Early morning, March 6, 1836, the assault on the Alamo began. It ended a few hours later, and an icon for revolutionaries everywhere was created.
I learned the story of the Alamo at my mother's knee, as many of us old-time Texans did. Didn't you? Then, of course, at school we had the comic book --the Texas History Movies -- that told the story with pictures. Today's revisionists, of course, would re-write the history as we learned it. But -- Remember the Alamo just won't die.
History has decided that a half-dozen or so Texans survived the battle, only to be slaughtered by the direct order of Santa Anna. Among them was Davy Crockett. Others attempted to flee the battle, escaping from the rear of the chapel, only to be ridden down by Mexican lancers. These revisions, based on the diaries of Mexican officers, are incorporated into Campell's recent history of Texas (ISBN 0-19-51382-2; highly recommended). There, I read that Travis was willing to negotiate a surrender as late as March 5.
Never mind! I still believe that all fought bravely, that Travis pulled his sword and drew a line in the sand, and that Bowie died fighting from his cot.
Every year brings more books, more Alamo studies (and I hope to contribute my own. When the creek goes down ... ). One of the best is Three Roads to the Alamo (William C. Davis, 1999. ISBN 0-06-093094-2), biographies of Travis, Crockett and Bowie.
Why did it happen? Santa Anna didn't need to destroy the Alamo. It was a bit out of the way for his army, which would have done better to proceed up the coast where most settlements were. And Travis didn't follow Houston's order (suggestion? Command?) to destroy the Alamo and leave San Antonio. Like so many battles,it was a strange mix of personalities -- Santa Anna's bull-headed determination, Travis's ebullient patriotism, Bowie's rejection of leadership. The Texas Trojan war.
The Alamo is now part of our Texan legacy, and today I salute the bravery of the men who died fighting for what they believed. Remember!
Great post, Dac. Meet me at Harriette's class on the 25th and read the first few pages of your Alamo book. Maybe from an untold perspective - one of Santa Anna's enlisted men, now a senior NCO, who has been with Santa Anna since they were both teenagers - fighting for Spain, the for the Mexican Emperor, then for the Republic. The inner conflict of being against invidual liberty, then for it, then finally against it. And how this plays opposite the Texans.
Wow! I can smell the cordite and taste the dust already!
Posted by: Ed Underwood | March 06, 2008 at 10:59 AM
Having grown up in Maryland, I only remember Crockett and Bowie, not Travis (although I remember the line in the sand, just didn't know who drew it). I recall them because Disney did shows starring Crockett and Bowie. I can still sing the theme songs. Somehow, seeing it in pictures made it more real. Thanks for refreshing my memory.
Janice
Posted by: Janice Pulliam | March 06, 2008 at 09:49 AM