The Alamo Story...Remember The Alamo
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4/four...1840's daguerreotype picture
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David 'Davy' Crockett Picture 1
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Alamo structure history...Mission San Antonio de Valero was the first of five Spanish missions founded in San Antonio by the Spanish to Christianize and educate resident Indians. The church structure, that later became known as The Alamo was built about 1755. Its mission role completed, the building no longer had religious use by 1836 when it became the "Cradle of Texas Liberty" in the famous battle.
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Events leading up to The Battle Of The Alamo...
The Mexican government, under the Centralists political faction, intended to establish a central military government in the region where the Americans had settled and also the entire country of Mexico. This political move was unpopular not only in what we now call Texas but throughout Mexico as a whole. The settlers resolved not to endure this type of government and were also joined by some Mexican citizens, called Tejanos, in the struggle. The desire of most in the rebellion was initially the re-institution of the Mexican Federal Constitution of 1824, but became an outright separation from Mexico.
As a letter from Daniel Cloud of Kentucky relates...[ Our Brethren of Texas were invited by the Mexican Government, while Republican in it's form to come and settle, they did so, they have endured all the privations and sufferings incident to the settlement of a frontier country, and have surrounded themselves with all the comforts and conveniences of life. Now the Mexicans, with unblushing effrontery call on them to submit to a Monarchial Tyranical, Central despotism, at the bare mention of which every true hearted son of Ky. feels an instinctive horror, followed by a firm and steady glow of virtuous indignation.
The cause of Philanthropy, of Humanity, of Liberty & human happiness throughout the world call loudly on every man to come to aid Texas....further in this letter he writes...Ever since Texas has unfurled the banner of freedom, and commenced a warfare for liberty or death, our hearts have been enlisted in her behalf. The progress of her cause has increased the ardor of our feelings until we have resolved to embark in the vessel which contains the flag of Liberty and sink or swim in its defense.]
The Texans formed a small militia(initially about 150 men) and observed the Mexican Army. The Mexican Army was headquartered in San Antonio and their first military act was to send a small force of 200 to Gonzales and attempt to retrieve a cannon, which had been given the settlers, by them, for protection from the Indian raids. The militia responded and drove the Mexican Army from Gonzales, the Mexicans returning to San Antonio. Now the fight was on.
The militia grew to 800 men and was called the Army of the People. They started to lay siege to Bexar(San Antonio) and initially were unsucessful and a retreat was ordered. The result was confusion, infighting and defections from the cause, but some regrouped. What follows is an excerpt from a letter by William R. Carey, originally from Virginnia.[(a few brave souls who was among the first that volunteered and who preferred Death in the cause rather than such a disgraceful retreat, rallied around a brave soul (Col. Milam)[-footnote-Colonel Milam reportedly cried, "Who will follow old Ben Milam?"-]and requested him to be our leader, he consented and 150 of us declared to take the place or die in the attempt. A few more seen we were resolute and joined untill our number was 220. At day break we marched in the town under the heavy fires of their cannon & musketry, we labored hard day and night for 5 days still gaining possession when on the morning of the 5th day they sent in a flag of truce. Thus a handful of militia of 220 in number stormed a strongly fortified place which was supported with two thousand citizens & soldiers (of the enemy)]. Some were not satisfied with the surrender agreement given the Mexican Army but the end result is that the Mexicans were paroled and allowed to leave San Antonio.[-footnote-Carey had been promoted to Lieutenant in the Battle...in his letter he said he replaced a man who was dismissed for cowardice...as he tells it, 'the man always used the word go and I the word come on my brave boys.'] Carey named the unit of men he commanded 'The Invincibles' and said he was strengthened in his resolve by the memory of his forefathers, who had fought in The Revolutionary War against the British. Carey in his letter also states following the conclusion of the battle...[(Those that fired the first guns at Gonzales and who declared on victory or death. Those who came in when death stared them in the face, and labored hard day and night half starved and almost famished for water, it was them that volunteered to maintain the post until Texas government could make some provision to keep the Standing army.)] He expresses the fact that they have great need of supplies and have heard help is on the way and are hoping it is true. As it worked out, some help was on the way...but not enough. What happened is that due to political in-fighting, the fog of war or possibly military necessity the valiant defenders of the Alamo were left to fend for themselves by the rest of Texas. Some courageous men from Gonzales did answer the call for help. What is important about the Alamo story is that even though, after awhile, it was obvious to the Alamo defenders that they could expect no help from their fellow citizens, they did the right thing and did not quit. Lesser men would have cut and run and in fact already had.
Santa Anna is intent on retaking the Alamo. His government issues The Tornel Decree which essentially states that there is to be no quarter given the rebellion, with execution of Texian prisoners as a stated policy.
