March 6, 1836

[Books OToole]

Green B. Jamison Was one of those great Alamo Defenders who fails to get the attention he deserves.

'Greater love hath no man than to lay down his life for his friends'

God Bless Texas

Jamison was the engineer responsible for fortifying the Alamo.
He said;  if they were re-enforced with 500 men, there was nothing he needed to do.
With out the re-enforcements, there was nothing he could do.

Books

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Please take a moment and pause to remember that on March the 6th, 175 years ago, a small group of brave men stood up against an impossible enemy.  They stood tall and gave up their lives so that others could be free.

At dawn on March 6th, 1836 several thousand Mexican soldiers over ran the garrison of 189 men at the mission at San Antonio de Bexar.

[Rafe Covington]

Brave men fighting for a just cause, true Patriots.

Rafe Covington

[Dr. Bob]

I will  do that!

[Major 2]

I am up.... and to my post...this the High Holly Day

[Shotgun Franklin]

After church, my son and I will go to The Alamo. Unfortunately 175 years to late to help.

[Drayton Calhoun]

As long as men love freedom, there will always be those ready to lay down their lives for it.

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Please pause today and remember the brave patriots who laid down their lives 176 years ago for our Texican freedom.



Pancho

[Tascosa Joe]

Amen.

[Dr. Bob]

I will remember them today!

[G.W. Strong]

I'm taking my first trip to the Alamo this May. I am very much looking forward to it.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Of note on this day of thoughtfulllness one of our thoughts should be towards the number of Hispanic-bred members of the Alamo defenders and the number of Tejas freedomfighters who were hispanic ... to every one who left us on that day let us strive to be a little bit better because of what they gave their lives for ... otherwise ....

http://www.houstonculture.org/hispanic/alamo.html

[Texas Lawdog]

Hopalong, On you visit to the Alamo, pay close attention to a brass plaque on the end of the Long Barracks bldg. It was dedicated by the Grand Lodge of Texas, honoring the defenders of the Alamo who were Masons. The Alamo is a special place to Texas Masons.  San Antonio is a great vacation spot. Another important landmark is the Menger Hotel, where members of the Rough Riders were recuited.

[Shotgun Franklin]

History is taught in the most simplistic method possible. The entire of northern Mexico was fighting for freedom. Texas happened to in the best of circumstances to win theirs. After the revolution and before the resolution of annexation, The Republic of Texas tried to help Yucatan in their rebellion. Very many Mexicans wanted some kinda freedom as badly as the Texicans did.

[G.W. Strong]

Hopalong, On you visit to the Alamo, pay close attention to a brass plaque on the end of the Long Barracks bldg. It was dedicated by the Grand Lodge of Texas, honoring the defenders of the Alamo who were Masons. The Alamo is a special place to Texas Masons.  San Antonio is a great vacation spot. Another important landmark is the Menger Hotel, where members of the Rough Riders were recuited.

I will be sure to take note of these. I am hoping that F-Trooper will act as "native guide" for me while I am visiting.

[Tascosa Joe]

If you have time go to the Mission San Jose.  It will give you a picture of what the Alamo looked like during the Spanish Colonization.  Lots of neat things in San Antonio. 

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Written account of the siege and battle by survivor Susanna Dickinson. 

"On February 23d, 1836, Santa Anna, having captured the pickets sent out by Col. Travis to guard the post from surprise,2 charged into San Antonio with his troops, variously estimated at from six to ten thousand, only a few moments after the bells of the city rang the alarm.3
        "Capt. Dickinson galloped up to our dwelling and hurriedly exclaimed: "The Mexicans are upon us, give me the babe, and jump up behind me." I did so, and as the Mexicans already occupied Commerce street, we galloped across the river at the ford south of it, and entered the fort at the southern gate, when the enemy commenced firing shot and shell into the fort, but with little or no effect, only wounding one horse.
        "There were eighteen guns mounted on the fortifications, and these, with our riflemen, repulsed with great slaughter two assaults upon them before the final one.
        "I knew Colonels Crockett. Bowie and Travis well. Col. Crockett was a performer on the violin, and often during the siege took it up and played his favorite tunes.
        "I heard him say several times during the eleven days of the siege: 'I think we had better march out and die in the open air. I don't like being hemmed up.'
        "There were provisions and forage enough in the fort to have subsisted men and horses for a month longer.
        "A few days before the final assault three Texans entered the fort during the night and inspired us with sanguine hopes of speedy relief, and thus animated the men to contend to the last.
        "A Mexican women deserted us one night, and going over to the enemy informed them of our very inferior numbers, which Col. Travis said made them confident and emboldened to make the final assault, which they did at early dawn on the morning of the 6th of March.
        "Under the cover of darkness they approached the fortifications, and planting their scaling ladders against our walls just as light was approaching, they climbed up to the tops of our walls and jumped down within, may of them to their immediate death.
        "As fast as the front ranks were slain, they were filled up again by fresh troops.
        "The Mexicans numbered several thousands while there were only one hundred and eighty-two Texans.
        "The struggle lasted more than two hours when my husband rushed into the church where I was with my child, and exclaimed: 'Great God, Sue, the Mexicans are inside our walls! All is lost! If they spare you, save my child.'
        "Then, with a parting kiss, he drew his sword and plunged into the strife, then raging in different portions of the fortifications.
        Soon after he left me, three unarmed gunners who abandoned their then useless guns came into the church where I was, and were shot down by my side. One of them was from Nacogdoches and named Walker.4 He spoke to me several times during the siege about his wife and four children with anxious tenderness. I saw four Mexicans toss him up in the air (as you would a bundle of fodder) with their bayonets, and then shoot him. At this moment a Mexican officer came into the room, and addressing me in English, asked: "Are you Mrs. Dickinson?' I answered "Yes.' Then said he, 'If you wish to save your life, follow me.' I followed him, and although shot at and wounded, was spared.
        "As we passed through the enclosed ground in front of the church, I saw heaps of dead and dying. The Texans on an average killed between eight and nine Mexicans each-182 and 1,600 Mexicans were killed.5
"I recognized Col. Crockett lying dead and mutilated between the church and the two story barrack building, and even remember seeing his peculiar cap lying by his side.
        "Col. Bowie was sick in bed and not expected to live, but as the victorious Mexicans entered his room, he killed two of them with his pistols before they pierced him through with their sabres.
        "Col. Travis and Bonham were killed while working the cannon, the body of the former lay on the top of the church.6
"In the evening the Mexicans brought wood from the neighboring forest and burned the bodies of all the Texans, but their own dead they buried in the city cemetery across the San Pedro [creek]."

[Six Gun Saint]

It will never cease to amaze me how many people not only have forgotten WHEN this happened, but don't even know who the belligerents were!

I was actually talking about it Friday with a fella, he didn't know who Colonel Travis was, OR Jim Bowie...  Didn't know, OR CARE what the Alamo was, when it happened, or why it was so important.

He's 55.

He also proceeded to tell me about how much of a nerd I must be for knowing.

I know there's still a bit until the actual day, but I'll be working all day tomorrow, and wanted to post this while I'm able.

Recently, to keep the memory alive, I actually started signing all letters and emails I send with a bit from one of the last known letters Colonel William B. Travis wrote:

Respect to all Friends, Confusion to all Enemies,
~Travis (my birth/given name-I kid you not)

[Pancho Peacemaker]

Remember the Alamo!

[Harley Starr]

Remember the Alamo!