[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 155 (2009), Part 5]
[House]
[Pages 6641-6642]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                              {time}  1215
                          JAMES BUTLER BONHAM

  (Mr. POE of Texas asked and was given permission to address the House 
for 1 minute.)
  Mr. POE of Texas. Madam Speaker, today, March 6, is an important day 
in not only Texas's history but American history because this is the 
day that the Alamo fell with 187 volunteers from all States in the 
United States and numerous foreign countries. Even though all of the 
defenders of the Alamo were killed, ten times that number was killed on 
the enemy side, the invading Mexican army.
  March 2, earlier this week, was the day that Texas declared 
independence from Mexico. And during that final successful battle at 
San Jacinto, Texas gained independence and was a free and independent 
nation for over 9 years.
  There are many Texas heroes, remembering, of course, they came from 
all over the world, at the Alamo. We've heard about William Barret 
Travis, the commander; Davy Crockett; Jim Bowie. We later hear about 
Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto.
  But we often don't remember a person by the name of James Butler 
Bonham. A 29-year-old, he was from the University of South Carolina, 
grew up in Red Bank, South Carolina. He was a boyhood friend of William 
Barret Travis. And it was his job, along with Juan Seguin, to try to 
seek out reinforcements to the Alamo. He would

[[Page 6642]]

break through enemy lines numerous times to try to bring people to come 
in aid at the Alamo. He was successful in bringing 32 men from 
Gonzales. He breaks through the lines his final time, goes to 
Washington-on-the-Brazos to try to get more recruits. They refused to 
go because they were trying to build a government. And when he left 
that time on March 3, he made the report that ``I will report back to 
my friend William Barret Travis or die in the attempt that no one is 
coming.'' He broke through the enemy lines one last time, and 3 days 
later, he and the other 186 defenders of the Alamo gave the ultimate 
sacrifice for freedom.
  Another example in American history of the character and integrity of 
people who have lived before us that believe some things are worth 
fighting for and one of those is freedom, liberty, and independence.
  And that's just the way it is.

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