Tennessee Volunteers - Edward, James & George Taylor

Among the 50 US states, Texas has a unique and proud history. The Alamo is part of that history.

The 189 men who fell at the Alamo on that fateful Sunday morning in 1836 hailed from many parts of this earth. The average age of the defenders was 27 years old (Travis was 26) and the young men defending this old abode fort represented a truly “multi-racial, multi-ethnic force”, all gathered together in a common cause.

Very few of the combatants at the Alamo were actually natives of Texas. A great number of them were from Southern states, such as Tennessee, Kentucky and the Carolinas. Texas natives from San Antonio de Béxar (TVC) were present with 8 defenders including Toribio Losoya and Gregorio Esparza. Also, the British Commonwealth was also represented with 10 Englishmen, 10 Irishmen and 5 Scots.

It’s like the whole world sent their young men there to fight for freedom.

The interesting part that we tend to forget is the age of these young defenders. Yes, Bowie was 39 and Crockett was 49 but, in reality, the Alamo was defended by young, brave men.

Included in this group of young defenders were three boys from Tennessee.

The Taylor Brothers.

Edward Taylor Age 24
James Taylor Age 22  
George Taylor Age 20

The Taylor brothers were born in Tennessee where they grew up in the wilderness where they learned to ride, shoot, fight and farm. Later, when the boys were a little older, their father Anson, moved his family to Texas and at the beginning of the Texas Revolution the brothers had a job working on a cotton farm, in an east Texas town, Liberty, Texas.

But, the Taylor Brothers were from Anahuac, a small community not far from Liberty on Trinity Bay.

Also, at that same time, a young revolutionary enthusiast an activist, William B. Travis, had just arrived to Texas and was living in Ananuac, Texas. Henry Smith, the provisional Governor of Texas, had ordered Travis there to recruit men for the Texas Army.

The Taylor brothers heard a speech by Travis and afterwards decided to joined the Texas Army and after a brief training stint – received orders to ride to San Antonio where the Mexican Army had set up defensive positions; at the Alamo and at "personal homes" in downtown San Antonio de Béxar.

The Texas Revolution was under way and it’s current theatre of operations was in San Antonio.

Immediately upon their arrival the boys were incorporated into Colonel Johnson's fighting unit.  

During the hand-to-hand, close quarter fighting downtown, the boys were seen fighting together as a unit, as if to protect them. Each brother had to fight, and also, keep an eye on his two other brothers.

Soon after the siege and after the city was retaken by the Texian army in December 1835, the three brothers had an opportunity to traveled back to Tennessee and visit with friends and family.

An extended family, the Taylor Clan, was invited to greet and welcome back their "Texas revolutionary freedom fighters" at their hometown. The boys were received as heroes.

But, after Christmas, Edward, George and James returned to San Antonio de Béxar- and all re-enlisted.

In late January, the Taylors met up again with their friend, Buck Travis, in San Antonio at an old fort called The Alamo. (The fort that was recently occupied by the Mexican Army)

And, almost a month later, on a beautiful Sunday morning, March 06, 1836, the Taylor brothers, Edward, James and George, after having fought bravely through the early morning hours and repelling the Mexican attacks several times in the darkness,..Fell at the Alamo, as heroes.

According to the Mexican Officers who recorded all the defender’s identities after the battle; it was noted that the Taylor defenders were found lying "near each other" at the barracks (where the deadliest fighting took place) – still holding weapons.

The Taylor Brothers, Edward, James and George are “true patriots” of our Texas Revolution.

This post is dedicated to all Taylor’s descendants living today in Texas and around the world who continue to "carry the torch” handed down to them by Edward, James and George Taylor, Texas Patriots of our past,..to the benefit of this great state, TEXAS.

And, Thank You Edward, James and George for "standing like men!" and fighting for freedom, for your deeds of bravery and heroic devotion to our country — Texas!

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Sources:

• Taylor, Edward TSHA Texas State Historical Association.
  
• Taylor, James TSHA Texas State Historical Association.
  
• Taylor, George TSHA Texas State Historical Association.
  
• “Taylor brothers from Anahuac area died at Alamo”, by Wanda Orton Mar 2, 2011 The Baytown Sun.
  
• The Anniversary of the Alamo Defeat, the taylor dan blog.
  
• List of Alamo Defenders, Wikipedia.
  
• “With Santa Anna in Texas”, Jose Enrique de la Peña.