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How Much of a Texan Are You?

FlourBluffHorn

Well-Known Member
Jan 5, 2007
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1. Knowing what you know now..would you have stepped across Col. Travis's sword line to fight beside Crockett and Bowie and the rest at the Alamo? or would you have sneaked off into the night?




2. Do you think that Sam Houston was right by not going to the Alamo aid?





Hook'em
 
Yes.

If I were in Houston's shoes, I would've gone to help Travis at the Alamo. It's a good thing I'm not Sam Houston, because it would've been a tragic mistake, and there would be no Texas.
 
I dunno,but maybe we coulda settled in SA instead of San Jacinto or as many troops as Santa Anna had at the Alamo, Houston may have not made too much of a difference..I guess staying back to gain more troops was the right move, I would hated to be in Houstons shoes when he found out about the Alamo being overrun, it musta been bad for him knowing his descision meant death for them..but, then again its a sign of a good Field Commander is just that, someetimes ya gotta phone it in regardless!




Hook'em
 
I have to wonder FB....when you say knowing what we know now....I wonder how many of the defenders that were in that battle would have stayed.


Sam Houston was absolutely correct to not go to the aid of the Alamo. Jim Fannin on the other hand caused his men to die an empty death by not immediately going to the Alamo.Who knows? Perhaps many would have survived that would have been epic battle.

The Alamo was a ruin when Travis entered it and of no real importance at that time. What seems to be lost in the retelling of that battle is that the absolutely most heroic of all the defenders gets little mention.....Jim Bonham was sent out by Travis with that now very famous letter by Travis to Sam Houston pleading for reinforcements When Houston told him no help was on the way, Bonham,knowing it was suicide, felt honor bound to return and tell his comrads they were done for and no help was on the way. He rode through the Mexican lines to be the last man to enter the Alamo. Every time I hear his name it sends shivers up my spine.

Houston pursued a now known successful strategy of extending enemy supply lines Shin Tsu would have approved
 
Every single one of those men at the Alamo knew what we know now. They new how massively outnumbered they were, and that they were defending an indefensible "fort". They knew they were about to die, but stayed and fought anyway. That's true heroes.
 
Originally posted by oldhorn2:
I have to wonder FB....when you say knowing what we know now....I wonder how many of the defenders that were in that battle would have stayed.


Sam Houston was absolutely correct to not go to the aid of the Alamo. Jim Fannin on the other hand caused his men to die an empty death by not immediately going to the Alamo.Who knows? Perhaps many would have survived that would have been epic battle.

The Alamo was a ruin when Travis entered it and of no real importance at that time. What seems to be lost in the retelling of that battle is that the absolutely most heroic of all the defenders gets little mention.....Jim Bonham was sent out by Travis with that now very famous letter by Travis to Sam Houston pleading for reinforcements When Houston told him no help was on the way, Bonham,knowing it was suicide, felt honor bound to return and tell his comrads they were done for and no help was on the way. He rode through the Mexican lines to be the last man to enter the Alamo. Every time I hear his name it sends shivers up my spine.

Houston pursued a now known successful strategy of extending enemy supply lines Shin Tsu would have approved
Sometime Honor means everything and make a man do strange things such as Bonham, most people would took their time getting back hoping to miss it or hauled ass!



Hook'em
 
I think at the end the defenders knew death was inevitable. Thank God that Sam Houston was able to hold the remaining Texian army together on that long retreat. Perhaps the most difficult of all manouvers. Then to turn and fight when the odds were in our favor. How about his Indian policy? Peace instead of an expensive war. I like his flag better than Lamar's flag so many of us believe is the only one. Finally, opposing secession. There were many folks that wanted to hang him for that. A truly great man.
 
no question that the men knew that death was inevitable toward the end.At the time they entered, they expected reinforcements however. None the less, it was as heroic stand against overwhelming odds as has ever happened in human history, right up there with the stand of the 300.

When you think of it...it stands as one of the most famous battles in world history. Considering that it happened in such a backwater place of the world between insignificant opponents.
 
Yes at the time they got to the Alamo they expected reinforcements, or I'm not even sure they expected a fight at that time. However, if I remember correctly, at the time Travis drew the line in the sand, that was when Travis had told them there was no help coming. So, at that time they knew, and they still stepped across that line. The original question by FB pertained to when Travis drew the line, not to when the first got to the Alamo.
 
