We're in the high holy days of Texas history. On this date in 1836, the Convention was called to order at Washington-on-the-Brazos, the Texas Declaration of Independence was drafted, and Sam Houston was appointed Commander-in-Chief of all Republic of Texas military forces (which technically did not exist until the following day when the Declaration of Independence was agreed upon and the Republic formally established). Meanwhile, the "Immortal 32" from Gonzales arrive at the Alamo and slipped through Santa Anna's lines at around 3 AM. They were the last volunteers to show up and the only ones to answer the Travis request for reinforcements. One of the 32, Issac Millsaps, got a letter out via the last person to leave the Alamo, who was delivering a report from Travis to Texas leadership. Here's the letter:
That letter is just really sad. Sounds like they knew in advance they were going in with no chance of going out alive as they knew no other reinforcements were coming. It reads like he wanted to change his mind but couldn't at that point. That is as brave as it gets for those 32...sneaking into the Alamo knowing you're going to die. Ukraine may be the modern-day Alamo.
Three weeks ago, my son and I visited the San Jacinto Battle Ground and reminded ourselves of what happened there. A tremendous victory.... miraculous, when you think about it.
i just finished reading "18 minutes" - if you like texas history and youre looking for a book on the lead-up to and the actual battle of san jacinto its a good one. i havent been out there in over 25 years, but reading the book made me want to go and walk the site - the texans camped in front of the battleship texas and the mexican army was behind the texas monument. i wanted to walk from the texas site to the mexican encampment. i read that they are restoring the area to look more like it did in 1836. creating a boardwalk going over the the swampy areas and lake where most of the killing took place.
We started at the battleship side, walked through the monument (elevator was broken), and then drove to the Mexican side. They don't have any construction as you were referring to. It's pretty awesome to go there.
texas history was never my strong point in school. had schitty teachers who just read the books out loud. hollywood should make movies about texas history and other states, instead of endless remakes and reboots. bet there are cool stories to be told. speaking of remakes, i wouldn't mind a moar graphic remake of boogie nights
it didnt get good reviews, but as a life-long texas history buff i thought the alamo with billy bob thornton was great. by hollywood movie standards it was really historically accurate too.
i saw billy bob's face and deleted that movie existed from my memory. but i did watch the alamo movie from the 1960s or something. dad loved it so we watched it all the time. i learned that mexico is the enemy from that movie
i grew up on the john wayne alamo - i watched that with my dad too. if i remember correctly it was channel 13 (ABC affliate) that would show it every year in early march for their saturday night movie they did after the 10pm news. i love the billy bob one...and he is great in that movie. i dont know if he went "method actor" there, but he became davy. i honestly forgot it was him during parts. im a fan of his though so i might be biased...aside from his acting, he has also directed some good movies. his adaptation of cormac mccarthys novel "all the pretty horses" is worth watching if you like westerns and texana-based movies.
The Houston 1835ers never got any traction in the historical records. Jed said he saw two eyes in the darkness that appeared like a raybid wuff when he fired the shotgun strike that lit up the bootleg stock in the wooden barn, but Ethyl maintains that it was just their one legged cat getting busy in the mud box. Eiter way, it all went down in the flames as did the now lost history of 1835.
ill take your word and catch the billy bob one then. I've always enjoyed trips to the alamo as a wee boy, especially since watching the old movie. then we'd buy some churros and look at hot san antonio bebes walk by the walk of rivers.
Today, 3/2: Texas independence is officially declared as the Texas Declaration is approved and signed by all 59 delegates. David Burnet is appointed ad interim President. In the Battle of Agua Dulce Creek, near San Patricio, a group of 53 Texians and Tejanos are ambushed by 150 of General Urrea’s troops. At least 12 Texians were killed. It was one of the skirmishes leading up to Goliad. On Day 9 of the siege of the Alamo, Travis gets intel that there is corn at the Seguin Ranch. He dispatches a detail to retrieve it. Santa Anna waits for the arrival of the troops he will put at the vanguard of the assault.
March 3, 1836: At the Alamo, Bonham arrives with a letter from Robert Williamson, who would later be a Supreme Court Justice for the Republic. The letter urged Travis to hold out and that help was on the way. General Gaona's brigade arrives--these are the troops that will lead the assault. Travis writes his last dispatch from the Alamo and it is addressed to the Convention: At the Convention, the land grant issue is taken up, there was a motion for the creation of a "Regiment of Rangers," and a committee was formed to create a flag for the Republic of Texas. The flag created became known as the Zavala flag, after one of the committee members, Lorenzo de Zavala. Also on this date, but one year later, the United States formally recognized the Republic of Texas and President Andrew Jackson appointed an ambassador.
I actually saw the 2004 Alamo in the theater. Not bad and liked how it gave more context for the lead up to the Alamo and following the Alamo. Dennis Quaid as Sam Houston is great.
