The McArdle Scrapbooks > Dawn at the Alamo
The McArdle Scrapbooks Dawn at the Alamo
Reuben M. Potter to McArdle, August 13, 1874
Page 12 of 16
10.
was killed in his bed; but here it would be well
to idealize him out of it. Let the roar of battle come
to him like the last trumpet to the dead, and bring
resurrection to the couch of the dying. In habil-
iments like those of a sheeted corpse, with a form
and face to match—with the glassy eye & hectic
flush of his disease, let him totter to the parapet,
to find by the side of Travis a shaft more fit-
ting for the soldier than consumption. I do
not venture to assign a last post to Bonham,
of whom I know less than of those mentioned,
but I would suggest that every defender who is
exhibited be either in the act of falling, or placed
where lead or steel is impending. In the mele [melee]
many a defender was probably killed by a brace
or trio of bayonets in the rear, while he was
bowie knifing an adversary in front, and such
an incident on the canvas would be effective.
Let every grouping point to no other victory
than that of martyrdom, where quarter is
neither asked nor offered. I would suggest
such a grouping for Bowie. Half of his figure
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Reuben M. Potter to McArdle, August 13, 1874, The McArdle Notebooks, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission.