My pleasure! :^D
Posted on 03/06/2005 4:44:27 AM PST by Rightly Biased
3 March 1836: Travis' Report and Appeal for Aid for the Alamo. On the night of 3 Mar, Travis sent out the last message from the besieged Alamo with courier John W. Smith. He penetrated enemy lines with the message from Travis to the Texas Independence Convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos which describes the situation at the Alamo in detail:
In the present confusion of the political authorities of the country, and in the absence of the commander in chief, I beg leave to communicate to you the situation of this garrison. You have doubtless already seen my official report of the action of the twenty fifth ult. made on that day to Gen. Sam Houston, together with the various communications heretofore sent by express. I shall therefore confine myself to what has transpired since that date. From the twenty-fifth to the present date the enemy has kept up a bombardment from two howitzers—one a five and a half inch, and the other an eight inch--and a heavy cannonade from two long nine-pounders mounted on a battery on the opposite side of the river at a distance of four hundred yards from our wall. During this period the enemy have been busily employed in encircling us with entrenched encampments on all sides, at the following distance, to wit: In Bexar, four hundred yards west; in Lavileta, three hundred yards south; at the powder house, one thousand yards east of south; at the ditch, eight hundred yards northeast, and at the old mill, eight hundred yards north. Notwithstanding all this, a company of thirty-two men from Gonzales made their way in to us on the morning of the first inst. at three o'clock, and Colonel J. B. Bonham (a courier from Gonzales) got in this morning at eleven o'clock without molestation. I have fortified this place, so that the walls are generally proof against cannon balls and I will continue to entrench on the inside, and strengthen walls by throwing up the dirt. At least two hundred shells have fallen inside our works without having injured a single man; indeed we have been so fortunate as not to lose a man from any cause, and we have killed many of the enemy. The spirits of my men are still high although they have had much to depress them. We have contended for ten days against an enemy whose numbers are variously estimated at from fifteen hundred to six thousand men, with General Ramirez Sesma and Colonel Batres, the aides-de-camp of Santa Anna, at their head. A report was circulated that Santa Anna himself was with the enemy, but I think it was false. A reinforcement of about one thousand men is now entering Bexar, from the west, and I think it more than probable that Santa Anna is now in town, from the rejoicing we hear. Col. Fannin is said to be on the march to this place with reinforcements, but I fear it is not true, as I have repeatedly sent to him for aid without receiving any. Colonel Bonham, my special messenger, arrived at La Bahia fourteen days ago, with a request for aide and on the arrival of the enemy in Bexar, ten days ago, I sent an express to Colonel F. which arrived at Goliad on the next day, urging him to send us reinforcements; none have yet arrived. I look to the colonies alone for aid; unless it arrives soon, I shall have to fight the enemy on his own terms. I will, however, do the best I can under the circumstances; and I feel confident that the determined valor and desperate courage heretofore exhibited by my men will not fail them in the last struggle; and although they may be sacrificed to the vengeance of a Gothic enemy, the victory will cost the enemy so dear, that it will be worse to him than a defeat. I hope your honorable body will hasten on reinforcements ammunition, and provisions to our aid as soon as possible. We have provisions for twenty days for the men we have. Our supply of ammunition is limited. At least five hundred pounds of cannon powder, and two hundred rounds of six., nine, twelve and eighteen pound balls, ten kegs of rifle powder and a supply of lead, should be sent to the place without delay under a sufficient guard. If these things are promptly sent, and large reinforcements are hastened to this frontier, this neighborhood will be the great and decisive ground. The power of Santa Anna is to be met here, or in the colonies; we had better meet them here than to suffer a war of devastation to rage in our settlements. A blood red banner waves from the church of Bexar, and in the camp above us, in token that the war is one of vengeance against rebels; they have declared us as such; 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 defense of his country's liberty and his own honor. The citizens of this municipality are all our enemies, except those who have joined us heretofore. We have but three Mexicans now in the fort; those who have not joined us, in this extremity, should be declared public enemies, and their property should aid in paying the expenses of the war. The bearer of this will give your honorable body a statement more in detail, should he escape through the enemy's lines. God and Texas---Victory or Death. P.S. The enemy's troops are still arriving, and the reinforcements will probably amount to two or three thousand.
