generously made
available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.

*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK DAVID CROCKETT ***

DAVID CROCKETT
SCOUT


David Crockett

SCOUT

SMALL BOY, PILGRIM, MOUNTAINEER,
SOLDIER, BEAR-HUNTER, AND CONGRESSMAN

DEFENDER OF THE ALAMO

BY

CHARLES FLETCHER ALLEN

FRONTISPIECE BY

FRANK McKERNAN

“The fittest place where man can die is where he dies for man”
—M. J. Barry.

PHILADELPHIA & LONDON
J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

COPYRIGHT, 1911, BY J. B. LIPPINCOTT COMPANY

FIFTEENTH IMPRESSION

PRINTED IN UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

To

EDITH SQUIRE ALLEN

GUARDIAN, COMRADE, AND KINDLY LIGHT

PREFACE

The story of David Crockett stands apart from all others in our history—a nebulous collection of traditions about a great array of facts. To the unnumbered thousands to whom his name is familiar he is often as unreal as the hero of a mediæval romance or of Scandinavian mythology. This book will follow his history with close attention to dates, and without recognition of the impossible legends of many writers. To accomplish this has required much reading and research, much weighing of evidence, and the help of others. The portrait of David Crockett, now for the first time published, is after the original in the Alamo, painted by the famous artist Chapman while Crockett was a Congressman. It is a picture that reveals the secret of his success in winning friends and fame.

For the use of the picture thanks are due to Mrs. Rebecca Fisher, of Austin, Texas, the venerable President of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and to Mrs. Marie B. Urwitz, the Chairman of the Executive Committee of the same Society. For other favors acknowledgment is made to Miss Jennie Moore, of Flag Pond, Tenn.; Prof. Eric Doolittle, of the University of Pennsylvania; Judge W. T. Rogers, of Denver; Mr. and Mrs. Mark F. Postlewaite, of San Antonio, Texas; and to Richard A. Paddock, for much information in regard to Reelfoot Lake.

It is hoped that this unpretentious volume may help to a better understanding of the life and motives of a man whose footsteps went into no dark places, and who died an honor to his race and his countrymen—a hero sans peur et sans reproche.

Charles Fletcher Allen.

Denver, Colorado, June 2, 1911.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER PAGE
I. The Young Frontiersman 13
II. The Start for Virginia 26
III. Davy Takes to the Woods 37
IV. The Indians’ Visit 50
V. Davy is a Scout 65
VI. Following Indians 78
VII. Hard Fighting 90
VIII. Bean’s Creek 107
IX. A Cabin in the Wilderness 125
X. The Election 142
XI. Earthquakes 156
XII. Hunting Bears 168
XIII. Lost in the Woods 185
XIV. The Mississippi Flood 194
XV. Clay and Webster 204
XVI. In Congress 215
XVII. Davy’s Popularity 225
XVIII. Travelling Hard 241
XIX. The Rifle “Betsy” 253
XX. Off for Texas 265
XXI. The Bee-Hunter 278
XXII. The Alamo Besieged 288
XXIII. The Mexicans’ Charge 300