Friday, March 6, 2020 – 13 Days of Glory

Friday, March 6, 2020 – 13 Days of Glory

To the 13 days of glory and the men of The Alamo.

On this day in 1836, the Alamo fell to the Mexican Army.

We Native Texans remember the day and we demand that any body who lives in Texas remember it as well.

This is part of our bigger than life Texas pride as we recall our glorious heroes who made Texas the state and people we are. But they were not so glorious at the time.

General Sam Houston ordered Colonel William B. Travis not to go defend the Alamo. When Travis and the rest of the renegades did it anyway, Houston was furious. He did not send reinforcements.

Meanwhile there is Colonel James Fannin in Goliad. This would be the indecisive Fannin who when he finally decided to evacuate the mission, it was too late. When the Mexican Army captured them, Fannin neglected to tell his men of Santa Anna’s orders of “No Quarters!” The result was Fannin and his troops died in what is referred to as The Goliad Massacre.

Because his actions were seen as cowardly, Fannin’s entire family were vilified by Texans until 1936 -the centennial -100 Years later. His wife and daughters were ostracized from society until wife, Minerva and one of the daughters suffered nervous breakdowns.

When the news of the fall of the Alamo and Santa Anna’s approaching army, Sam Houston headed east. At the time, Houston’s men almost mutinied thinking it was a retreat and run.

Meanwhile, Santa Anna let the women and children who were at the Alamo go. They make it to Sam Houston with the news of the fall in Gonzales. And everybody heads east. In Texas history this is called The Run Away Scrape. This is a euphemism for “Haul Ass Out of Here.”

But actually, Sam Houston had a plan in mind. Regroup the troops he had, recruit new troops and draw Santa Anna’s army into Louisiana.

If Houston’s army could get the Mexican Army on United States’ soil, Houston would expect his crony in Washington, President Andrew Jackson would intervene. United States troops would arrive to save the Texas army. And Texas would become a state in the United States in 1837.

Things did not go as Houston planned. He also miscalculated a bit of legislation called The Missouri Compromise.

To be continued on April 21.