....well its been a very long time and I still can recall we were always to "remember the Alamo" and today was the day it fell back in 1836.......may they all rest in peace
Remember the Alamo..........
- Thread starter rugerguy
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Can't let historic dates slide.
im in Heltucko Mexico right now! migrants, very dark ones, none Mexican walk by me every day heading north. back packs say UN Migrations....sickening....
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I feel Mexico is an accomplist in all the swarms of people coming here to bankrupt the country, poison our kids, murder our people, and eventually vote to elect someone left of O Bama.
I would hope the hopefully next Administration makes them pay. Economically at first and if they can't stop the cartels show them how to. My Maverick was assembled in Mexico though. Still let me look at somethings if need be. Need an Alamo stance on this, but hard when Santa Ana is in the White House.
I would hope the hopefully next Administration makes them pay. Economically at first and if they can't stop the cartels show them how to. My Maverick was assembled in Mexico though. Still let me look at somethings if need be. Need an Alamo stance on this, but hard when Santa Ana is in the White House.
KIR
Sparks, NV
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Visited the Alamo back in '61, uh 1961 that is...the only thing left was the mission church. All around it was built up like any downtown area of many cities.
Although the Mexicans won that particular engagement, Santa Ana and his army were later defeated and he was captured. Gave up what we now know as Texas.
The heroes did not die in vain...RIP
Although the Mexicans won that particular engagement, Santa Ana and his army were later defeated and he was captured. Gave up what we now know as Texas.
The heroes did not die in vain...RIP
Francisco Antonio Ruiz
Translated by J. A. Quintero
"On the 6th of March at 3 a.m. General Santa Anna at the head of 4000 men, advanced against the Alamo. The infantry, artillery and cavalry had formed about 1000 varas from the walls of said fortress.
The Mexican army charged and were twice repulsed by the deadly fire of Travis' artillery, which resembled a constant thunder. At the third charge the Toluca battalion commenced to scale the walls and suffered severely. Out of 800 men, only 130 were left alive.
When the Mexican army had succeeded in entering the walls, I with Political Chief (Jefe Politico) Don Ramon Musquiz, and other members of the corporation, accompanied the curate Don Refugio de la Garza, who, by Santa Anna's orders had assembled during the night, at a temporary fortification erected in Potrero Street, with the object of attending the wounded.
As soon as the storming commenced, we crossed the bridge on Commerce Street with this object in view, and about 100 yards from the same a party of Mexican dragoons fired upon us and compelled us to fallback on the river to the place occupied before.
Half an hour had elapsed when Santa Anna sent one of his aides with an order for us to come before him. He directed me to call upon some of the neighbors to come with carts to carry the dead to the cemetery, and also to accompany him, as he was desirous to have Colonels Travis, Bowie and Crockett shown to him.
On the north battery of the fortress lay the lifeless body of Colonel Travis on the gun carriage shot only in the forehead.
Toward the west in a small fort opposite the city we found the body of Colonel Crockett.
Colonel Bowie was found dead in his bed in one of the rooms of the south side.
Santa Anna, after the Mexicans were taken out, ordered wood to be brought to burn the bodies of the Texans. He sent a company of dragoons with me to bring wood and dry branches from the neighboring forests.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day they commenced laying wood and dry branches upon which a file of dead bodies were placed, more wood was piled on them and another file brought, and in this manner all were arranged in layers. Kindling wood was distributed through the pile and at 8 o'clock it was lighted.
The dead Mexicans of Santa Anna's army were taken to the graveyard, but not having sufficient room for them, I ordered some of them to be thrown in the river, which was done on the same day. Santa Anna's loss estimated at 1600 men. These were the flower of his army.
The gallantry of the few Texans who defended the Alamo were really wondered at by the Mexican army. Even the generals were astonished at their vigorous resistance, and how dearly the victory had been bought.
The generals who, under Santa Anna, participated in the storming of the Alamo were Juan Amador, Castrillion, Ramirez y Sesma, Andrade.
The men burned numbered 182. I was an eye witness, for as Alcalde of San Antonio, I was with some of the neighbors collecting the dead bodies and placing them on the funeral pyre.
(Signed) Francisco Antonio Ruiz"
Translated by J. A. Quintero
"On the 6th of March at 3 a.m. General Santa Anna at the head of 4000 men, advanced against the Alamo. The infantry, artillery and cavalry had formed about 1000 varas from the walls of said fortress.
The Mexican army charged and were twice repulsed by the deadly fire of Travis' artillery, which resembled a constant thunder. At the third charge the Toluca battalion commenced to scale the walls and suffered severely. Out of 800 men, only 130 were left alive.
