Did Jim Bowie have his famous knife at the Alamo?
Thomas Yunker
Englewood, Colorado
I don’t think the storied knife-duelist would have gone to war without his trusty knife. Most, if not all, of the personal items left behind by the Alamo defenders were picked up by Mexican soldiers. It’s quite likely one of them picked up Bowie’s knife and took it away—although there’s no record of who took it. We do know this: the weapon was not found later, when Texans re-took the mission.
Marshall Trimble is Arizona’s official historian and vice president of the Wild West History Association. His latest book is Arizona Outlaws and Lawmen; The History Press, 2015. If you have a question, write: Ask the Marshall, P.O. Box 8008, Cave Creek, AZ 85327 or email him at marshall.trimble@scottsdalecc.edu.