The Alamo

This post was previously published in The Chautauqua. Consider it a supplement to the "Davy Crockett" post.

The Alamo (March 15, 2002 Chautauqua)

Well, I’ve written about the mysterious east for three articles. It’s time, I think, to visit an area closer to home.

At the beginning of the year, I spent a week visiting my brother in Texas. One of the many tourist attractions we visited was the Alamo, in San Antonio.

There is not much left of the original site, except for the church, and part of the barracks attached. The grounds have been planted with huge cypress trees, and carefully tended for the tourists that flock to the site.

The Alamo was originally a Spanish mission, founded in 1718. Its purpose was to help convert the Indians to Christianity, and maintain the Empire in North America. The mission lasted until 1793, when it was closed, and the land was distributed among the mission Indians.

What made the Alamo famous was the siege and battle that took place in February-March 1836.

The causes that led to the battle were the tumultuous changes in the government of Mexico. The Spanish were thrown out in 1821 after three hundred years of colonialism. The governments that followed were weak, and quick to change. Settlers were needed to hold the land, and generous terms were offered to any that were willing to come. They had to swear allegiance to Mexico, according to the constitution of 1824.

In the years that followed, the population swelled, but they became disgruntled with the seemingly cavalier treatment of their concerns. They thought they were under-represented in the government, and this led to the belief that their lands and livelihoods were in jeopardy.
A convention met, and independence was declared. A small force of Mexicans were holding the Alamo, and they were attacked and driven out by the Texans. This battle brought the entire Mexican Army, under the dictator Santa Anna, north to retake Texas.

The battle began on February 23rd , and lasted for thirteen days. 189 men held off an army numbering 4000. The final assault took place in the early morning hours of March 6th, with Santa Anna commanding from his headquarters. Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis commanded the Texans from a post on the north wall. Legendary frontiersman Davy Crockett commanded a group of Tennessee volunteers near the church. Travis’ co-commander, James Bowie, was ill, and awaited the end in one of the barracks.
On the thirteenth day, at the sound of a bugle, three attacking columns of Mexican infantry moved in simultaneously – with one column attacking near a breach in the north wall; another the area of the chapel; and the third scaling the west barrier. The final assault lasted ninety minutes with every defender dying at his post as room after room “was carried at the point of a bayonet.”
The battle can be counted as one the most dramatic and violent of all time. The rallying cry, “Remember the Alamo!” helped stiffen the defense of Texas, and the main army was able to defeat Santa Anna and win independence for the new nation.

The church has become a shrine, and male visitors are asked to remove their hats while inside. There is a museum, and many displays of the weaponry, the clothing/uniforms, and personalities that contributed to the battle.

A very worthwhile place to visit for any who are in the area.

Davy Crockett

I just finished "The Gates Of The Alamo," by Stephen Harrigan. I read it when it first came out, and this was the second time. I made a mistake by reading it after The Shaara's Mexican War/Civil War books. I should've read about the Alamo first, to keep the historical storyline straight.
Oh well.
It was a bit different than I remember. The character of Edward McGowan was much more a reclusive person than I had thought. I really identified with this man who had basically closed himself off from society while he pursued his own interests. I wish I had been able to find my joy that way. I think I would be really happy living away from all the mooks and fools that daily plague me, only coming out to share some ribs, rum and cigars with Flint.
Ah, that would be the life.


So after reading about the Alamo, I had to download some movies about Davy Crockett, starting with Walt Disney's version. Not bad, if a little truncated. Three one hour episodes were cut down to a ninety minute film. They got most of the highlights of his life, and the final battle was okay.
A little bloodier than I would've expected from a Disney product, but that was okay, too.
Next up was John Wayne's version of the event. There was a lot of speechifying liberally sprinkled about, as Wayne took the opportunity to wedge in his own views about liberty, America, sacrifice, etc.
The climactic battle is suitably epic. The set was built in Texas, away from the city, and you can see all the money that Wayne lavished on the production up on the screen.


The next film is the 2004 remake, with Billy Bob Thornton playing Crockett. I saw this when it first came out. Thornton did a good job, I thought. I remember the scene where he's been captured (rather than being killed in the battle), and Santa Anna has ordered his immediate execution.
He looks up with a sideways grin and says, 'I'm warning you, I'm a screamer."
I think they kill him off-screen.

I went to see the Alamo in 2002 while I was visiting my brother. They say it's the most popular tourist destination in Texas. I also went to Dealey Plaza, and that was pretty popular, too. But the Alamo is very much a shrine. They make sure you take your hat off and everything.
It's very clean and well-maintained, a far cry from what it must've looked like after the battle. Some historians talk about the savagery that took place. Santa Anna had warned the defenders there would be no quarter, and the Mexican troops used their bayonets to slaughter them all. They even killed a young boy in their frenzy, though they did spare a woman and her child, as well as Travis's slave.
I wonder if the Mexicans thought about opening up a tourist shop there? But of course, they didn't keep it very long, did they?