Today...168 years ago...the Alamo fell....
 

"Ballad of the Alamo"
Marty Robbins

In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone,
There's a fortress all in ruin that the weeds have overgrown.
You may look in vain for crosses and you'll never see a one,
But sometime between the setting and the rising of the sun,
You can hear a ghostly bugle as the men go marching by;
You can hear them as they answer to that roll call in the sky:
Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett and a hundred eighty more;
Captain Dickenson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for.

Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis:
"Get some volunteers and go fortify the Alamo."
Well, the men came from Texas and from old Tennessee,
And they joined up with Travis just to fight for the right to be free.

Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders,
Stood together heel and toe to defend the Alamo.
"You may never see your loved ones," Travis told them that day.
"Those that want to can leave now, those who'll fight to the death, let 'em stay."

In the sand he drew a line with his army sabre,
Out of a hundred eighty five, not a soldier crossed the line.
With his banners a-dancin' in the dawn's golden light,
Santa Anna came prancin' on a horse that was black as the night.

He sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender.
Travis answered with a shell and a rousin' rebel yell.
Santa Anna turned scarlet: "Play Degüello," he roared.
"I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword."

One hundred and eighty five holdin' back five thousand.
Five days, six days, eight days, ten; Travis held and held again.
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame,
But the troops that were comin' never came, never came, never came.

Twice he charged, then blew recall. On the fatal third time,
Santa Anna breached the wall and he killed them one and all.
Now the bugles are silent and there's rust on each sword,
And the small band of soldiers lie asleep in the arms of The Lord.

In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone,
Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone.
And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before,
Santa Anna's guns were blazin' and the cannons used to roar.
And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow,
And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo.
To the thirteen days of glory at the seige of Alamo.

http://www.oaksbank.com/history/alamoflag.jpg

http://www.pacificislandtravel.com/n...s/alamo.68.jpg



REMEMBER THE ALAMO!!

http://www.srttexas.org/Graphic/Texa...g%20Redone.jpg

Kitso
KS 361 more "I love Texas" ilk threads you can expect from Kitso

http://www.jimtardio.com/san-antonio-alamo-big.jpg

One of the most gallant stands of courage and undying self-sacrifice which have come down through the pages of history is the defense of the Alamo, which is one of the priceless heritages of Texans. It was the battle-cry of "Remember the Alamo" that later spurred on the forces of Sam Houston at San Jacinto. Anyone who has ever heard of the brave fight of Colonel Travis and his men is sure to "Remember the Alamo."

Besieged by Santa Anna, who had reached Bexar on February 23, 1836, Colonel William Barret Travis, with his force of 182, refused to surrender but elected to fight and die, which was almost certain, for what they thought was right. The position of these men was known but no aid reached them. The request to Colonel James W. Fannin for assistance had gone unheeded. No relief was in store. As the Battle of the Alamo was in progress, a part of the Texas Army had assembled in Gonzales under the command of Mosely Baker in the latter part of February. From this army, a gallant band of 32 courageous men under the command of George C. Kimble left to join the garrison at the Alamo. Making their way through the enemy lines, these 32 men joined the doomed defenders and perished with them.

On March 2, 1836, during the siege of the Alamo, Texas independence was declared. Four days later, the document was signed with the blood shed at the Alamo. It was under such conditions that Travis and his men fought off the much larger force under Santa Anna. It was with the love of liberty in his voice and the courage of the faithful and brave that Travis gave his men the none too cheerful choice of the manner in which they wished to die.

Realizing that no help could be expected from the outside and that Santa Anna would soon take the Alamo, Travis addressed his men, told them that they were fated to die for the cause of liberty and the freedom of Texas. Their only choice was in which way they would make the sacrifice. He outlined three procedures to them: first, rush the enemy, killing a few but being slaughtered themselves in the hand-to-hand fight by the overpowering Mexican force; second, to surrender, which would eventually result in their massacre by the Mexicans, or, third, to remain in the Alamo and defend it until the last man, thus giving the Texas army more time to form and likewise taking a greater toll among the Mexicans.

The third choice was the one taken by the men. Their fate was death and they faced it bravely, asking no quarter and giving none. The siege of the Alamo ended on the dawn of March 6, when its gallant defenders were put to the sword. But it was not an idle sacrifice that men like Travis and Davy Crockett and James Bowie made at the Alamo. It was a sacrifice on the altar of liberty.

Yes siree! REMEMBER THE ALAMO!

Is anyone living in San Antonio now? I heard they had the premiere this weekend, and it supposedly rocked... Anyone see any stars?

Congratulations to all of the Men Of the USA as were know then for the Brave Fight that they all died for at a Church in San Antonio! Over whelming odds of the day!:(

Now, My Question is whose land was it back then?:confused:

Who were The Usurpers:confused:

It is OUR HISTORY FOR A VALIENT FIGHT, but it is still the question, whose land was it?

One must remember what History was back then! Land Grabbing from the Dons and that went on for years! Ergo California!

Political, Yes! Economics Yes!

Country on the Move!:)

Why then did The USA not Keep Canada when it was invaded or Mexico, Damn, we would have been a heck of a country, all of North America!:cool:

Just a Geo-Political Thought!;)

SATXA*Phi and I are here in SA. I Didnt see the premier. I think Adrianna was in Gruene at a Cory Morrow concert. Half of downtown was closed for it and I didnt wanna deal with all the traffic. Its kinda dick of me, but of there were some A list celebs there, I might have been more interested, but Billy Bob? I dont think I'd walk across a parking lot for that guy. Now if he was still with Angelina and she was there.....

On the movie tip..

Is it wrong of me to know that the movie will prolly get me alittle emotional. I cant wait to see it tho....

The anchor on KSAT saw it in the media premeier and said that "everyone who lives in Texas owes it to themselves to see it."

Dude, i'm getting emotional listening to Pat Green knowing that in 3 days i'll be seeing him at Chilifest singing along to "Southbound 35" so its no big deal.

I'm gonna need to find someone up here in stupid SD to see the movie with me next weekend.

Kitso
KS 361

Yeah, I watched the one hour "Live from the Yellow Carper" on our local channel, WOAI. It was pretty cool. Tim McGraw and Faith Hill passed by during the hour show. Downtown was crazy though. Tons of people. One of the stars, I think it was Dennis Quaid, said, "I think all of Texas came out."

seems to be another good way for texas to get its due.

:confused:
Ez-queese me?
What now?

- Confused Canadian trying to figure out when this occupation occured, given that it can't be 1812.

Oh. Shout out to all the Texan greeks out there from a very bored greek at work in Canada's answer to Texas

It would have been pretty cool to meet Faith Hill, she is mighty hot. I would have liked to have been in the good state of Texas for this one. I think it is super-cool that the premiere wasn't in Hollywood. I hope directors start opening up films in other locations. I am going to see it as soon as I can as well.

Back then the land was Mexico's. A lot of people think that the battle at the Alamo was between Mexico and the U.S. but that is incorrect. The people fighting the Mexicans were Americans but they had moved to Texas (Mexico) to start a new life and because Texas had plenty of land. Some people consider it a Mexican civil war. After the Mexican army was defeated by Houston and his men, Texas became the Republic of Texas, the only (mainland) state in the country to have been it's own country.

whoa whoa careful, the hawaiians will get all up at arms and threaten you with machetes :rolleyes:

Kitso
KS 361

:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: What's with the roll eyes? :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

But we were the only state that was its own republic before it joined the US. An important distinction to us, and pol science majors everywhere.