172 years ago today ...

[Hornius Emeritus]

172 years ago today, on April 21, 1836, Sam Houston's volunteers met what historian William Jackman called "the flower of the Mexican army" — the best of Santa Anna's 1,500 professional soldiers. The Texans numbered only about half that. But the Texans launched a surprise evening attack on Santa Anna's fortified positions. When the Texans rushed into battle, they yelled "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Goliad!"

As the Texans advanced with their rifles and Bowie knives, a single fife and a single drum played the love song "Will You Come to the Bower?, " a popular bawdy tune of the day.


Will you come to the bower I have shaded for you?
Your bed shall be of roses, be spangled with dew.
Will you, will you, will you come to the bower?
Will you, will you, will you come to the bower?

There under the bower on soft roses you'll lie,
With a blush on your cheek, but a smile in your eye.
Will you, will you, will you smile my beloved?
Will you, will you, will you smile my beloved?

But the roses we press shall not rival your lips,
nor the dew be so sweet as the kisses we'll sip.
Will you, will you, will you kiss me my beloved?
Will you, will you, will you kiss me my beloved?



May the spirit of Sam Houston forever grace these plains and prairies.

 

[TxStHorn]

Sad that no one has yet responded to this post.

Here's to those who gave far more than I ever will, for what is by far the greatest Nation, and now State, that ever did, or ever will exist.

 

[Touchdown_Texas]

 

[accuratehorn]

It was a historic and lop-sided victory, really amazing in scope. How there could have been so few casualties on the Texas side is just hard to fathom.

 

[zzzz]

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[zzzz]

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[MortimerTX]

 

[smwhorn]

<--- what the folks with Santa Ana did.

 

[kgp]

 

[Knoxville-Horn]

My great-great-great grandfather was among them. One of the few injuries in the battle. Give my own propensity to injury, it doesn't surprise me.

 

[Truck's Son]

We're Texas.

Great day for Texas and for the United States.

 

[pulque]

 

[El_Oso]

Viva Tejas!!

 

[dallas_the_tiger]

 

[gardere_owns_OU]

my 'so many' great granddaddys was edward burleson, who was sam houston's right hand man. his brother was aaron. you have probably heard of the city burleson south of ft. worth and the county burleson.

 

[Horn-N-LA]

I've heard of Jason Burleson. And Burleson Road.

Happy San Jac Day!

 

[HornHuskerDad]

HHD

 

[Mrmyke709]

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[Knoxville-Horn]

Mine was James Clinton Neill or Naill depending on the historical document. Some of y'all may have seen me post on this before but, if you haven't, kind of a cool story.

If memory serves, he was in charge of the "regiment" that fired the first shot of the War in Gonzales. Most of y'all probably recognize the "Come and Take It" flag.
He then went on to command the Alamo. He had to leave because of multiple family illnesses. If I'm not mistaken, those in charge didn't think the Mexicans would get there until after the Spring so he was supposed to be back by then.
Obviously, he didn't make it. He was then in the battle of San Jacinto.
I think he was then a founding member of the Texas Rangers. I also read somewhere that he was in some shady stuff late in life. He was gunned down from behind in the street of some small, Texas town.

Anyway, my mom said that she remember her grandfather talking about him all the time. I think it may have been my great-grandfather's grandfather. Something like that.

P. S. He was portrayed in both Alamo movies.

 

[Art Vandelay]

 

[UTDad]

My great, great, great uncle Henry Wax Karnes was there as well. He was a scout for Sam Houston and later a Texas Ranger Captain before dying at around age 28 of complications from an old Indian fighting wound. There is a paragraph or two about him in a lot of the Texas history books and Karnes County and Karnes City were named after him. It gives me chills to see his name on the monument.