Green Jameson (Kentucky)

[Greg C.]

JAMESON, GREEN B. (1809-1836). Green B. Jameson, chief engineer of the Alamo, son of Benjamin Jameson of New Jersey, was born in Kentucky or Tennessee in 1809. His grandfather, John Jameson, was an early lieutenant governor of Virginia. Jameson, a lawyer, moved to Texas in 1830 and settled in Brazoria. He took part in the siege of Bexarqv in 1835, then remained in Bexar under the command of Lt. Col. James C. Neill as chief engineer of the garrison occupying the town and the Alamo. Jameson's correspondence with Sam Houstonqv in the weeks before the Alamo siege began gave detailed descriptions of the Alamo's defenses. On the first day of the siege, February 23, 1836, Jameson was sent by James Bowieqv as a messenger to the Mexican forces. He died in the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836.

[neferetus]

Green Jameson (he sometimes spelled it "Jemison") was the Alamo's engineer and had grandiose plans for turning the mission into a real fortress. His Plat of The Alamo details what the Alamo looked like and what he later hoped it would look like.



NOTE: Green Jameson may've been mistaken for Davy Crockett by Enrique Esparza, son of Gregorio Esparza. Only 7 years old at the time, Enrique later wrote in his memoirs how Davy Crockett would come to visit the children in the Alamo church. He spoke Spanish to them and they nick-named him "Don Benito". Nice story, except that Crockett probably knew little, if any Spanish.

Green Jameson however did speak Spanish and was even called "Benito Jemison" by Jim Bowie in his parley letter of February 23, 1836. "Benito" was probably merely a nickname that Bowie had for his friend, Green. (Anyway, calling him "Verde" Jemison in the letter may've only confused the Mexicans.)