Book Review: David Crockett: The Lion of the West By Michael Wallis
David Crockett: The Lion of the West [Hardcover]
Hardcover: 380 pages
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (May 16, 2011)
As I wrote recently, one of the most widely read posts of Mover Mike is Davy Crockett and Public Money. I bought Michael Wallis’ book to read more stories about David Crockett similar to the one I quoted. I’m disappointed that that there weren’t many stories of Crockett’s time in Washington D.C.. I was looking for Mr. Smith Goes to Washington type stories. Crockett was pretty down to earth; hard drinking, chewing, bear hunter with little formal education. He had a way of speaking that caused people to hang on his stories.
Financially, he was mostly a basket case, always going into debt and then having to sell most all his assets to pay off creditors. He had “itchy feet.” He just couldn’t stay rooted to one spot. When the game was exhausted, he picked up his family and moved west to build a new farm where the hunting was good. Wallis does a good job of the narrative of David Crockett and his weaknesses and dispelling the myths that have grown up around Crockett’s life.
Some things never change. Wallis tells us that after the Revolutionary War, people living out on “life’s periphery, especially on the frontier, felt the new American government was mistreating them.” Shay’s Rebellion was an outgrowth and a blowback against the high debts and tax burden as a result of the war.
Geologists have nightmares of a New Madrid quake originating in the Tennessee/Arkansas area. From December, 1811 to February 1812, four earthquakes of 7.0 or greater struck the area along with hundreds of aftershocks. So intense wwere the quakes that they rang the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia. About 1821 Crockett moved to what was now known as “the land of the shakes.”
The ground was scarred by deep fissures and cracks, some extending for miles through canebrakes and woods already thick again with stands of hickory, oak, and gum. A focal point of the region was Reelfoot Lake, a large body of water created by the earthquakes and studded with cypress trees, some hundreds of years old.
Scientists continue to monitor the New Madrid area and expect more quakes like those of 1811-1812 anytime.
In 1835 Crockett and some friends rode on horseback to Texas. Texas was an almost Eden-like place, yet owned by Mexico. The problems of Americans moving to Texas caused immigration problems. Part of the problem was the 20,000 settlers brought in 2,000 slaves. Mexico was opposed to slavery.
Many of the new arrivals disregarded the laws, refused to pay customs fees, and took part in illegal smuggling activities. They provoked great outcry from Mexican newspapers and political leaders…
The book is well written and I recommend it to anyone who is unfamiliar with David Crockett and the post-revoltionary war era in the U.S.
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