14: Slaughter @ the Alamo

14/5/17

DSC_7955As today’s blog title indicates our day in San Antonio started with us walking along the river walk to the Alamo. The Alamo rang alarm bells in my head but to be honest I had no idea or expectation of what the Alamo was/ is. The Alamo was a Mission that later turned in to the core of Western American history. Established by Spanish Franciscan monks in the early 1720s it was built to house the local monks for worship and to convert the local Indian tribes to Christianity. It was also used by Spanish explorers and soldiers as an outpost and eventually a fort. In fact, the Alamo was converted to a fort by the Mexican military and was used to ensure the safety of the growing community of San Antonio.

DSC_7960By the 1800s more and more settlers moved into Texas from the United States (either English speaking from the Eastern states or German or French- predominantly) and friction began between the Mexican government and the local settlers. Eventually (1840ish), the local settlers (including Spanish speaking) banded together to create the Texian and Tejian militia + started to rebel against the Mexican government. Largely this friction was based on the fact that the states of Mexico (including Arizona, New Mexico, California and Texas) were no longer allowed to self govern but that all decisions would be made in Mexico City.

Americans being Americans had issues with this and so the local militias decided to fully rebel and create the Republic of Texas. First port of call was to overcome some of the local Mexican military outposts further south in Texas (Goliad being one of them). After a couple of quick wins the local militia knew that the key to keeping a Republic of Texas alive was to take and hold the Alamo in San Antonio.

The militia overcame the Mexican military at the Alamo and bunkered down for the known retaliation by the Mexican military. San Antonio is sort of in the middle of Texas. In the mid 1800s it was the gateway North/ South and East/ West so in the eyes of local Texians + the Mexican authority it was the key trade route through Texas.

DSC_7966As expected, the Mexican military retaliated and the Alamo was surrounded. 100 men to fight off an advancing army in excess of 1000. 10:1 odds aren’t too flash. Especially when it takes more than 20 seconds to reload a gun. Some of the “heros” of the Alamo included, Jim Bowie (so known for his Bowie knife that he always carried) and Davey Crocket. Two names that I at least recognised. Basically, it was a complete slaughter and no quarter was given. Within 30mins of the attack beginning (just before dawn) the entire camp was overcome and all men within killed. The only survivors were a few women and children (wives + kids of the militia), the only English speaking woman was given the task of returning to Goliad to tell General Sam Houston (another name familiar more because of the huge city named after him) that the Alamo had fallen. A year later the Alamo was retaken by Houston and General Santa Anna (the Mexican general who had given no quarter to the Alamo heros) signed a peace deal guaranteeing self-government to Texas (but still part of Mexico).

Ten years later, Texas became a state of the Union (a slave state), which immediately began the Mexican/ American war. The Americans again defeated the Mexican’s (this time getting all the way to Mexico City) where eventually the Mexicans capitulated and sold off Arizona, California + New Mexico creating today’s US/ Mexican border. Another 10 yrs later and the civil war begins (Texas being a confederate state)…

So, the Alamo is one big blood bath. Today, the Alamo church still stands (and was the last stand for the heroes) as does parts of the long barracks. The remainder of the museum/ park has all been rebuilt to show the size of the fort. Was a really great museum with great historians telling the story of the Alamo.

DSC_7975We grabbed some lunch down at the River Side Centre shopping area (adjacent to the Alamo) before heading back to our digs for an afternoon siesta. Later in the afternoon we decided to drive south to see the other remaining Franciscan Missionary churches still standing south of San Antonio.  First stop was just a couple of blocks from where we are staying in King William’s town. It is a small section of San Antonio that was populated by early German settlers and contains an impressive number of big antebellum houses. Very southern and very beautiful! After a quick drive around.. they are people’s houses after all- we continued south to find the Franciscan missions. There were five in all that were built in the 1720-1740s all about 3miles apart, linked by a trail.

The condition of the missions is pretty impressive. Gorgeous Spanish architecture still in pretty good condition. In fact, one is still used as a Catholic church! Quite a nice drive following the San Antonio River. We finished our drive by heading up to the north side of the city to the Pearl District.

Pearl was an old brewery complex that has been recently rejuvenated into high end shopping, dining and drinking. We enjoyed a cold beverage in the old distillery + had a chat to some local Austin-ians who were in town to watch a basketball game (that didn’t end up happening) who gave us some tips for tomorrow.

Our day ended back in San Antonio and back on the river walk with some more Mexican food. San Antonio is the home of TexMex so I was getting in my fix before we head into BBQ land!

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