Thoughts on the Alamo

[GT WT]

"But I submit that had they conducted a guerilla campaign against the Mexican supply lines, they would have been more valuable to the Texian cause."

Perhaps, but then they wouldn't be behaving nearly as much like Texans.

Most of the garrison at the Alamo were farmers and townfolk and ill-suited for guerilla warfare. They were determined and pugnacious but they weren't RIP Ford or Jack Hays. They would have stood little chance in the open against the lancers of the Mexican Army. They were suited for the situation they found themselves in. They fought well and they died heroes. Second guessing is easy but it seems tawdry.

God bless Texas!

 

[accuratehorn]

Hornius Emeritus gives a good primer on the reasons for the revolution, but you can boil it down to dissatisfaction with the government of Mexico.
You can find some in the Alamo that supported slavery, some who were in Texas for economic reasons, some rogues, some of various other types, but all those things are very secondary to the main cause of their fight-Santa Ana threw out the constitution of Mexico, set himself up as dictator, and instituted policies that enraged the Texians enough to fight against him. Mexico could not effectively govern its territories.
The bottom line is, would any of us want to live under the government of Mexico back then, or even to this very day? Hell, no.
The analysis that slavery was the cause of this revolt is stupidly simplistic, not really worth commenting on.
There seems to be some kind of movement to revise history to claim Mexico should be the rightful owner of Texas, and that the poor, poor Mexicans were wronged by the revolution. What exactly gives them any claim over Texas or anywhere else, more so than any other European invaders of North America? Why doesn't France deserve Texas? Why doesn't Spain? And certainly, the native Americans were here first.

 

[MGS]

Did Nickelodeon also state that Santa Anna tossed out the democratic constitution of Mexico, dismissed it's congress and made himself dictator? Did it mention that several other Mexican states also rebelled?

 

[khorn]

If you read most of Salviolas seminal works, you will find she is amongst the top underage, poorly educated historians of our time.

 

[LonghornLawyer]

The two things that show conclusively that slavery was not a significant cause of the Texas Revolution are:

1) The fact that the prohibition on slavery was not enforced in Texas as a matter of centralista policy, thereby removing that motive; and

2) A comparison between the Texas Declaration of Independence and the Texas Declaration of the Causes of Secession. When slavery was the reason for Texas to declare independence--as it was in 1861, Texans were not shy about saying so. Consider this language from the Secession document:

In reply to:

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[Gone To Texas]

In 1861, "when [Governor Sam Houston] refused to take the oath of loyalty to the newly formed Confederate States of America, the Texas convention removed him from office on March 16 and replaced him with Lieutenant Governor Edward Clark two days later." [Handbook of Texas]

So... apparently Houston was willing to lead an army in a long-shot rebellion against Mexico's superior forces in order to preserve the institution of slavery in Texas, but could not support the same cause for the Confederacy 20 years later?

Or perhaps, as LL showed, the Texas Revolution was about a lot more than just a bunch of rednecks fighting to keep their slaves.

 

[accuratehorn]

The above phrase says all that need be said: "(Mexico) hath continually exhibited every characteristic of a weak, corrupt, and tyrranical government."
That is what the Alamo, San Jacinto, and the Republic of Texas were all about.

 

[ScoPro]

Remember Zacatecas.

 

[general35]

just think, if the mexicans had won, which they should have, every town in texas would look like matamoros.

 

[GT WT]

General, there is a huge difference between the border cities (e.g., Matamoros) and more typical Mexican cities. When you get a chance visit Campeche or Villahermosa, these are beautiful cities with vibrant cultures.

Border towns, on both sides of the river, tend to magnify the worst of both cultures. That's as true in Texas as in Mexico.

I'm glad Texas isn't part of Mexico. I would just as soon she wasn't part of the U.S.

God bless Texas!

 

[Doughbroz]

Agree with accuratehorn's comment on Col. Travis' letter from the Alamo. Twice I have stood in that silent room and read that letter, and got a knot in my throat both times. What a brave man he must have been.

 

[accuratehorn]

Unfortunately, Travis' letter is no longer on the wall inside the Alamo. The metal plate with the text of the letter is now outside the building. You can read it as you wait in line to go in on a busy day, but it is not as emotional an experience as when it was inside. Still great words, and while many of the facts surrounding the Alamo can be subject to question, that letter is real and cannot be revised by modern historians, apologists, political correctarians, nee'r do wells, or hornswagglers.

 

[LongestHorn]

When I travel back east, I like to ask people if they know the story of the battle of the Alamo.

When I ask them who won the battle, almost everyone says "Texas, of course".

When they learn that Mexican forces massacred everyone at the Alamo, they almost all say the same thing..."why then do you Remember the Alamo"

 

[UTViking]

I moved to Texas in the middle of 3rd grade. On my first day of school in Texas, during history class, I was asked who won the battle of the Alamo. Having never heard of the Alamo at this point in my life and believing that the good guys always won (I was 9 years old), I said Texas. I will never forget the verbal beat down I took that day.