This is correct. Travis knew there would be no more troops coming to support them. But in battle, men need to be given hope when all hope is lost, or they won't rally their courage to fight. Even with a deathly sick legend in Jim bowie and a full on frontier legend in Crockett Travis likely wanted his men to feel they had a "punchers chance" against the Mexican army. In reality, I think Travis thought he could hold them off long enough that word of their valiant stand would make it out to the masses and inspire others to rally to their plight. No one really knows ALL of travis' thoughts but that's what I extrapolate from the information we have.

I think in his mind, the worst case scenario was, take as many if the bastards with you as possible. I know the effect a martyr can have on causes and in battle... maybe he wanted to be one.
 
The fact that I'm sitting at my desk so proud to read this that I'm tearing up a little bit proves the enduring legacy and iron character of those men. Would that we all had a little bit more of them inside ourselves.

Thank the Lord for every one of them, without whom none of us would be here today. God Bless Texas.
 
I wonder in the future if there will come a day when we as Americans have to draw a line in the sand if our government tramples our rights. Who will be standing on either side of that line is what I'd like know.
 
Originally posted by wheelerjr:
The fact that I'm sitting at my desk so proud to read this that I'm tearing up a little bit proves the enduring legacy and iron character of those men. Would that we all had a little bit more of them inside ourselves.

Thank the Lord for every one of them, without whom none of us would be here today. God Bless Texas.

3dgrin.r191677.gif
yup
 
If I remember,the Alamo stand gave Houston more time to train and build an Army
. The time in which he really needed.I liked Jim Bowie's idea to slash and burn at certain spots would likely cost less lives than to hold up in some rundown mission greatly outnumbered.The men in the Alamo died for what they believed in which was Freedom and the dignity of man and should always be remembered as hero's in Texas history. Houston plan to make the Mexican army walk half way across Texas,then attack was a brilliant military move,defeating Santa Anna in 18 minutes and the reason today most of us live in Texas,not mexico.
 
Cotton....Historical writings of the era point to the fact that the 13 days encounter didnt have that much effect on the outcome of the battle of San Jacinto other than building in Santa Ana such over confidence that along with his roll up victory almost without a shot in Goliad, There he slaughtered 400 of Fannins men who simply surrendered. Santa Ana figured the Texians had no ability to fight. He divided his forces and put himself in an almost undefendable position at San Jacinto, and never even noticed it.It also placed in the Texians a bitter resolve to band together and drive out the now hated,hated invader.

All it took from there was the Yellow Rose of Texas and Houstons brilliant decision to begin a battle at 2;30 PM which was unheard of.

And while we are on the subject, never forget that a large large portion of the defenders of the Alamo were Tejanos. I salute em all.
 
Agree,Santa Anna thought the Texans were running and was so confident he split his troops,bad call as his army was destroyed.He was captured after the battle and Houston gave him a choice,his life or the region of Texas north of the Rio grande river.He chose his life and the rest is history which seems to be forgotten in todays world.
This post was edited on 2/20 12:00 PM by Cotton #12
 
Its something that Santa Anna died penneyless and poor in a little dirt town...after being that high up in the Mexican Army...




Hook'em
 
Originally posted by oldhorn2:
I have to wonder FB....when you say knowing what we know now....I wonder how many of the defenders that were in that battle would have stayed.


Sam Houston was absolutely correct to not go to the aid of the Alamo. Jim Fannin on the other hand caused his men to die an empty death by not immediately going to the Alamo.Who knows? Perhaps many would have survived that would have been epic battle.

The Alamo was a ruin when Travis entered it and of no real importance at that time. What seems to be lost in the retelling of that battle is that the absolutely most heroic of all the defenders gets little mention.....Jim Bonham was sent out by Travis with that now very famous letter by Travis to Sam Houston pleading for reinforcements When Houston told him no help was on the way, Bonham,knowing it was suicide, felt honor bound to return and tell his comrads they were done for and no help was on the way. He rode through the Mexican lines to be the last man to enter the Alamo. Every time I hear his name it sends shivers up my spine.

Houston pursued a now known successful strategy of extending enemy supply lines Shin Tsu would have approved
Aided by "The Napoleon of the West" ( self named ) arrogantly and stupidly dividing his forces.
 
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