Matt Mckee's 'Davy Crockett: The Man And Legend'

Matt McKee's "Davy Crockett: The Man and Legend" Is Matt McKee's examination of the claim of Ulster Heritage made on Davy Crockett's behalf. To start the examination off, Mr. McKee provides a relatively accurate overview of Crockett's life, giving his readers a strong sense of who Davy was. The author then examines this image for any racial or cultural traits of an Ulster-Scott; of which virtually none are found.

The overview of Davys life that Mr. McKee provides is relatively accurate, but once some outside research is done, there are a couple of details which vary greatly. One such example is from Davys childhood. McKee's article claims that Davy ran away from home and school at the age of twelve so as to avoid being punished

for fighting.But, an article by Paul Hutton makes an entirely different claim that "When David was only 12, his father sold him into indentured servitude..." (Hutton "Mr.Crockett Goes to Washington" 21). The most important instance is the account of the Battle of Alamo where Mr. McKee says Davy Crockett and one hundred-thirty-six companions were besieged by five thousand Mexican soldiers of General Santa Anna's. Mr. Mckee's account also said that two thousand Mexican soldiers died along with Davy and his men. Yet two scholarly publications say otherwise. Hutton's account claims there were only one hundred thirty-five defenders, the defenders were besieged for thirteen days, there were four thousand Mexican soldiers, and a rough estimate of six hundred of the four thousand died before Davy and his men were killed. Another account by Sara McGill says there were only two thousand Mexican soldiers and one hundred eighty-six defenders. Mr.McKee's +

Mr.

McKee next examines the racial traits of the Ulster's that Davy Crockett is said to have had. The Ulster-Scotts claimed the "spirit of aggression" and "energy" were Ulster exclusive traits that Davy possessed. (McKee "Davy Crockett: The Man and the Legend" 5). Mr. McKee was right to point out that these traits are hardly exclusive to any given race. As Mr. McKee says, the French and the Spanish could just as easily claim these traits as their own, since these traits motivated a great many of their conquests. The rest of the Ulster-Scotts claims about Davy's racial identity are just as nonexistent. Paraphasing a qoute that Mr. McKee cites from A.K Moore, the Ulsters claim that obstacles make warlike men try and conquer that obstacle, which is just as flimsy as their other numerous racially exclusive traits .No one trait can be claimed by any one group of people and on this principle alone it becomes clear that Davy is not racially connected to the Ulster-Scotts.

The cultural aspect is what Mr. McKee next examines. The author lists three important factors of the Ulster culture within his article. Their Presbyterian religion, a love of education, and a passion for political democracy. As Mr. McKee' notes earlier on in his article, Davy Crockett was not well educated nor was he a religious man which leaves his passion for politics being the only cultural trait he could have inherited. Yet claiming a Ulster heritage based off of that fact alone provides no

proof, as once again, great political skills and passion can not be restrained to one racial group.

The myth Cuchulian the Great Ulster Hound is , ironically, the only facet of Ulster that have any sort of connection to Davy Crocket. The myths of Davy and Cuchulian are very similar in setting, the protagonist's personality, and the deeds their hero's have accomplished. These three similarity's are nothing more then the typical attributes of heros. Plenty of other folklore stories had stoical hero's, were set in a plentiful and wild land, and contained a hero who committed great feats of strength at a young age.