Remember the Alamo…. There are times when common man standing up against tyranny pay the ultimate price for freedom and liberty — the natural rights of man.
Was it worth it? Well, to the trapped and surrounded 185 men, a woman and some children, well, yes it was worth it.
Why was it worth it? It was worth it because the natural state of man is living in freedom. No matter where you put man in bondage, the desire is to escape and obtain freedom.
March 6th is a day of celebration to native Texicans, in which those that fell are honored. Almost 50% of those defending the Alamo were Mexican. None of the defenders wanted to be ruled by a tyrant who changed laws and the guarantees of the 1821 Mexican Constitution without the consent of the people.
Little did the defenders of the Alamo know, but that heroic stand set in motion a 10-year period that completely changed the Nation, ultimately igniting a quest for freedom of all people.
The Texas Republic was formed a little more than two months after General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna “breached and stormed” the Alamo, killing all, less the woman and the children. The bodies of the defenders were burned, until mere ashes remained.
The sacrifice gave time for General Sam Houston to gather and train a rag tag army of volunteers, many seeking revenge. They found it on the plains of San Jacinto, with the defeat of a small Mexican army and the capture of Santa Anna. On May 14th, the Treaties of Velasco was signed, ceding the Republic of Texas territory that included present day New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Kansas and Oklahoma.
How did Santa Anna gain power? The Santa Anna family benefitted under Spanish rule, being rich elitists with property. Young Antonio was an aspiring officer in the Spanish army. When the Mexican Revolution started, by the Father of Mexico, a parish priest named Father Miguel Hidalgo, in 1811, Santa Anna and other elites fought against the peasants of Mexico. Santa Anna was a good officer, he studied the conquests of Napoleon. He gave himself the moniker “The Napoleon of the West.”
As with many elites, the tides of war, the winds of change cause opportunistic people to re-evaluate their options. Just prior to the end of the revolution in 1821, Santa Anna switched to the winning side and as an elite, was given jurisdiction over the port of Veracruz, in which his family owned much property. Like a bad penny, Santa Anna would continue show up throughout history, he wanted power and he would crush any that stood in his way.
Returning to Texas, shortly after achieving independence, Texas requested that the United States annex the territory, something many in Massachusetts disliked, see page 3. The big issue at the time was slavery, and Texas was to be admitted as a slave State. It did not happen until 1845, when James Polk was President.
A new term was coined by the press who admired Polk, the Nation was expanding due to Manifest Destiny, a thought that the United States should occupy all territories between the Atlantic and Pacific Ocean, blessed by the Almighty. But under the covers, there was the issue of slavery versus the value of freedom.
Who actually started the Mexican-American war along the Rio Grande River in 1846 is unknown, but a betting man would believe that the United States was looking for an excuse to add territory to the west. The American Army invaded Mexico to “the Halls of Montezuma.” Santa Anna surrendered, accepting $15-million for the purchase of the California territory.
Remember the Alamo. What started as a quest for freedom, set in motion the expansion of a Nation which would include negotiations with Great Britain ceding the territory of Oregon, Washington, and Idaho to the United States in late 1846.
The defenders of the Alamo were fighting for freedom, yet, in the twists and turns of history, the stories told by man included slavery and expansion into areas occupied by others. While the concept of Manifest Destiny was short, it defined the Nation forever.
Was President Polk driven by power or did he truly embraced the belief that God wanted free men to live in a free Nation, where the blessings of liberty were enshrined by law?
Today, many people claim that Texas, California and other places were stolen from the Mexican government, who held ownership for a mere 25 years. Truth be told, the revolution and uprising that led to the Republic of Texas was due to despotism and lack of freedoms promulgated by Santa Anna.
History happened, but the interpretation is up to you. That brief span of time from 1836 to 1846, that ten-year period, changed the direction of the Nation, bringing to light the evils of slavery versus freedom, accelerating a conflict that would drive a sword through the soul of the Nation, ultimately correcting the condition of those excluded from the founding documents.
Remember the Alamo. Was the fight for freedom and the sacrifice worth it? As my brother-in-law noted, read the letter sent by Travis to Houston days prior to the fall of the Alamo.
Bexar, Feb. 24th 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 wall —– 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
Perhaps we need to take a lesson from Colonel Travis, to pray to the Almighty, that He may come to our aid, today, with all dispatch, so that we may restore the Blessings of Liberty
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One of the greatest letters ever written in American history. Don’t mess with Texas. Great article.