One hundred and eighty years ago, by this time tomorrow nothing but the pyres were left. The outpost will fall in twelve hours.
No rendirse, muchachos! Don't surrender, boys!

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Halfway and one more step

These men are heroic in every sense of the word. They knew they would die and chose to buy time for Sam Houston. No greater love. What a great story with no embellishments. One of the greatest stories of heroism ever. Sad outcome for the Alamo defenders but an amazing legacy for Texas.

Thanks for posting. This deserves to be remembered in an age when the media and academia don't say much about it, lest it offend any group and be deemed non-PC. They sometimes even denigrate these heroes, trying to demean them like they do Thos. Jefferson.

Remember the Alamo!

Thank you for reminding us of this day. And the bravery shown by those men.

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Frosty
S&WCA # 2816

Thankfully they did not die in vain. I cannot imagine how different this country would be if Texas was Mexico today.

It was one of my favorite things to read about as a kid.

Been to the Alamo twice. Quite an experience. Have to hand it to Houston for not executing Santa Anna after he had executed Texans earlier at the Alamo.

Let us never forget........

Forever and always, from one generation to the next,

Remember the Alamo!


.

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

The battle is over, and I figure Deaf Smith is within miles of San Antonio de Bexar. He will ride towards the village, and return to escort the survivors east to General Sam Houston. Imagine his thoughts at this time. John " Colorado" Smith is also en route with 25 re-inforcements. Susanna Dickenson and other non combatants will be released, Santa Anna hoped they would convince Texians that his army was unbeatable.

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Halfway and one more step

A visit to the Alamo should be on everyone's bucket list.
I was profoundly moved just being in the area where so many Heros had stood their ground.

WR

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God, Country, Family

Can I get a "Hell Yeah!" When the U.S. Army marched into Mexico City a few years later, we should have never given it back.
TEXAS...BY GOD.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

I was stationed at Fort Sam for a short time in 1971. We visited the Alamo on several occasions and it is a most impressive place.

I've only been close enough to San Antonio once - and it was the only place I felt OBLIGATED to go, learn what I could and pay my respects to some of the bravest and Nobelist men in US history!

Even the couple of people that were with who wanted to go elsewhere were very impressed and in tears after the tour and skits put on outside.

IMO It's actually a very emotional place once you learn of the heroics involved.

Go Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, William Travis and all the rest!

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Halfway and one more step

My wife and I visit San Antonio every summer. The Alamo is always on our list of places to see.

Alamo trivia:

The Alamo draws 2.5 million visitors every year.

The Alamo name translates into "cottonwood."

The Texan commander of the Alamo Battle, Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis, asked for assistance from both the Texas and U.S. governments, but nobody responded. Only 32 rangers from nearby Gonzales, Texas, came to the defenders' aid and all were eventually killed in the battle.

The youngest defender to die at the Alamo was 15.

The first soldier killed was the first in command, Travis.

After the battle, Santa Anna ordered the defenders' bodies burned, including a dozen Tejanos.

Santa Anna held the office of president six times but died a pauper in 1876.

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A gun has no brain.. use yours

My wife and I have vacationed in San Antonio twice - great place to visit - lots to see and experience. Both times we made a pilgrimage to the Alamo.

Photographing the Alamo is a challenge for two reasons. In the daytime, the background of the Crockett Hotel and other modern buildings really doesn't suit the subject. Also during the day, the site is awash with tourists, who clutter things up for a purist picture-taker like me.

So on our last visit (in the 1990s), I made a special trip to the Alamo in the dead of night - 0_dark_30. It was lit by only the security lights, with no tourists around. The background was pitch black.

Placing my Pentax K-1000 (35mm film SLR) on a parking lot post for stability, I took a by-guess-and-by-gosh time exposure of about 20 seconds. When we got home, I viewed the negative and knew I got it right. I immediately had a large picture printed, and it hangs today in our family room. This is a digital "picture of a picture" to give you an idea of the results of my late-night trip. I think it reflects the hallowed spirit of this Texas and American icon. Long live the memory of the stalwart defenders.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

"You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas." - Davy Crockett

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Nationality: Confederate

Had a great addition till WiFi conked out. Anyway, was trying to say I attended a reenactment of this held at the county courthouse. All but one reenactor was currently in law enforcement or retired LEO. One was the messenger sent by Travis to Sam Houston//who was portrayed by Frankie Avalon in Duke's movie, //also had Jim Bowie, William B. Travis, two Texas rangers, an Indian wars Yankee cavalry sergeant major, a cattle baron, Juan Navarro--excellently portrayed by a channel six meteorologist Maclovio Perez, and several others. I took around 23 photos of this event but have no way to post.

Navarro, was a signer of the Texas declaration of independence. He was born in San Antonio around 1795ish, lived under six flags plus---. As a boy, he had some kind of terrible leg injury so, he couldnt go play with other kids. He devoted his time to study, grew up and became a lawyer, then a Senator. He lived through the civil war and saw when Texas was admitted to the union.

I met a few ladies who are members of: The Daughters of the American Revolution, Texas Revolution and Daughters of the Confederacy. One person there but not part of the show, is a lady who is related to Sergeant Lee, a former slave freed by Robert E. Lee--who made him his personal cook and promoted him to sergeant with equal pay.

Great photo! Thanks for sharing

My favorite shrine.I am proud of the fellow South Carolinians who fought there.
I was watching Ken Burn's "The West" last night which was very good,however I felt he gave short shrift to some of the best known heroes.Enen so,it felt as if I had a lump in my throat.

Palladin, Thanks for the effort that picture took to take. I hope you don't mind I had to save it.

The final history on Texas will read won by brave men lost by immigration.

Went there when I was 10. Even at that age I couldn't speak above a whisper when I got inside.

Paladin:

John, that is a superb photo. Thanks for posting. I'm in awe. I know how hard that was to take.

No sweat!

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

When Santa Anna was captured after the Battle of San Jacinto he was disguised as a private and not recognized at first. His own soldiers accidentally gave him away. He was promptly brought before Houston before being hanged. Houston knew that if he was executed, Texas' independence would be repudiated by Santa Anna's successor. He knew that Santa Anna had to stay alive after recognizing the Republic of Texas. He reportedly told his men "You want Santa Anna. I want Texas."
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I don't have Alzheimer's- My wife had me tested.

To say that the Alamo is sacred to Texas and Texans, particularly native Texans, is not an exaggeration. Were it to be destroyed by some terrorist organization, I truly believe if the state had the power to declare war, Texas would. And would fight it alone if necessary.

William John Lightfoot, my mother's ancestor, was born in Mercer Co. Kentucky and was apparently living in Gonzales when the call came. Several others of the family fought with distinction in other battles, including San Jacinto. I remember looking with a great deal of wonder at his name on the wall in the chapel as a kid.

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Some collect art; I shoot it!

Gonzales in 1835 is where the first shots of the Texas Revolution were fired. A case of the government coming to seize the legally owned weapons of the citizens. Its an interesting read and the source of my avatar.

I have visited the Alamo four times. The last time I was appalled by the irreverence of the crowd. No silence in the chapel. It was a different experience form the previous three visits with the same size crowds. God bless those heroes.

After you have seen The Alamo, go see Mission San Jose. It will give you a better idea of how big The Alamo was at the time of the battle and how 200 men never had a chance of holding it.
Because The Alamo was close to the town and it wasn't history when it happened, a lot was torn down as salvage to build other things. There is a strong effort going on to restore at least parts of the old fort.

The last time I walked next to the long barracks, I could ''feel'' those men were still there. I got a chill, and this was in August.