The Alamo Quotes
Based on the 1836 standoff between a group of Texan and Tejano men, led by Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie, and Mexican dictator Santa Anna's forces at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.
Davy Crockett: Republic. I like the sound of the word. It means people can live free, talk free, go or come, buy or sell, be drunk or sober, however they choose. Some words give you a feeling. Republic is one of those words that makes me tight in the throat - the same tightness a man gets when his baby takes his first step or his first baby shaves and makes his first sound as a man. Some words can give you a feeling that makes your heart warm. Republic is one of those words.
Smitty: So many times every day you stop and give thanks, but mostly I don't catch on what you're thanking the Lord for. I mean, there's nothing special.
Parson: I give thanks for the time and for the place.
Smitty: The time and the place, Parson?
Parson: The time to live and the place to die. That's all any man gets. No more, no less.
Parson: I give thanks for the time and for the place.
Smitty: The time and the place, Parson?
Parson: The time to live and the place to die. That's all any man gets. No more, no less.
Issac Millsaps: So, Davy, all your Indian fightin'... you ever get into a scrape like this?
Davy Crockett: I was never in but one real scrape in my life, fella.
Issac Millsaps: Yeah, but you was in the Red Stick war.
Davy Crockett: Yeah, it's true, I was in that. I sure was. I was just about your age when it broke out. The Creeks, uh, boxed up about 400 or 500 people at Fort Mims and, uh, massacred every one of 'em. 'Course this was big news around those parts, so I up and joined the volunteers. I did a little scoutin', but mostly I, I just fetched in venison for the cook fire, things of that nature. Well, we caught up with those redskins at Tallushatchee, surrounded the village, come in from all directions. Wasn't much of a fight, really. We just shot 'em down like dogs. Finally... what Injuns was left, they crowded into this little cabin. They wanted to surrender... but this squaw, she loosed an arrow and killed one of the fellas, and then we shot her, And then we set the cabin on fire. We could hear 'em screamin' for their gods in there. We smelled 'em burnin'. We'd had nary to eat but parched corn since October. And the next day, when we dug through the ashes, we found some potaters from the cellar. They'd been cooked by that grease that run off them Indians. And we ate till we nearly burst. Since then... you pass the taters and I pass 'em right back.
Davy Crockett: I was never in but one real scrape in my life, fella.
Issac Millsaps: Yeah, but you was in the Red Stick war.
Davy Crockett: Yeah, it's true, I was in that. I sure was. I was just about your age when it broke out. The Creeks, uh, boxed up about 400 or 500 people at Fort Mims and, uh, massacred every one of 'em. 'Course this was big news around those parts, so I up and joined the volunteers. I did a little scoutin', but mostly I, I just fetched in venison for the cook fire, things of that nature. Well, we caught up with those redskins at Tallushatchee, surrounded the village, come in from all directions. Wasn't much of a fight, really. We just shot 'em down like dogs. Finally... what Injuns was left, they crowded into this little cabin. They wanted to surrender... but this squaw, she loosed an arrow and killed one of the fellas, and then we shot her, And then we set the cabin on fire. We could hear 'em screamin' for their gods in there. We smelled 'em burnin'. We'd had nary to eat but parched corn since October. And the next day, when we dug through the ashes, we found some potaters from the cellar. They'd been cooked by that grease that run off them Indians. And we ate till we nearly burst. Since then... you pass the taters and I pass 'em right back.
David Crockett: [Crockett is about to be executed by the Mexicans] You tell the general I'm willing to discuss the terms of surrender. You tell him; if he'll order his men to put down their weapons and line up, I'll take them to Sam Houston and I'll try my best to save most of them. That said; Sam's a mite twitchy, so no promises.
William Travis: I have here pieces of paper, letters from politicians and generals, but no indication of when, or if help will arrive. Letters not worth the ink committed to them. I fear that no one is coming. Texas has been a second chance for me. I expect that might be true for many of you as well. It has been a chance not only for land and riches, but also to be a different man. I hope a better one. There have been many ideas brought for in the past few months of what Texas is, and what it should become. We are not all in agreement. But I'd like to ask each of you what it is you value so highly that you are willing to fight and possibly die for. We will call that Texas. The Mexican army hopes to lure us into attempting escape. Almost anything seems better than remaining in this place, penned up. If, however, we force the enemy to attack, I believe every one of you will prove himself worth ten in return. We will not only show the world what patriots are made of, but we will also deal a crippling blow to the army of Santa Anna. If anyone wishes to depart under the white flag of surrender, you may do so now. You have that right. But if you wish to stay here with me in the Alamo, we will sell our lives dearly.
David Crockett: That knife fight you got into, sand bar in Natchez. It was the one that got you written up. That all true?
James Bowie: You believe everything you read now?
David Crockett: I didn't read it, I heard it. And the way I heard it he put a swordcane and two shots in you.
James Bowie: I don't remember.
David Crockett: Figure ol' Sam will be here pretty soon. When he gets here we'll have a good ol' time.
James Bowie: It was there shots. Sword came through my lung and went through my hand, and then I cut his heart out. Those ain't bears out there. Do you understand that... Davy?
James Bowie: You believe everything you read now?
David Crockett: I didn't read it, I heard it. And the way I heard it he put a swordcane and two shots in you.