When the Mexican army had succeeded in entering the walls, I with Political Chief (Jefe Politico) Don Ramon Musquiz, and other members of the corporation, accompanied the curate Don Refugio de la Garza, who, by Santa Anna's orders had assembled during the night, at a temporary fortification erected in Potrero Street, with the object of attending the wounded.
As soon as the storming commenced, we crossed the bridge on Commerce Street with this object in view, and about 100 yards from the same a party of Mexican dragoons fired upon us and compelled us to fallback on the river to the place occupied before.
Half an hour had elapsed when Santa Anna sent one of his aides with an order for us to come before him. He directed me to call upon some of the neighbors to come with carts to carry the dead to the cemetery, and also to accompany him, as he was desirous to have Colonels Travis, Bowie and Crockett shown to him.
On the north battery of the fortress lay the lifeless body of Colonel Travis on the gun carriage shot only in the forehead.
Toward the west in a small fort opposite the city we found the body of Colonel Crockett.
Colonel Bowie was found dead in his bed in one of the rooms of the south side.
Santa Anna, after the Mexicans were taken out, ordered wood to be brought to burn the bodies of the Texans. He sent a company of dragoons with me to bring wood and dry branches from the neighboring forests.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day they commenced laying wood and dry branches upon which a file of dead bodies were placed, more wood was piled on them and another file brought, and in this manner all were arranged in layers. Kindling wood was distributed through the pile and at 8 o'clock it was lighted.
The dead Mexicans of Santa Anna's army were taken to the graveyard, but not having sufficient room for them, I ordered some of them to be thrown in the river, which was done on the same day. Santa Anna's loss estimated at 1600 men. These were the flower of his army.
The gallantry of the few Texans who defended the Alamo were really wondered at by the Mexican army. Even the generals were astonished at their vigorous resistance, and how dearly the victory had been bought.
The generals who, under Santa Anna, participated in the storming of the Alamo were Juan Amador, Castrillion, Ramirez y Sesma, Andrade.
The men burned numbered 182. I was an eye witness, for as Alcalde of San Antonio, I was with some of the neighbors collecting the dead bodies and placing them on the funeral pyre.
(Signed) Francisco Antonio Ruiz"
RC44Mag
Buckeye
Never been but on my bucket list.
bobski
Hunter
they are taking back texas one illegal at a time....and all the rest of us. they did indeed win the battle.
I feel badly that I did not start a thread like this earlier. The siege of the Alamo, and the sacrifice of its defenders, was a key and special event that helped ensure the achievement of Texas independence. The losses suffered by Santa Ana significantly weakened his army, and the time that it took to take the Alamo gave General Sam Houston extra time to prepare for what was to be the decisive battle at San Jacinto, near present day Houston.
I lived in San Antonio for a number of years, and visited this sacred ground many times. Family and friends who visited us were always taken there and I would give them a brief history of what occurred there in late February and early March of 1836. In the many years since, archeological escavations have expanded and enhanced the site and a visit now is even more of an experience than you might have had if you only visited many, many years ago. What usually strikes new visitors is that this shrine is in the heart of what is now downtown San Antonio and can make it hard to visualize how it must have been for the heroes in their final days. But I strongly recommend that every American visit there at least once. We all need to remember Goliad, and remember the Alamo!
I lived in San Antonio for a number of years, and visited this sacred ground many times. Family and friends who visited us were always taken there and I would give them a brief history of what occurred there in late February and early March of 1836. In the many years since, archeological escavations have expanded and enhanced the site and a visit now is even more of an experience than you might have had if you only visited many, many years ago. What usually strikes new visitors is that this shrine is in the heart of what is now downtown San Antonio and can make it hard to visualize how it must have been for the heroes in their final days. But I strongly recommend that every American visit there at least once. We all need to remember Goliad, and remember the Alamo!
A little History of a forgotten Hero
Everybody talks about Bowie, Travis and Crockett but, to my way of thinking, James Butler Bonham was the most heroic. Bonham, who was boyhood friends with Travis in South Carolina (and whose whole reason for even being in Texas in the first place was because Travis had written him a letter the previous year that described a world of opportunity in Texas for enterprising young men like themselves ), was sent by Travis to obtain aid for the garrison at Bexar on about February 16, 1836. He visited Goliad, but the commander of the forces there, James Fannin, was unable to provide assistance. Bonham's spirit is best described by T.R. Fehrenbach in his Texas opus, Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans:
"At the end, the weary Bonham, a lawyer, a Carolinian of exulted family and a friend of Travis, turned his mount around and rode back toward San Antonio. He was told it was useless to throw away his life. He answered back that Buck Travis deserved to know the answer to his appeals, spat upon the ground, and galloped west into his own immortality."
