William Philip King made ultimate sacrifice for his family

William Philip King, a sixteen-year-old resident of Green De Witt's Colony, heard the men on horseback before they came into view. Must be about 20 or so, he thought. William Philip King was working in the cotton field on this morning in early March 1836.

This field was part of a beautiful tract of land on the east bank of the Guadalupe River upstream from Gonzales — It was the league of land his father, John G. King, had received from Green DeWitt upon arriving in Texas from Tennessee in 1830. There were nine in the family.

Just yesterday, John G. King, the father, had gone to Gonzales to obtain supplies needed to finish the spring planting. William Philip, the oldest child, had felt uneasy when his father headed to Gonzales. They had all heard the stories about Santa Anna and the large force of troops headed to San Antonio. The rumor was that Santa Anna wanted to avenge the defeat of General Cos by the Texans last December at San Antonio.

While John G. King was in Gonzales securing supplies, a letter arrived from Colonel Travis at the Alamo asking for help. Almost immediately, a group of men who were in Gonzales at the time were organized into the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers. Byrd Lockhart administered the oath to the men so assembled, among whom was John G. King.

William Philip King left the field and ran to the trail to have a better view of the group of horsemen as they rode by. He was surprised when the men turned their horses onto the place, and headed for the house, and even more surprised to see his father in the group. William caught up with them as they arrived at the house. His father dismounted and went into the house, making his exit a moment later with his rifle, powder pouch, and a chunk of cornbread. He quickly re-mounted his horse.

William had already asked the other riders what was going on, and his heart was in his throat when he grabbed the reins of his father's horse and cried to his father, “Daddy, you can't go to San Antonio. Santa Anna will kill you. He is going to kill everyone. You can't go there.”

His father firmly replied, “Hush, Boy, let go of these reins. Get back in the field and do your work.” The boy was determined. “But, Daddy, if something happens to you, what are we going to do? What will happen to Momma — and us?”

The father ordered, “Now Son, I don't want to have to get off this horse and take my belt after you, but I will if you don't shut your mouth.” The boy was desperate. “Daddy, please listen. If you go to San Antonio and don't make it back, Momma and all of us will die — We'll starve to death.”

It seemed the boy's words had finally reached his father, now staring straight at his son.

“Listen Daddy, listen to me. You know I'm a good shot. There's not a squirrel on this place that I can't hit. And what about that deer I killed last fall. You said yourself what a good shot it was. Let me go in your place. You know I can hit those soldiers just as well as you can. Please Daddy, stay here with Momma and look after things. I'll be careful, I promise I will.”

And the history books tell us the father and the son traded places.

Of course, we know all the Texans in the Alamo died. The boy, William Phillip King among them. He is thought to be the youngest to die there — at age 16.

The father lived until 1856, having survived, along with his family, the Runaway Scrape and the trials of the Texas Revolution. He is buried in the King cemetery, near Oak Forest in Gonzales County.

Sometimes our decisions, ushered by fate, take our lives in eventful directions.

The father got off the horse — the boy got on.

The father stayed with his family — the boy rode off.

The father lived — the boy died.

We may only speculate regarding the feelings of the father when he heard of the fall of the Alamo. Did he second guess himself? Did he rationalize his decision? Or did he just go half-crazy with grief? We do not know. But of this one thing we may be certain — that every remaining day of his life, the first waking thought upon the father's mind was of his son. The boy, sixteen-year-old William Philip King, who took his father's place, and rode away that day in March as part of the 32 men from Gonzales to die in the Alamo.

And that is part of our history. The history of Gonzales. Gonzales, Texas, the Birthplace of your Texas Freedom.