Bill Daniel showed John Wayne a thing or two

“Remember the Alamo.”

That famed battle cry of Texians and Tejanos in their quest for independence from Mexico in 1836 are still emotional words to

native. The site of the first major battle to free the territory from Mexico is as well-known internationally as any symbol of American freedom.

So, it is especially disturbing to a Texian-Tejano to learn the Alamo may not be being preserved and as well cared for as we might expect. State Sen. Leticia Van De Putte recently wrote of the Alamo’s condition in the Houston Chronicle and the San Antonio Express-News.

For non-native or newly-arrived Texans, some historical background is in order.

Mission San Antonio de Valero was first a home to Spanish missionaries and their Indian converts. In the early 1800s, the Spanish military stationed

cavalry unit at the former mission and soldiers began to refer to it as the Alamo, Spanish for cottonwood.

Over time, the Alamo became home to both revolutionary and royalist soldiers during Mexico’s 10- year battle for independence from Spain. Once Mexico established itself as a nation, the Alamo continued as a military station.

As settlers from the United States moved into Texas, a strong desire for freedom from a Mexican dictatorship became prevalent. In December 1835, Texian-Tejano volunteers under Ben Milam waged a five-day battle with the Mexican garrison in the Alamo, forcing Gen. Martin Perfecto de Cos to surrender the well-fortified structure.

In late February 1836, a huge Mexican army began a siege against the small Texian-Tejano volunteer force in the Alamo. Gen. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, president of Mexico, led a contingent that ultimately grew to nearly 6,000 troops against an Alamo defense that numbered less than 200.

These defenders held out for 13 days. Texian- Tejano commander Col. William B. Travis took his sword and drew the famous line on the ground and asked any man willing to stay and fight to step over. Only one declined. Those who stayed to help defend and thus lost their lives included Jim Bowie, for whom a knife he designed and made, is named and David “Davy” Crockett, a famous frontiersman and former Tennessee Congressman.

Countless books have been written and a dozen or so movies have been made about the Alamo. Perhaps the best known and remembered movie starred John Wayne.

Something you may not know involves the horses and cattle in that film. Naturally, a Texas rancher, the late Bill Daniel of Liberty, provided the stock and the “waddies” (as he called ‘em) to manage them. Daniel, member of a renowned Texas family, was the brother of Price Daniel Sr. — former governor, state attorney general, U.S. senator and state supreme court justice. Bill Daniel was appointed to serve as governor of the territory of Guam by President John F. Kennedy.

But, back to Bill Daniel and his horses, cattle and “waddies.”

He was very much a character in his own right, with a full head of white hair down over his collar, and on special occasions donning a straw plantation hat and a white three-piece suit with a black string tie.

However, when Bill was with his waddies he was all cowboy, boots, jeans and chaps, and could hold his own with anyone on horseback wrangling cattle.

As the story goes, early in the movie’s preparation, Bill Daniel asked for a part in the film. Wayne refused.

So, Daniel rounded up his waddies and headed back to Liberty County, leaving the wrangling to Wayne and his movie crew. Despite his movie reputation, The Duke couldn’t handle the livestock. So, he called Daniel and his cowboys back to the Brackettville location and, as they say, the rest is history.

Next time you watch Wayne’s version of The Alamo (and you can bet it will be re-released), see if you can pick Daniel out of the cast. It’s better than even money you can.

Willis Webb is a retired community newspaper editor-publisher of more than 50 years. He can be reached by email at wwebb@wildblue.net.