On 5 Mar, General Santa Anna issued the formal written order to his troops to storm the Alamo garrison (translated from the Spanish):
To the Generals, Chiefs of Sections and Commanding Officers: The time has come to strike a decisive blow upon the enemy occupying the Fortress of the Alamo. Consequently, His Excellency, the General in Chief, has decided that tomorrow at 4 o'clock a.m., the columns of attack shall be stationed at musket-shot distance from the first entrenchments, ready for the charge, which shall commence, at a signal given with the bugle, from the Northern Battery. The first column will be commanded by General Don Martin Perfecto de Cos, and, in his absence, by myself. The Permanent Battalion of Aldama (except the company of Grenadiers) and the three right center companies of the Active Battalion of San Luis, will comprise the first column. The second column will be commanded by Colonel Don Francisco Duque, and, in his absence, by General Don Manuel Fernindez Castrillon; it will be composed of the Active Battalion (except the company of Grenadiers) and the three remaining center companies of the Active Battalion of San Luis. The third column will be commanded by Colonel Jose Maria Romero and in his absence Mariano Salas; it will be Composed of the permanent Battalion Of Matamoros and Jimenes. The fourth column will be commanded by Colonel Juan Morales, and in his absence, by Colonel Jose Minon; it will be composed of the light companies of the Battalions of Matamoros and Jimenes and of the Active Battalion of San Luis. His Excellency the General in Chief will, in due time designate the points of attack, and give his instructions to the Commanding Officers. The reserve will be composed of the Battalion of Engineers and the five companies of Grenadiers of the Permanent Battalions of Matamoros, Jimenes and Allama, and the Active Battalions of Toluca and San Luis. The reserve will be commanded by the General in Chief in person, during the attack; but General Augustin Amat will assemble this party which will report to him, this evening at 5 o’clock, to be marched to the designated station. The first column will carry ten ladders, two crowbars and two axes; the second, ten ladders; the third, six ladders; and the fourth, two ladders. The men carrying the ladders will sling their guns on their shoulders, to be enabled to place the ladders wherever they may be required. The companies of Grenadiers will be supplied with six packages of cartridges to every man, and the center companies with two packages and two spare flints. The men will wear neither overcoats nor blankets nor anything that may impede the rapidity of their motions. The Commanding Officers will see that the men have their chin straps of their caps down, and that they wear either shoes or sandals. The troops composing the columns of attack will turn in to sleep at dark; to be in readiness to move at 12 o'clock at light. Recruits deficient in instruction will remain in their quarters. The arms, principally the bayonets, should be in perfect order. As soon as the moon rises, the center companies of the Active Battalion of San Luis will abandon the points they are now occupying on the line, in order to have time to prepare. The cavalry, under Colonel Joaquin Ramirez y Sesma, will be stationed at the Alameda, saddling up at 3 o'clock a.m. It shall be its duty to scout the country, to prevent the possibility of an escape. The honor of the nation being interested in this engagement against the bold and lawless foreigners who are opposing us, His Excellency expects that every man will do his duty, and exert himself to give a day of glory to the country, and of gratification to the Supreme Government, who will know how to reward the distinguished deeds of the brave soldiers of the Army of Operations.
On 6 March 1836 about 3:00 AM, Andrew Kent's daughter Mary Ann Kent related that the sound of distant cannons woke the family. Lying on pallets spread on the floor of the Zumwalt residence, the children could hear and feel the boom of the cannons as they fired 70 miles away in San Antonio. By daybreak there was silence which continued past noon and then sundown and the next day and the next. Travis had sent word to Gonzales that he would fire three daily "all’s well" volleys from the walls of the garrison as long as it was in Texan hands. For over six days the people of Gonzales and riders that ventured close to San Antonio to try to hear the three times per day volleys heard nothing. Anxiety mounted and the worst was feared among the residents.
There were few that did not have a relative or close friend in the garrison.
I'm having a senior moment and can't get beyond the first two lines:
Texas, our Texas!
All Hail the mighty state!
(and then I'm lost)
Texas, Our Texas! all hail the mighty State!
Texas, Our Texas! so wonderful so great!
Boldest and grandest, withstanding ev'ry test
O Empire wide and glorious, you stand supremely blest.
