Remember The Alamo, Sure, As Long As We Remember It For What It Really Is: Something Sinister

San Francisco Chronicle (via San Antonio Lightning) ^ | 4/15/04 | Oscar Villalon, Chronicle Book Editor

[robowombat]

To provide a little background for those not from the Corpus Christi area here is a short summary of the Grey-Benavides massacre. Unfortunately many native Tejano families were stripped of their lands (such as the De Leon's) and driven from what was their native country after the triumph of the Texas Revolution.

---

Captain Placido Benavides
From Victor Rose's History of Victoria, Laredo, 1883

Don Placido Benavides was a native of the village of Reynosa, state of Tamaulipas, Mexico, and when but a mere child was taken in charge by his Padrino, or God Father, Captain Don Henrique Villarreal, and properly educated. In the year 1828, he, in company with his older brothers, came to Don Martín De León's colony; being at that time quite young. He was employed by the commissioner, Don Fernando, as a secretary in all the business transactions relating to the issuance of land titles to the colonists, until the year 1831, when he married Miss Augustina De León, daughter of the Empresario; and at once applied for a league and labor of land, to which he was entitled, as an actual settler; and located the same on the Placido creek, in Victoria county, adjoining the land of his brother, Don Eugenio, where they both established ranches of livestock. The year following he was elected alcalde of Guadalupe Victoria; and reelected in 1834. About that time, in consequence of the death of Don Martín, he was authorized by the supreme government to continue the operations necessary to fulfill his second contract for the introduction of colonists. The next year he hastened, at the head of his company, to reinforce the Texas army operating against the forces of General Cos, in San Antonio, and contributed no little in effecting the capitulation of that officer; receiving marked notice in the report of the Texas commander for his gallantry, fidelity, and general efficiency. Of his comrades in that expedition the names now only of Silvestre De León, Carlos Laso, Albino Cavazos, Maximo Gomez, Manuel Escalera, and Amado, are remembered. It may be remarked in passing that Albino Cavazos continued to live in Victoria county until February, 1884, when he died, in obscurity and poverty, near Carlos Ranch, on the San Antonio river.

Several times previous to this campaign Captain Benavides and Silvestre De León had led expeditions against the hostile Indians; following them to their villages and punishing them for depredations committed. At one time they pursued the Tonkawas to their retreat on the peninsula, and brought back with them some eighteen Tonkawa children, which were distributed among the citizen, and baptized. Early in 1836, while engaged with others on the Nueces, in procuring horses for the Texan cavalry, Capt. Benavides met with a hazardous adventure, in being surprised and closely pursued by the dragoons of Gen. Urrea. He and Dr. Grant were riding in advance of the caballado, and upon the sudden appearance of the cavalry in their front, put spurs to their horses; and after an exciting chase Dr. Grant was killed, Benavides effecting his escape. Says Mr. Patricio De León, "Captain Placido Benavides often stated that had Dr. Grant acted in conformity to his suggestions he unquestionably would have succeeded in effecting his escape, as he did. But the Doctor became excited and beat his horse, and used his spurs with unnecessary severity, which, confusing the animal retarded instead of accelerating his speed.

Placido Benavides retired, with the De León family to New Orleans after the battle of San Jacinto, and died a Opeloosas, in the parish of San Landry, in 1837. His widow accompanied Mrs. Carbajal to Mexico in 1839, and lived in the town of Sota la Marina, where she died five years after the death of her husband. Their family consisted of three daughters: Doña Pilar, the eldest married Don Cristobal Garza, who lived at Rio Grande City, Texas; Doña Librada, the second daughter is the wife of Mr. Patricio De León, a prominent and much respected citizen of the Mission Valley neighborhood. Doña Martianita, the youngest, married Don Serapio Garza, of Rio Grande City. The brothers of Capt. Benavides were Ysidro, Eugenio, and Nicolas. They returned from Louisiana in 1838, and settled upon their lands. Don Ysidro on the Chocolate creek, in Calhoun county, Don Nicolas on the Arenosos, and Eugenio, on the Placido creek, as stated.