Thus, Bonham returned to the Alamo on March 3, riding through a hail of Mexican bullets to do it. Imagine being him as he approached the Alamo. He could certainly see the huge Mexican Army and must have known that he faced death either trying to get back inside or in the battle that would certainly follow. He could have turned his horse around, gone back to Goliad or Gonzales, and nobody would have ever known.
James Butler Bonham died in the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, aged 29. He is believed to have died manning one of the cannons.
- Traces of Texas
Everybody talks about Bowie, Travis and Crockett but, to my way of thinking, James Butler Bonham was the most heroic. Bonham, who was boyhood friends with Travis in South Carolina (and whose whole reason for even being in Texas in the first place was because Travis had written him a letter the previous year that described a world of opportunity in Texas for enterprising young men like themselves ), was sent by Travis to obtain aid for the garrison at Bexar on about February 16, 1836. He visited Goliad, but the commander of the forces there, James Fannin, was unable to provide assistance. Bonham's spirit is best described by T.R. Fehrenbach in his Texas opus, Lone Star: A History of Texas and the Texans:
"At the end, the weary Bonham, a lawyer, a Carolinian of exulted family and a friend of Travis, turned his mount around and rode back toward San Antonio. He was told it was useless to throw away his life. He answered back that Buck Travis deserved to know the answer to his appeals, spat upon the ground, and galloped west into his own immortality."
Thus, Bonham returned to the Alamo on March 3, riding through a hail of Mexican bullets to do it. Imagine being him as he approached the Alamo. He could certainly see the huge Mexican Army and must have known that he faced death either trying to get back inside or in the battle that would certainly follow. He could have turned his horse around, gone back to Goliad or Gonzales, and nobody would have ever known.
James Butler Bonham died in the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, aged 29. He is believed to have died manning one of the cannons.
- Traces of Texas
William B. Travis' (age 26) letter from the Alamo:
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World:
Fellow citizens & compatriots—I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch—The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & 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 & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death.
William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. comdt
P.S. The Lord is on our side—When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn—We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World:
Fellow citizens & compatriots—I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch—The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & 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 & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death.
William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. comdt
P.S. The Lord is on our side—When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn—We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.
GunnyGene
Hawkeye
In commemoration of that, I bought this engraved Tisas "Volunteer" 1911 a couple days ago. Davy would have liked this.
That's awesomeIn commemoration of that, I bought this engraved Tisas "Volunteer" 1911 a couple days ago. Davy would have liked this.
View attachment 41459
View attachment 41460
My children are long since grown and when they were young, went to public schools in Texas. They were taught about the heroism of the defenders of the Alamo and how those names are forever respected as the heroes of Texas independence. But sadly, I am sure that this is not what is being taught today to children, possibly even to the children in Texas. They are being told that America only exists because the land was stolen from the rightful owners, and that Texas was stolen from the peaceful Mexicans (I'm sure that the Spanish colonialists are quickly overlooked, establishing the Mexicans as the "rightful" owners of what is now Texas, NM, AZ and CA. I would be pleased, but surprised, if anywhere in this country that children are being taught to honor and respect the likes of Travis, Crockett, Bowie and Bonham and the rest of the martyrs to Texas freedom.
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I believe that Phil Collins, of the group Genesis fame, has the largest known Alamo collection. Said that he was inspired by the history of it when younger and made it a point to assemble as much as he could to honor it. Someone may wish to clarify this if they know more about that.
Back in 2014 Phil Collins donated his Alamo collection to the Texas General Land Office.
Texas Monthly reported about it and you can read it on line.
The Mexican army's offer for the Texians to "surrender at discretion" actually meant that, at the Mexican army's choice, the surrendered Texians could all be executed. So in that sense, Travis' cannon-shot response was essentially, "if you're gonna kill us anyway, let's make this a two-way affair."
The Mexican army was notoriously ruthless. One month after the Alamo fell, the Mexican army captured 400+ soldiers at Goliad, TX, and executed every one of them.
When Santa Anna (Mexico's president who was also general of the army in Texas) was captured in the April 21, 1836 Battle of San Jacinto. He was not executed solely because Gen. Sam Houston believed saving Santa Anna, and compelling him to agree to terms for the end of the war, was the most likely way for Mexico to honor those terms. It proved to be only a temporary cessation of hostilities, however, since Santa Anna's army invaded Texas multiple time during the next ten years, each time with the objective of regaining Texas as a territory owned by Mexico.