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The Defense of The Alamo is one of the most gallant stands of courage and self sacrifice which has come down through the pages of history, anywhere. It is a Texas legend and much respected by the rest of the United States.
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Travis and Bowie made the decision to hold the Alamo on their own accord understanding that it was essential to the continuance and survival of the rebellion. They decided to do this even though they were outnumbered ten to one and received little or no encouragement and support.
Travis sends out the following urgent appeal***
Commandancy of the Alamo
Bexar, Feby 24th, 1836
To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World--
Fellow Citizens and Compatriots
I am besieged with a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison is to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly over the wall. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, of everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a solder who never forgets what is due his honor and that of his country.
VICTORY OR DEATH
William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. Comd't
Here is a picture of Travis's actual signature...Signature
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Responding to Travis's appeal, 32 Texans from Gonzales head for at the Alamo. They will leave behind 20 widows. These exceedingly brave men, as they faced certain death, were the ONLY Texans to answer Travis's brave appeal. The youngest is reported to have been 16 years old. They arrived at The Alamo on March 1st commanded by Capt. Albert Martin.(see below for the fight at Gonzales...the start of the rebellion)
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Travis was able to get out one more message before the end....
Dated March 3
"A blood red banner waves from the church of Bejar, and in the camp above us, in token that the war is one of vengeance against rebels: they have declared us as such, and demanded that we should surrender at discretion, or that this garrison should be put to the sword. Their threats have had no influence on me, or my men, but to make all fight with desperation, and that high souled courage which characterizes the patriot, who is willing to die in defence of his country's liberty and his own honor."
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It is said Santa Anna commanded 'Play Deguello' to call the final charge...it was a well known bugle call to the Mexican Army and maybe to the defenders...it was the signal to charge and take no prisoners...here is the bugle call....
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Anyone who has ever heard of the brave fight of Colonel Travis and his men is sure to 'Remember the Alamo!' Death was certain and they faced it bravely asking no quarter and giving none.
After a thirteen day siege, the Alamo is stormed before dawn. The Mexicans were unable to get over the walls until the third attempt. Once over the walls, it was a melee with room to room fighting. Fighting goes on for anything from one to five hours...accounts do not agree. The size of the attack force was probably 1,400. Mexican losses are not known with accuracy(estimated at 300 killed, 300 wounded.....with higher estimates also). The garrison of the Alamo was defeated. All defenders were put to the sword.
March 6,1836...6:30a.m ... The Alamo is silent....
The defenders died to help secure the liberty of Texas and their sacrifice will in fact echo through the halls of history. Whenever men seek to prosecute a just war, they will be able to take inspiration from these men. And when they repeat the words 'Remember the Alamo!', they will be able to take heart.
The battle cry of 'Remember the Alamo!' gave courage to the forces of Sam Houston at San Jacinto. So fierce was the Texan attack at San Jacinto, that Mexicans who had been at the battle refered to them as 'diablos tejanos'...Texas Devils. 'Remember the Alamo!'...'Remember Goliad!'
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Main historical figures at the Battle of the Alamo....
William Barret Travis... One of the first to fall, he died defending the north wall at an early hour on March 6. He was 26 years old.
James 'Jim' Bowie.... Killed in his bed where he lay sick of pneumonia in a small room on the south side. He is said to have killed two attackers from his bed, with his pistols before he was killed. He was 41 years old.
David 'Davy' Crockett...His body was found on the west side. He was 50 years old. One story relates that Davy was causing the Mexicans considerable trouble with his rifle sharpshooting and almost got Santa Anna himself with a shot. Santa Anna had thought he was out of range.[Davy is said to have left his favorite rifle 'Old Betsy' back at home when he came to Texas...luckily for Santa Anna.] Also Col. Crockett was said to have played his fiddle often during the siege and regularly sought to encourage the men.
Men from the following states were at the Battle of the Alamo...
Alabama,Arkansas,Connecticut,Georgia,Illinois,Kentucky,Louisianna.
Maryland,Massachusetts,Mississippi,Missouri,NewHampshire,NewJersey,
NewYork,NorthCarolina,Ohio,Pennsylvannia,RhodeIsland,SouthCarolina,
Tennessee,Texas,Vermont,Virginnia.
Men from the following countries were at the Battle of the Alamo...
Denmark,England,Ireland,Germany,Scotland,Wales
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Here is a list of the defenders....Alamo Defender List...Name and Place Of Origin
I briefly looked over the list...what i found in Approximate Numbers....There were 40 texans with a third of those being termed 'Tejanos'.....There were 30 men from foreign countries....There were 120 men from one of the United States other than Texas....Now these men from places other than Texas were most likely intending to settle in Texas, but had not been there long enough to be considered as Texas settlers at least according to the documented defenders list....found that interesting.