Don Ysidro married Miss Cayetana Moreno, and had three sons, viz: J. M. Benavides, who married Miss Josépha Benavides, and now resides on the Placido creek, Victoria county; Placido, second son, married Miss Romualda Hinojosa, of Mier, Mexico, at the present writing, a resident of Duval county, Texas, at the Benavides station on the railroad leading from Corpus Christi to Laredo; and Ysidro Jr. who married Miss Reyes Garza, of Goliad, and resides in Duval county; and three daughters, the eldest of whom, Miss Juanita, married Capt. James Cummings; the second, María Antonia, married the Rev. W. M. Sheely, a Methodist preacher; and Martianita, the youngest, married Mr. Warren Sheely. Don Eugenio Benavides had four sons, viz: David, Ygnacio, Francisco, deceased, and Romulo, who married Miss Refugia Lopez, and resides on the Placido creek, in Victoria county; and four daughters: Josépha, Pilar, and Librada, all deceased, and Leónor, widow of Ines Villarreal, who lives on the Placido, in Victoria county, her husband having died May 10th, 1882.

Don Nicolas Benavides moved to Hidalgo county, from his place in Jackson county, in 1862. His sons were, Placido and Eugenio, deceased, Nicolas, and Ygnacio, living in Hidalgo county; and his daughters, Josépha, married Refugio Bernal, and Concepcion, unmarried, both deceased.

The massacre of the friends of Don Ysidro Benavides, briefly adverted to in the narrative proper, was one of the most heinous crimes ever perpetrated by people claiming to be civilized. This occurred in Zarco creek, nine miles west of Goliad in 1843; the victims were nine in number, only the names of José M. Barrera and his brother, Manuel Barrera, and Don Regalado Moreno, brother of Don Ysidro's wife, being now remembered. They had been on a visit to the family of the latter, and were returning home, in Mier, Mexico, with a small quantity of tobacco and other goods for the Mexican trade. They were pursued by a party of "cowboys," led by "Mustang" Grey; overtaken, disarmed through professions of friendship, and executed in a ghastly heap; the paltry spoil furnished the sole motive for this act of supreme atrocity. Strange to relate that though the thugs fired upon their victims from the very muzzle of their guns, one of the number, José M. Barrera, was not killed, though grievously wounded in the face. Mr. John Fagan, some time after found him wandering about in the vicinity of Carlos Ranch, and had him conveyed to the home of Don Ysidro Benavides, on the Chocolate Creek. When able to travel, Mr. Benavides conveyed him to Mier, where he died of the effects of the wound two years afterward. Not the least strange is the statement that the perpetrators not only were never made to suffer the penalty of their crime, but no steps, that we have any knowledge of, were ever taken to bring them to the bar of justice. In the light of which, and kindred facts, it is not strange that Texas achieved a most unsavory reputation among the more moral and law abiding citizens of the older states, and we of the present day have more cause to rejoice that the desperado, robber and murderer has gone, than that the savage Comanche has sounded his war whoop long since for the last time in the beautiful valley of our own Guadalupe.

[The photo is from Hammett's The Empresario and noted in error in that and several sources as Placido Benavides. According to researcher Jose Guerro Jr., the photo is actually Santos Benavides of Laredo. Second greatgrandson of the founder of Laredo and a major influence in border politics in Laredo in the second half of the 19th century, Benavides was a member of the Texas Legislature. As Colonel in the army of the Confederate States of America, Benavides was the highest ranking Mexican-American to serve the Confederacy, one of two brothers that influenced late 19th century Laredo politics and served in the Confederate Army. It is unknown if he was related to Placido Benavides.]

[Pietro]

Just what we need, another whiny ass victim group.

Boo freakin hoo, people was mean to my ancestors.

[Jonah Hex]

Hmmm... I wonder if this clymer is familiar with the actions of Captain Carolino Huerta?

During the Goliad Massacre, Captain Huerta directed the slaughter of 40 wounded prisoners unable to walk. He shot the commander, COL James Fannin, last after making sure he know the wounded were executed. Fannin handed his pocket watch to Huerta, requesting it be sent to his wife. He also requested the firing squad to aim at his heart and bury his body in a decent Christian manner. Fannin was shot in the face and his body dumped on a common pyre. Oh yeah, then Huerta then pocketed the dead man's watch.