One of my ancestors is US Army General William J. Worth (after whom Fort Worth is named). During the 1840s, Gen. Worth was one of the "heros" of the US war with Mexico that resulted in Mexico selling all of its rights to West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and part of Colorado to the United States. Years earlier, in the 1830s Worth led a cavalry troop that escorted Indians on their Trail of Tears forced migration from parts of Alabama and Georgia to the Oklahoma Indian Territory (what is now the state of Oklahoma). In the late 1840s, General Worth led a cavalry troop to San Antonio, Texas to help the recently-admitted state of Texas (1845) defend against future Mexican army actions and to "resolve the Indian situation." Gen. Worth was intimately familiar with the "Indian Problem" - the "problem" being that Indians in the Oklahoma Indian Territory were continually fighting indigenous Texas Indians (primarily Apache and Commanche) for the rights to hunt buffalo in Texas. Gen. Worth, having helped create the "Indian Problem" only a few years earlier, had great knowledge of Texas' territory and its situation. Gen. Worth directed that a series of forts be built along the Texas frontier to guard against Indian incursions. One of those forts was named in Gen. Worth's honor - Fort Worth. If you're curious, a few of the other forts were located in/near Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Fredericksburg and Waco. Gen. Worth died (in 1849 in San Antonio). There is a statue honoring Gen. Worth on Manhattan Island in NYC.)
Vito is right. In my youth, "Texas history" was a mandatory class in grade school, and again in junior high. You couldn't graduate to high school without having taken it.
The Mexican army was notoriously ruthless. One month after the Alamo fell, the Mexican army captured 400+ soldiers at Goliad, TX, and executed every one of them.
When Santa Anna (Mexico's president who was also general of the army in Texas) was captured in the April 21, 1836 Battle of San Jacinto. He was not executed solely because Gen. Sam Houston believed saving Santa Anna, and compelling him to agree to terms for the end of the war, was the most likely way for Mexico to honor those terms. It proved to be only a temporary cessation of hostilities, however, since Santa Anna's army invaded Texas multiple time during the next ten years, each time with the objective of regaining Texas as a territory owned by Mexico.
One of my ancestors is US Army General William J. Worth (after whom Fort Worth is named). During the 1840s, Gen. Worth was one of the "heros" of the US war with Mexico that resulted in Mexico selling all of its rights to West Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California and part of Colorado to the United States. Years earlier, in the 1830s Worth led a cavalry troop that escorted Indians on their Trail of Tears forced migration from parts of Alabama and Georgia to the Oklahoma Indian Territory (what is now the state of Oklahoma). In the late 1840s, General Worth led a cavalry troop to San Antonio, Texas to help the recently-admitted state of Texas (1845) defend against future Mexican army actions and to "resolve the Indian situation." Gen. Worth was intimately familiar with the "Indian Problem" - the "problem" being that Indians in the Oklahoma Indian Territory were continually fighting indigenous Texas Indians (primarily Apache and Commanche) for the rights to hunt buffalo in Texas. Gen. Worth, having helped create the "Indian Problem" only a few years earlier, had great knowledge of Texas' territory and its situation. Gen. Worth directed that a series of forts be built along the Texas frontier to guard against Indian incursions. One of those forts was named in Gen. Worth's honor - Fort Worth. If you're curious, a few of the other forts were located in/near Brownsville, Eagle Pass, Fredericksburg and Waco. Gen. Worth died (in 1849 in San Antonio). There is a statue honoring Gen. Worth on Manhattan Island in NYC.)
Vito is right. In my youth, "Texas history" was a mandatory class in grade school, and again in junior high. You couldn't graduate to high school without having taken it.
Bullthrower338
Single-Sixer
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- 370
I heard that the last thing that was said before the battle when they saw Santa Anna and his troops was Bowie telling Crockett "Nobody told me we they were pouring concrete today!"
Rest in Peace and may God Bless Texas
Rest in Peace and may God Bless Texas
When I was in grade school it was rumored that a teacher told her class to draw a picture depicting the defenders' last thoughts before the final Mexican assault. One kid drew a picture of a cow (with a halo over it's head), a picture of Satan, and a bunch of brown-skinned people picking cotton.
The teacher asked, "OK Billy, what does this picture mean?" Billy answered, "Holy cow! Where did the devil did all those cotton-picking Mexicans come from?"
