George C. Kimble (alternately spelled Kimbell or Kimball, March 6, 1803 – March 6, 1836) was the

commander Commander (commonly abbreviated as Cmdr.) is a common naval officer rank as well as a job title in many army, armies. Commander is also used as a rank or title in other formal organizations, including several police forces. In several countri ...

of the

Immortal 32 The Immortal 32 was a relief force of thirty-two Texian Militia from the Gonzales Ranger Company who reinforced the Texians under siege at the Alamo. They are " immortalized" as the only unit to answer the To the People of Texas & All America ...

who died at the

Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event and military engagement in the Texas Revolution. Following a siege of the Alamo, 13-day siege, Mexico, Mexican troops under president of Mexico, President Antonio L� ...

. Kimble County in the hill country of Texas is named in his honor.

Early life

George C. KimbleVarious last name spellings are used for George C. Kimble in primary documents, including Kimball, Kimbill, Kimbell and Kimble. His direct descendants used the spelling Kimble and the county in Texas was spelled Kimble, so that spelling is preferred in this article. was born in 1803 in Beechwoods, Pennsylvania to Chester Kimble and Lucy Satterlee Kimble. During his childhood his family moved to upstate New York and then to St. Clair County, Michigan.Kimball Family Association by Judith A. Kimball et al, Kittery, Maine, 1988, p. 278 In 1825 at the age of 22, he moved to Texas as a member of the Green DeWitt Colony. There he met Prudence Nash, who was widowed from her first husband and had three children, and they married on June 26, 1832. They moved to

Gonzales, Texas Gonzales is a city in the U.S. state of Texas, with a population of 7,165 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat of Gonzales County, Texas, Gonzales County. Gonzales was the site of several integral events in the T ...

, and together with his business partner Almaron Dickinson started a hat factory on Water street. His son Charles C. Kimble was born in 1834.

Battle of the Alamo and death

Kimble's pregnant wife was washing clothes in a creek with 2-year old Charles nearby when George announced the plans of the Gonzales Ranging CompanyAlso known as the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers to answer Travis’ appeal for aid to the surrounded Alamo garrison in San Antonio. Among them were business partner Almeron Dickinson and his wife and child. His parting words indicated that he felt he probably would not return. On February 23, 1836, Kimble was mustered into the Gonzales Ranging Company as a lieutenant and commander of the unit. After learning that

James Fannin James Walker Fannin Jr. (January 1, 1804– March 27, 1836) was an American military officer and planter who served in the Texian Army during the Texas Revolution. After being outnumbered and surrendering to the Mexican Army at the Battle o ...

was not going to the Alamo as reinforcements, and that there would likely be no other reinforcements, George Kimble and Albert Martin lead a group of 25 men from Gonzales at 2 pm on Saturday, February 27. The party would number 32 upon its arrival at the Alamo. As they approached the Alamo in the early morning hours of March 1, a rider appeared in front of them and asked, in English, if they wished to go into the fort. When they said yes, he turned and told them to follow him. When one of the men became suspicious, the rider bolted away. The volunteers were afraid they had been discovered and galloped towards the Alamo. In the darkness, the Texians thought this was a party of Mexican soldiers and fired. One man was wounded, and his English curses convinced the defenders to open the gates. These Texian reinforcements were later dubbed the Immortal 32. Kimble died at the Alamo on 6 March 1836. His body was burned with those of the other Texas soldiers.Edmondson (2000), p. 340.

Legacy

Kimble County, Texas is named in his honor. One of his Scholars is Sonke C. Mkhwanazi

Notes

References

Bibliography