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Although Santa Anna proclaimed the battle to be a glorious victory, his aide Col. Juan Almonte noted: "One more such glorious victory and we are finished".
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Here is a more in depth overview of the history of Texas before and after the Alamo...
In 1803 the United States negotiated the Louisianna Purchase with France for a payment of 15 million dollars. The Louisianna Territory as purchased included part of what is now Texas but these claims were disputed by Spain. A treaty in 1819 with Spain stated that Spain would give up claims to Forida, Oregon and the area of the Louisianna Purchase with the exception that Texas would remain under Spanish control.
In 1821 Mexico won independence from Spain. In 1823 Mexico permits Stephen Austin to establish a colony of American settlers in the Texas region of Mexico and he brings 300 families to the territory. In 1824 Ramos Arispe is instrumental in establishing the Mexican Constitution and is acclaimed as the Father of Mexican Federalism. All American Texas settlers swear allegiance to this constitution. By 1830 there are roughly 18,000 American settlers.
This is the opening decree of the 1824 Mexican Constitution follows:
In the name of GOD, all powerful, author and supreme legislator of society. The general constituent Congress of the Mexican Nation, in the discharge of the duties confided to them by their constituents, in order to establish and fix its political Independence, establish and confirm its Liberty, and promote its prosperity and glory, decrees the Federal Constitution of The United Mexican States:...
In 1834 Santa Anna overthrows the established constitutional government of Mexico and a imposes military dictatorship on the country of Mexico. The American settlers in Texas who had a vivid living memory of the United States Revolutionary War found this completely unacceptable. The War of the Texas Revolution begins in 1835 at Gonzales and ends in victory at the Battle of San Jacinto, 1836. A treaty is signed by the Texans with Mexico, but Mexico does not really accept it or the boundaries stated in the treaty. The Independent Republic of Texas is now just that, they are on their own. There are strong ties to the United States of course and there are many calls in the United States for the annexation of Texas.
The political machinery turns and eventually President Polk wins election in 1844 on a platform that is a referendum for westward expansion by the United States, including Texas annexation. The people have spoken but as with the aftermath of any election there is still sharp debate and disagreement in the United States over the matter. In our system the majority has to prevail though. The forces for annexation of Texas in the US Congress won a tough battle in 1845. Statehood was offered to Texas and the Texans accepted the offer later that same year.
Mexico found that unacceptable and broke off diplomatic relations with the United States. All knew that war was inevitable, so Polk in 1846 sent General Taylor to reinforce what the United States considered to be the border of it's newest state, the Rio Grande River. The Mexican government seemed unwilling to negotiate the matter. Because of the proximity of Mexican troops, a skirmish was bound to occur and it did. The United States declares war on Mexico.
End result, the United States wins the ensuing war with Mexico and the treaty of Guadalupe-Hidalgo signed in 1846 established the Rio Grande as the agreed boundary. Also the treaty provided that the United States would pay Mexico $15,000,000 plus $3,250,000 more in claims the Mexican government had against Texas citizens. Mexico also ceded California which Mexico had barely settled and the New Mexico Territory which was mostly desert and contained a hell of alot of fierce American Indians. For many years afterward the Mexicans were said to have talked with pride about what a large sum of money they had received from the United States.
Considering that at the time the United States Army was occupying Mexico City and the angry mob in the United States was crying for the United States to annex the entire country of Mexico, these could be considered somewhat generous terms for a completey defeated country and army. Also Mexico had not handled their own internal affairs with any unity since their independence from Spain in 1821, so they had their own trouble already. For better or worse, that is pretty much the way it happened. Kind of feel it could have happened no other way, given who we are and the fact that our countrymen had been invited to Texas in the first place to settle the area.
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THE BALLAD OF THE ALAMO(movie score) By Dimitri Tiomkin and P. F. Webster; Recorded by Marty Robbins
When asked why a Russian composer should be able to so easily depict the Wild West, Tiomkin said that to him and his music there was little difference between the Steppes of Russia and the Prairies of the American West. Tiomkin received two Oscar nominations for his work.
to play song clip>right click>Copy Shortcut>in u r Windows Media Player>select File in the WMP header>select Open Url>paste>hit OK...
left click on link for album info...
http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/clipserve/B000002AN4001002/0/102-3032144-1052144
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THE BALLAD OF THE ALAMO
In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone
There's a fortress all in ruins that the weeds have overgrown
You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a one
But sometimes between the setting and the rising of the sun ...
