Lot 441: Autographs: Captain Philip Dimmitt DS 1839 Texas

Captain Philip Dimmitt document signed. The designer of the Alamo flag and scout for Travis and Bowie, Captain Philip Dimmitt certifies the accuracy of one of his business accounts. Single page document dated 27 December 1839 reads in part: ''Philip G. Dimmitt who being duly sworn deposed & says that the foregoing account (upon first page) is an accurate transcript from the books of Dimmitt Durer & Co...That sd account was accurately kept...'' Signed at the conclusion ''James C. Allan, Chief Justice'' and countersigned ''Phil. Dimmitt''. Dimmitt would design the flag that eventually became most associated with the Texas Revolution. His design began with the green, white, and red tricolor of the Mexican flag, but replaced the central eagle with the words ''Constitution of 1824'' or sometimes just ''1824.'' This signified that the Texans were fighting to uphold the Constitution of 1824, which Santa Anna had nullified. After hearing that the Texans had been defeated at the battle of the Alamo, the new commander of the Texan Army, Sam Houston ordered Dimmitt to bring his men to Gonzales. By the time they arrived at Gonzales, the Mexican army had already taken possession of the town, as Houston and his men retreated east. On 14 July 1841, Dimmitt and some of his workmen were captured by Mexican troops at a trading post he had built, and Dimmitt would later commit suicide instead of facing a firing squad. An uncommon signature of this well-traveled Texas revolutionary. Document measures 8'' x 9.75''. Professional repairs to separations along horizontal folds, scattered soiling and a few trivial areas of paper loss, overall good condition.