(chorus)
Texas, O Texas! your freeborn single star,
Sends out its radiance to nations near and far,
Emblem of Freedom! it set our hearts aglow,
With thoughts of San Jacinto and glorious Alamo.
(chorus)
Texas, dear Texas! from tyrant grip now free,
Shines forth in splendor, your star of destiny!
Mother of heroes, we come your children true,
Proclaiming our allegiance, our faith, our love for you.
Chorus
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
God bless you Texas! And keep you brave and strong,
That you may grow in power and worth, throughout the ages long.
Well, I just pinged the thread for others.Here is an article I posted 3 years ago:
166 years later, Texas recalls the Goliad massacre
"Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!"
Thank you. I am proud to be a Texan.
Tis a great day to be a Texan! :^D
My pleasure! :^D
Amen! :^D
Not long ago, I did hear a grade school choir sing this at a function at the Capitol--which made my heart glad to know that some kids were getting it!
Thanks! I'd forgotten the significance of today.
Picked up a newspaper this AM, but stopped when I saw the Chronicle's front page headline "Rather's roots anchor him in trying times," so I don't know if they remembered this day in history or not.
Your Welcome!!!
Well I'm off to Church See yall tonight!!
God Bless Texas!
Remember the Alamo!!
Remember Goliad!!
You're very welcomed. My pleasure. :^)Picked up a newspaper this AM, but stopped when I saw the Chronicle's front page headline "Rather's roots anchor him in trying times," so I don't know if they remembered this day in history or not.
Here is the story that The Dallas Morning News carried in the Southwest section:
Flag's battle never ends
Relic of the Alamo, long sought by Texas, turns up in Mexican museum
12:19 AM CST on Sunday, March 6, 2005
Remember the Alamo flag?
More than a decade ago, just as Texas officials stepped up efforts for Mexico to return the only remaining banner known to have flown at the Battle of the Alamo, the Mexicans said they'd lost it.
But recently, a reporter found the flag once more on display in Mexico's National History Museum, a faded scrap of silk hung in a glass case amid 19th-century rifles and portraits. The once-blue fabric is faded to dirty white. Its fringe is intact, an eagle still spread across the middle over the words "God & Liberty."
"It's well taken care of," said Nina Serratos, a museum official in Mexico City. "The museum restored it."
The banner of volunteer Alamo defenders from New Orleans, a cherished bit of sacred cloth in the secular religion of Texana, is no closer to coming home than when the Mexican army took it away 169 years ago.
But spokesmen for Texas Gov. Rick Perry and Mexican President Vicente Fox, in answer to questions from The Dallas Morning News, indicated the door might be open to a deal that would return the Alamo flag to Texas.
"The governor has discussions with Mexican officials all the time," said Perry spokesman Robert Black. "I'm sure that at the appropriate time the governor will broach this.
"It's certainly something that Governor Perry would like to see back in the Texas archives."
Said Agustín Gutiérrez Canet, a spokesman for Mr. Fox: "If the United States has some Mexican flags, perhaps there could be an exchange. But that's a hypothetical idea."
As it happens, reciprocity is not so hypothetical a notion. Texas' archives has the battle flags from Mexico's Toluca, Guerrero and Matamoros battalions, captured in the decisive Battle of San Jacinto.
Click HERE for the rest of the article.
For those that want to read the FULL article without registering for the DMN:
Go here to get an ID and Password: BugMeNot
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Not a problem. Folks do need to be reminded. :^)
and Remember Agua Dulce Creek!
AGUA DULCE CREEK, BATTLE OF. The battle of Agua Dulce Creek, an engagement of the Texas Revolutionqv and an aftermath of the controversial Matamoros expedition of 1835-36,qv occurred twenty-six miles below San Patricio on March 2, 1836. Dr. James Grantqv and his party of twenty-three Americans and three Mexicans were surprised and defeated by a Mexican force under José de Urrea.qv Six of the volunteers escaped, five of whom joined James W. Fannin, Jr.,qv at Goliad and were killed in the Goliad Massacreqv on March 27; six were captured and taken to Matamoros as prisoners; all others were killed in the engagement.
From the Handbook of Texas Online,
http://www.tsha.utexas.edu/handbook/online/articles/view/AA/qfa1.html
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