The youngest man to die at the Alamo on March 6, 1836 was 15-year-old William Philip King.
William’s father, John Gladden King, was one of the “Immortal 32”—men who answered Col. Travis’ plea for additional support at the Alamo. Every man among them was well aware that the odds were not in their favor. A seasoned soldier who had fought Santa Anna once before in the bloody Battle of Medina, John King fully expected to give his life to buy time for the Texian Militia to organize into an army under Sam Houston.
…but his oldest son, William, had other ideas.
If his father were to die at the Alamo, it would fall to William to grow their crops, run their cattle and horse breeding business, and operate his father’s busy stagecoach inn. The lives of his mother, five sisters, and two little brothers would depend on his success, and he knew he was unlikely to succeed. William asked his father to let him go in his place.
Of course, his father resisted, but William continued to persuade him. “If you die, we will all starve and die. I can’t do all that you do to provide for us. But I can fire a rifle, and I’m a good shot.”
With great reluctance, his father agreed.
William hugged his family on the morning of February 27 and joined the men who answered the call to defend the Alamo.
Despite his youth, William manned a cannon and fought for his family and for Texas.
King County, Texas is named in his honor.
