February 24th, 1836

25 February 2010, 04:13

Rusty

February 24th, 1836

quote:
Commandancy of the Alamo
Bejar, Feby. 24, 1836

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World

Fellow citizens & compatriots

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country VICTORY OR DEATH.

William Barret Travis,

Lt. Col. comdt.

P.S. The Lord is on our side. When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn. We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves. Travis

Perhaps the finest piece of prose in the English Language!

God Bless the Fallen Heroes of Texas!
God Bless Sam Houston!
God Bless The Republic!

Who shall remember, if we do not?

Rusty
We Band of Brothers!
DRSS, NRA & SCI Life Member
"I am rejoiced at my fate. Do not be uneasy about me, for I am with my friends."
----- David Crockett in his last letter (to his children), January 9th, 1836
"I will never forsake Texas and her cause. I am her son." ----- Jose Antonio Navarro, from Mexican Prison in 1841
"for I have sworn upon the altar of god eternal hostility against every form of tyranny over the mind of man." Thomas Jefferson
Declaration of Arbroath April 6, 1320-“. . .It is not for glory, nor riches, nor honours that we are fighting, but for freedom - for that alone, which no honest man gives up but with life itself.”

25 February 2010, 04:46

Mad Dog

Rusty, absolutely great post! Thank you, sir!

Mad Dog

25 February 2010, 07:25

Idaho Sharpshooter

What was that song:

"...back in 1836, Houston said to Travis, get some volunteers and go; fortify the Alamo...Now the bugles are silent, and there's rust on each sword. And a small band of soldiers, lie asleep' in the arms of the Lord...".

We were diminished by their passing, as we are by the warriors today...

Rich
I am proud, to this day; to have fought side by side with men such as these. The phrase "For God & Country" was not an idle thought to them

25 February 2010, 07:56

CaneCorso

I am a proud American!

25 February 2010, 11:50

Geedubya

These days, here in Texas, Cinco De Mayo gets much more notice than does San Jacinto Day or any commemoration of the battle of the Alamo.

As an aside, I've hunted with 9 or so other old farts for the last 11 years. For the first 8 or so, we had either a trailer or a line shack where we all bunked. If we didn't have electricity, we'd run a generator. One of our "hunting camp" rituals was, every nite (and I do mean every nite) at "lites out" the soundtrack to John Wayne's "The Alamo" would be played. I think I have the album memorized up to the point of "Must be Parson and the boy, (played by Frankie Avalon in the movie), Think So"
GWB

25 February 2010, 20:04

butchloc

you guys in texas gave us the alamo and sam houston , but here in minnesota we gave you uh oh. uh franken and huphrey

26 February 2010, 03:08

Rusty

On the capitol grounds at Austin, Tex., stands a monument to the heroes of the Alamo, erected in 1891, with the inscription:

"Thermopylae had her messenger of defeat: the Alamo had none."

26 February 2010, 12:01

N E 450 No2

One hundred and eighty five.... holding back five thousand....

Five days, six days, eight days, ten...

Travis held and held again...

26 February 2010, 23:33

Idaho Sharpshooter

The highest, most difficult standard of service in any military is to send soldiers to a certain death; and have those soldiers know that is what they face, and for them to volunteer to go what ever the cost.
Those men knew that they would not leave the Alamo alive, and they chose to stay, to stand and fight to the bitter sweet end. Imagine standing on those walls, and seeing waves of enemy soldiers, bayonets fixed, advancing at a steady pace.

Heroes all, then and today...

Rich

27 February 2010, 03:32

billinthewild

G-d Bless America

01 March 2010, 00:57

George Semel

Its not PC to celebrate hero's like it once was. Then why is it that Movie's that do celebrate hero's do so well? Be it The Alamo, 300, or The 9th Company (Russian). Travis knew full well what was expected when ordered to go there. Sam Houston knew full well what was going to be the out come. Hard choices, to buy time, to be able to over come at a latter time. A high price to pay. History is full of such things. Its not shameful to remember and to celebrate its just the opposite. The few up against the many. Ever age has that story. Be it Greek, Englishman, or Texan's or Concord and Lexington.

02 March 2010, 02:31

Idaho Sharpshooter

Ahemmmmmmmmm,

Here in Idaho it is not only PC, but an honored privilege to celebrate such men and their acts of heroism. Us old guys still wear fatigue jackets and our old boonie hats or (in my case Beret) and we march a couple blocks to the State Capitol where our Governor and Senators and Congressmen walk to the podium and thank us all. Our one Congressman served in Vietnam, he gives the best speech.

Rich