James Bowie: I don't remember.
David Crockett: Figure ol' Sam will be here pretty soon. When he gets here we'll have a good ol' time.
James Bowie: It was there shots. Sword came through my lung and went through my hand, and then I cut his heart out. Those ain't bears out there. Do you understand that... Davy?
Davy Crockett: It was like I was empty. Well, I'm not empty anymore. That's what's important, to feel useful in this old world, to hit a lick against what's wrong for what's right even though you get walloped for saying that word. Now I may sound like a Bible beater yelling up a revival at a river crossing camp meeting, but that don't change the truth none. There's right and there's wrong. You got to do one or the other. You do the one and you're living. You do the other and you may be walking around, but you're dead as a beaver hat.
Sam Houston: [responding to why he is continuing to retreat] In 1815, Napoleon escaped from Elba. He moved swiftly to consolidate before the Grand Alliance could move against him. Wellington, with fewer men, retreated ahead of Napoleon, forcing Napoleon to chase him through Belgium. Wellington had a vision of a battlefield, he did not know where it was, but he knew he would know it when he saw it. He continued moving waiting for that ground and for Napoleon to make a mistake. Gentlemen, I do not consider myself to be Wellington; Santa Ana, however, considers himself to be Napoleon - the Napoleon of the West. I will continue to retreat gentlemen, until I find the ground in my vision and, when Santa Ana makes his mistake, I will attack.
William Travis: Colonel Bowie, I understand that you plan to remove the cannon from this fort and take them to General Houston. I advise you not to do it; they are needed here.
James Bowie: Where did you hear that, Buck?
William Travis: Men tend to talk when they drink; your men tend to drink.
James Bowie: I will do as I have been commanded; as for what that is, I will discuss it further with Col. Jamison.
William Travis: Col. Jamison has left the fort on personal business; he left me in command.
James Bowie: Whooee, that is a rapid rise, Billy. We better break out the long pants.
James Bowie: Where did you hear that, Buck?
William Travis: Men tend to talk when they drink; your men tend to drink.
James Bowie: I will do as I have been commanded; as for what that is, I will discuss it further with Col. Jamison.
William Travis: Col. Jamison has left the fort on personal business; he left me in command.
James Bowie: Whooee, that is a rapid rise, Billy. We better break out the long pants.
William Travis: We could try to get you out with an escort. If you're captured, perhaps given your condition, mercy would be extended.
James Bowie: I don't deserve mercy. I do deserve a drink. You got anything stronger than water?
[He smiles]
William Travis: I don't drink, Jim, you know that. I gamble, go to whores, run off on wives... but drinking, I draw the line.
James Bowie: You know, if you live five more years, you might just be a great man.
William Travis: I think I will probably have to settle for what I am now.
James Bowie: I don't deserve mercy. I do deserve a drink. You got anything stronger than water?
[He smiles]
William Travis: I don't drink, Jim, you know that. I gamble, go to whores, run off on wives... but drinking, I draw the line.
James Bowie: You know, if you live five more years, you might just be a great man.
William Travis: I think I will probably have to settle for what I am now.
Juan Seguin: Davy, you said you wanted to see him. There he is: The Napoleon of the West.
David Crockett: Which one?
Juan Seguin: [points to Santa Anna on a horse in the distance]
David Crockett: That's Santa Anna?
Juan Seguin: Yeah.
David Crockett: [Santa Anna shouts to move the cannons] He's quite the peacock, ain't he?
David Crockett: [takes aim with his rifle and shoots off Santa Anna's epaulette]
David Crockett: [laughs]
David Crockett: Wind kicked up.
David Crockett: Which one?
Juan Seguin: [points to Santa Anna on a horse in the distance]
David Crockett: That's Santa Anna?
Juan Seguin: Yeah.
David Crockett: [Santa Anna shouts to move the cannons] He's quite the peacock, ain't he?
David Crockett: [takes aim with his rifle and shoots off Santa Anna's epaulette]
David Crockett: [laughs]
David Crockett: Wind kicked up.
Travis' man: Hey, Davy! Is it true that you and Mike Fink fought a three day fight on the Mississippi?
Davy Crockett: That's just an example of the tall tales folks tell about me! Me and Mike fought all right, but we quit at dark. It wouldn't of been the third day until the next morning!
[laughs and rides off]
Davy Crockett: That's just an example of the tall tales folks tell about me! Me and Mike fought all right, but we quit at dark. It wouldn't of been the third day until the next morning!
[laughs and rides off]
David Crockett: Excuse me, Colonel; we got quite a mare's nest out here. You might want to come out and see.
William Travis: I have to get these dispatches out while there is still time. You can help me place the men, colonel. You and your men will defend the palisade on the west wall.
David Crockett: By 'palisade', you mean that little bunch of sticks out there?
William Travis: Would you prefer another assignment?
David Crockett: Uh, no, no; that was the one I was gonna put in for.
William Travis: I have to get these dispatches out while there is still time. You can help me place the men, colonel. You and your men will defend the palisade on the west wall.
David Crockett: By 'palisade', you mean that little bunch of sticks out there?
William Travis: Would you prefer another assignment?
David Crockett: Uh, no, no; that was the one I was gonna put in for.
