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The Alamo, an old mission now in downtown San Antonio is a special place to Texans and to many others who have visited it. There is a sign on the door, to the effect, "Those who enter, speak quitely for heroes died here". Many times we honor soldiers who fought for a cause, a bomber crew over Germany, a Marine landing on Tarawa; but many of these hoped to survive, and most did. For Texans, the Alamo was different; those 185 or so inside a makeshift fort, knew they were surrounded by a modern army of 3000 or 4000; with no chance to survive.It sounds like a Hollywood script with people like James Bowie and David Crockett, but it was real and we know because the letters Travis sent out exist. The choice was surrender, try to escape at night, or fight and make Santa Anna pay dearly for the victory. After 13 days of siege and bombardment, the Mexicans attacked at daylignt, fortified by mescal and their own bravery. The Texans had some cannon, and like Crockett, top riflemen. The took a toll the first wave, the Mexicans retreated, came again, were driven back, and then shifted to the gap made in the north wall by cannon fire. Sheer numbers overwhelmed the defenders. Mexican losses were heavy, too many to even bury: Santa Anna had his dead thrown in the river and burned the defender bodies. Santa Anna said, 'a small affair". He had stayed in the rear during the fighting. Gen. Cos morned his men and wrote of the first div. he led, "I brought 800 of the finest soldiers here and left 600 of them dead." Total Mexican losses, including wonded can be estimated at about a third of their army, and most of their bravado. Santa Anna went east and six weeks later, at San Jacinto just east of Houston, was routed by Sam Houston's Texas army in just 18 minutes. This time the Mexicans, including Santa Anna put up almost no fight and ran from a smaller force. Mexicans had murdered 400 prisoners that surrenderd at Goliad. Their soldiers learned a little English, i e "Me no Alamo, Me no Goliad" and it did save about 650 of them, the 400 dead were left on the prarie for the coyetes. Texas was free. The grounds are marked now by a tall monument and the Battleship Texas.
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Bill Greenwood
Spitfire N308WK
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