[Knitting A Conundrum]

A letter written by Travis to the citizens of Texas:


TO THE CITIZENS OF TEXAS. Commandancy of the Alamo, Bejar, Feb. 24, 1836. FELLOW-CITIZENS, I am besieged by a thousond or more of the Mexicans, under Santa Ana. I have sustained a continual bombardment and cannonade, for twenty-four hours, and have not lost one man. The enemy have demanded a 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 from the walls. I shall never surrender nor retreat: then I call on you, in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and of every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all possible despatch. The enemy are receiving reinforcements daily, and will, no doubt, increase to three or four thousands, in four or five days. Though this call may be neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible, and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country. VICTORY OR DEATH. W. BARRET TRAVIS, Lieutenant-Colonel Commandant.

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, eighty or ninety bushels, and got into the walls twenty or thirty head of beeves. T.

[Rightly Biased]

Arrogant wasn't he?

I like that, I think its a Texan trait.

Thanks for the Bump

[gumboyaya]

This is framed and hangs above my computer, see it everyday.
Proud to be living on the Jane Long land grant.

[Nita Nupress]

From the letter by Travis:

I shall never surrender nor retreat: then I call on you, in the name of liberty, of patriotism, and of every thing dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all possible despatch.

I never noticed that before. He didn't say "Texan" character, he said "American." That's significant, although I couldn't begin to tell why.

Here's some food for thought, though. It took a certain kind of man (and woman) to brave the harsh frontier & the Indians to come to Texas in the early 1800s. It was full of outlaws, rattlesnakes, and Indians who didn't take kindly to people encroaching on their land. I guess the Texans inherited their frontier spirit from their late-1700s, Revolutionary/Patriot ancestors, and it eventually morphed into the uniquely Texan bravado spirit that it is today.

See, Pardek? It all originated from you Yankees, so now you can stop rolling your eyes (although I'll acknowledge it must be nauseating to people who don't understand it). :-)