Summary Of Sleuthing The Alamo By David Crisp

Sleuthing the Alamo by James E. Crisp is about revealing the untold truths about the Texas Revolution and separating the glorious myths by giving Crisps’ investigative facts. Truths that somehow had been covered by racism and misinterpretation of context during the translation of information. Crisp speaks in first person making this book very personal informing the readers about how the information he uncovered had affected his personal view. The key points this book response will focus on are the truth behind David Crockett’s last stand, the truth and myth between the reality of the battle at the Alamo, the controversial personality of Sam Huston, and that the war was more than a race war. The author gives plenty of evidence to prove some

After three months Huston was elected as a delegate to a convention that was to help the Republic of Texas separate from the Republic of Mexico. Huston then needed men for his expedition to Matamoros Tamaulipas. He then used his persuasion skills. The words of his speech were harsh against not only Mexicans but also Tejanos. He called the Mexicans “half-Indians”, which the author states that this effected his view towards the “adopted Cherokee” (p.39). The author in support of this uses the document #1791 of John Jenkin’s Papers of the Texas Revolution where Huston’s terribly, racist, anti-Mexican speech is listed. However, later historian Paul Lack’s book The Texas Revolution Experience cited this speech to prove that the revolution had become a race war. The author then investigates the accuracy of the quotation and where the obtained their information. In the process, he discovers that they use the Travels and Adventures of a German in Texas by H. Ehrenberg words and translated them in English. This was done poorly and the author compares paragraph by paragraph where he finds many errors and missing words. Finally, the author states, “Huston’s actions speak louder than Ehrenberg’s unsubstantiated words” (P.57). Those actions were Huston’s actions to stop the malicious cycle of ethnic division and when he countermanded Felix Huston’s orders to evacuate

The contributions received by the readers are the truths about Sam Huston and additional information that effects the causes and effects of the Texas Revolution due to the so called “race war” (p. 59). It helps the reader see the bigger issues the Tejanos were dealing within their own home besides the war of independence against Mexico. The author’s approach to this information is revolutionary because the book is not dry or boring. Crisp gives a sense of documentary and includes his personal opinions and