You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by
You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie present and accounted for;
Back in eighteen thirty-six - Houston said to Travis
"Get some volunteers and go - fortify the Alamo"
Well, the men came from Texas and from old Tennessee
And they joined up with Travis - just to fight for the right to be free ...
Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders
Stood together heel and toe to defend the Alamo
"You may ne'er see your loved ones" Travis told them that day
"Those that want to can leave now, those that fight to the death let 'em stay."
In the sand he drew a line with his Army sabre
Out of a hundred eighty five not a soldier crossed the line
With his banners a-dancin' in the dawn's golden light
Santa Anna came prancin' on a horse that was black as the night ...
Sent an officer to tell - Travis to surrender
Travis answered with a shout and a rousin' rebel yell
Santa Anna turned scarlet, "Play [*Deguello]", he roared
"I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword";
One hundred and eighty five holdin' back five thousand
Five days, six days, eight days - ten; Travis held and held again
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame
But the troops that were comin' never came, never came, never came ...
Twice he charged them to recall - on the fatal third time
Santa Anna breached the wall and he killed them one and all
Now the bugles are silent and there's rust on each sword
And the small band of soldiers ... lie asleep in the arms of the Lord ...
In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone
Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone
And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before
Santa Anna's guns were blazin' and the cannons used to roar
And his eyes turn sorta misty and his heart begins to glow
And he takes his hat off slowly - to the Men of Alamo
To the thirteen days of glory at the seige of Alamo.
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Fight at Gonzales
2 October 1835
Differences between Texas and Mexico progressed from the talking stage to the shooting stage at The Battle of Gonzales, generally considered to be the first battle of the Texas Revolution.
Leading up to the conflict, the Mexican authorities sent a force of about 200 men to repossess a cannon that had been provided the residents of Gonzales for defense against Indians. In response to the Mexican force, the Texans under Colonels John H. Moore and J. W. E. Wallace loaded the cannon with scrap iron and aimed at the Mexicans. The shot they fired began the Texian revolution.
After a short fight the Mexicans retreated with one casualty. There was no loss on the side of the Texans.
Prior to the fight there had been a parlay. The men at Gonzales told the officer commanding the Mexican troops that they were defending the rights established by the Mexican Constitution of 1824, which Santa Anna had abolished. They asked him to come over to their side with his troops and help defend the Constitution. The officer stated that his allegiance was to the military and he did not intend to involve himself with political matters.
The battle flag used by the Texas Militia at the Battle of Gonzales gained considerable prominence as the "Come and Take It" flag. The white banner had a black cannon with the words "Come and Take It" printed below the cannon.
Here is a first person account of the decision to use the 'Come And Take It' flag...at Gonzales...
"The question of a flag came up. Some of our leaders wanted to march and fight under the Mexican national colors; others wanted the eagle, cactus, and snake, eliminated from the flag and in their stead a star. But it was soon ascertained that the boys wanted nothing that bore the slightest resemblance to the flag of Mexico. At a meeting of the officers a committee of five were appointed to select the design for our flag. This committee was to report by three o'clock the next day. And this gave the occasion for the loftiest display of patriotism on the part of the women of Gonzales. They knew that material for a flag was scarce. Before ten o'clock the committee in council was overwhelmed with offers of material of all shades, textures, and fashions. A few silk dresses that had doubtless been worn on state occasions 'back in the states' and were now faded and tattered---but religiously treasured as sacred mementoes of happier days---were brought forward and freely offered. One heroic mother whose sons went down in the Alamo the following March, brought her only pair of green window curtains. It was finally decided by the committee that it was the duty of the Consultation to design and adopt a flag of the new nation; that any action in regard thereto would be premature and not binding; but in view of the present conditions it would be right and proper for the army to have a banner under which to march during the present campaign(Gonzales Battle), and that in keeping with the simplicity that characterized the general make-up of the army the said emblem be as follows: a white field without border, in the center a picture of a cannon, unmounted and without any fixtures whatever, directly over the cannon a five pointed star. Under the cannon and near the lower margin in large letters extending nearly the length of the flag, this inscription: 'COME AND TAKE IT.' The flag committee's report was received and its recommendations accepted, and the following day we had a flag raising, when, for the first time, the Lone Star was flung to the breeze........I must bear witness to the fact that the 'cannon flag' designed and hoisted at Gonzales on October 10, 1835, was the first Lone Star that was ever caressed by a Texas breeze unless the honor should be given to the Dawson [Dodson] Company standard......never recognized by the army as their flag, but a company standard......"
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Bonnie Blue Flag link***BONNIE BLUE FLAG
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David 'Davy' Crockett***link***
and a link to...The Yellow Rose Of Texas
to read about an ancient heroic stand here is a link to...
Go Tell The Spartans...Battle Of Thermopylae(480BC)
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