A real sweetheart, that one. And this clown calls the Alamo "sinister"?

[VadeRetro]

You and I have disagreed on much, VR, and probably will again in the future, but I couldn't agree more with your above statement!

It happens. The important thing is to pick up the pieces and move on. ;)

[Billthedrill]

The issue wasn't between "whites" and "Mexicans" at all, not that you could accurately describe the participants on either side that way. The issue - and this part makes advocates such as our author uncomfortable - was between the nascent New World and the defenders of Old World (specifically Habsburg) colonial domination. The New World won, and the fellows who were defending the Old are now rewriting history in racial terms to cover up their own ancestors' culpability.

[laotzu]

As a Texan, I was far more moved visiting La Bahia, than the Alamo.

I'm not sure why.

[Ciexyz]

I have no plans to see the new movie, not even when it rents at fifty cents at Discount Video.

[Jonah Hex]

I hear ya. Did you ever see the reenactors stage their March living history presentations? I never did during my visits to Texas, but I've heard favorable stories from some of my Union/Rebel reenactor compadres here in Virginia.

[laotzu]

No, I haven't.

Are you saying this is held in Goliad each March?

[fella]

21 days after the Alamo fell the good people that this aythor embraces murdered at least 390 POWs at Goliad. Tempering the will of the Texicans, they know how they would be treated if captured. Many other Texicans lost their lives during "The Runaway Scrape" caused by the terror tactics of Santa Anna. So I guess we should appoligize for thwarting the genocide that was planned for Texas.

[Jonah Hex]

That's what they told me. According to these guys, the Texicans put on a good living history presentation every March. Some of the same folks apparently also play a group of GEN Hood's troops at Gettysburg every year.

[kittymyrib]

Texans don't trust many Mexicans for a reason. One of them is that if you have two of anything, they consider it their right to steal the extra one from you...a kind of cultural marker. Little Anglo Texans learn about this charming trait in elementary school. There are some good Mexican people, but they have to prove themselves trustworthy because there are many, many bad ones that fill our state prisons and local jails.

[laotzu]

In the commercial for this movie, they comment how these men "were in the wrong place, at the wrong time".

The incredible, and heroic nature of what happened at the Alamo; is that these men were purposely, at the right place, at the right time.

Moreover; their intended purpose was successful, and Santa Ana was delayed.....as was desperately needed.

It is outrageous how, in less than 15 seconds, they could so totally, and fundamentally misunderstand this hallowed event. I'll not be watching it either.

[laotzu]

"Little Anglo Texans learn about this charming trait in elementary school"

I'm a native born, anglo Texan. Except to go into Mexico, I never left the state of Texas until I was 17. That was several decades ago. I've sent three children through Texas schools, and live in Texas now.

Your statement is a vile lie.

[laotzu]

Damn! I just missed it then.

I will check into that. Thanks for the heads up.

[Indie]

Where was the puke alert?

[laotzu]

It certainly calls for one.

I feel it is contained in the title.

[Ignatz]

Heheh! I'll do my best.

[Indie]

I WROTE THE AUTHOR. HERE IS HIS REPLY.

Dear Mr. Doug,

You have not made a point at all, considering that my article in now way poses an assertion that could be possibly answered with your reply. For that to be the case, I suppose you would have to argue that Mexican Americans, or any other American, has no right to be critical of misperceptions of our country and thus try to correct them. This is the best country on the face of the Earth, which is why it's so important for us to do what we can to maintain it that way. This requires searching our hearts and acknowledging our faults, then making peace with them. Or would you argue that being a patriot means saying nothing? Or do you believe that only certain Americans are allowed to speak?
I respectfully suggest you read my article again with this in mind.

Best,
Oscar Villalon
Book Editor
-----Original Message-----
From: newsletter@[mailto:newsletter@]
Sent: Thursday, April 15, 2004 1:16 PM
To: Villalon, Oscar
Subject: THE ALAMO


If America is such a terror for Mexicans, why are they sneaking into our country by the hundreds of thousands?
We all know everything is wonderful in Mexico......---SNIP-----


I think I've made my point. Your article is leftist pablum, and our many hispanic friends (and loves--including my wife) agree.

Doug

[Indie]

BTTT