[101] On February 25, Travis sent Juan Seguin, on Bowie's horse, to recruit reinforcements, and 32 additional men arrived. Bowie pledged a dowry to his wife of $15,000 and claimed the properties he owned were valued at over $220,000. He acted quickly, arming the men with weapons seized from the local Mexican armory. At some point, Bowie appeared before the council and spoke for an hour, asking for a commission. The ashes were interred at the Cathedral of San Fernando. He enlisted to fight in the War of 1812but joined too late to see any action. On February 23 scouts informed the Texans at San Antonio of the approach of Santa Annas army, expected to arrive within hours. He also was ambitious and scheming; he played cards for money, and lived in a world of debt. Jim was preceeded in death by his parents, wife Kay . Made during Cutlery Hall-Of-Famer James Bowie 's lifetime, the relic may have been used in the defense of the Alamo, which fell on March 6, 1836. He was also involved in the Grass Fight on November 26, 1835, which became the last engagement in the Siege of San Antonio. Lithograph of San Antonio de Bexar. Wikimedia. When the Mexicans attacked at dawn, the Texians took cover in a horseshoe-shaped gully and, because of their excellent defensive position, longer firing range, and better ammunition, were able to repel the Mexican soldiers who retreated after three hours of fighting. For years historians have puzzled over the exact nature of his illness, most agreeing that it was some form of pneumonia. Customs officials in the southern states seized smuggled slaves as contraband. At Bowie's request, Crockett and several others carried his cot over the line, leaving Rose alone on the other side. He was not there when Texan rebels stormed the city in the early days of December 1835, but he returned shortly after. All the children learned to read and write, but James and his older brother Rezin also learned to read, write, and speak Spanish and French fluently. [42] In a letter to The Planter's Advocate, his brother Rezin claimed to have designed the knife.