The Alamo's Musical Duel

THE ALAMO'S MUSICAL DUEL - February 28, 1836

Susannah Dickinson's eyewitness accounts of the Alamo siege are the most heavily relied upon source of information regarding the last days of the Alamo defenders. Although most of her stories were tragically somber, she did have a joyful tale to tell from Day 6 of the siege.

According to Dickinson, Davy Crockett took it upon himself to raise the morale of the men and he decided that the best way to do so was by challenging John McGregor to a musical duel of instruments. McGregor, a Scotsman by birth, took up his bagpipes while Crockett took up his fiddle. They played back and forth, loudly enough for the Mexican soldiers to hear - and they created one of the most legendary moments in Texas history.

It is said that McGregor won the duel because he was able to play the loudest and the longest. And Texas urban legend claims that the Mexican soldiers coined the term "gringo" after hearing the men singing "Green Grow the Rushes Oh". While these stories have undoubtedly grown and been embellished throughout the years, the heart of the tale is based in fact and it was undoubtedly one of the few happy moments for the beleaguered Alamo defenders during their ordeal.