Micajah Autry - Biography

Biography

Autry was born, 1793, in Sampson County, North Carolina, to Theophilus and Elizabeth (Crumpler) Autry. Between the ages of 17 and 18, he volunteered for military service against the British in the War of 1812. He marched to Wilmington, North Carolina, as a member of a volunteer militia company and later joined the United States Army at Charleston, South Carolina. He remained in Charleston in the company of Captain Long until the Treaty of Ghent was signed in 1815.

After the war, bad health forced Autry to quit farming and become a teacher. He moved to Hayesboro, Tennessee, in 1823 and studied law. The next year, he married a widow, Martha Wyche Putney Wilkinson. They had two children of their own and raised Martha's daughter from her first marriage. In 1828 Autry was admitted to the bar in Nashville, Tennessee. He practiced law in Jackson, between 1831 and 1835 in a partnership with Andrew L. Martin. Autry and Martin later started an unsuccessful mercantile business in Nashville.

During a subsequent business trip to New York City and Philadelphia, he heard of the opportunities in Texas. In 1835 he left his family and slaves in the care of Samuel Smith, his stepdaughter's husband, and set out for Texas by steamboat from Nashville. After arriving in Memphis, he wrote to his wife on December 7, 1835: "On the steamboat Pacific, I have met a number of acquaintances bound for Texas...I am determined to provide a home for you...or perish."

From Natchitoches, Louisiana on December 13 he wrote: "About 20 men from Tennessee formed our squad.... he war is still going on favorably to the Texans, but it is thought that Santa Anna will make a descent with his whole force in the Spring, but there will be soldiers enough of the real grit in Texas by that time to overrun all of Mexico.... We have between 400 and 500 miles to foot it to the seat of government, for we cannot get horses, but we have sworn allegiance to each other and will get along somehow."

He was in Nacogdoches, Texas, on January 13, 1836, where he enlisted in the Volunteer Auxiliary Corps of Texas. His letter to his wife written on that date indicated that he had set out for Washington-on-the-Brazos with David Crockett and others under the command of Capt. William B. Harrison. He arrived in San Antonio de Bexar with this company on February 9 and joined the Alamo garrison under the command of Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis.

Autry, an expert marksman, was chosen by his company to eliminate Antonio López de Santa Anna, who often walked across the grounds near the Mexican battle lines. He missed. After a siege lasting 13 days, Autry was killed with the rest of the Alamo garrison after the Mexican army stormed it on March 6, 1836.