2009 "REMEMBERING THE ALAMO" WEEKEND

San Antonio Living History Association ^ | March 5, 2009 | Damaso Torres

[SwinneySwitch]

Teachers & Administrators,

On Saturday, March 7th and Sunday, March 8th 2009 students from The Heritage Society of Somerset High School, as well as other local high schools and middle schools, will join with the San Antonio Living History Association in reenacting the 1836 Battle of the Alamo.

The event will take place in Alamo Plaza, directly in front of the Alamo, in downtown San Antonio.

This year's battle reenactments will take place at 11:00AM and again at 3:30PM on Saturday, and 3:45PM on Sunday.

Living history drills and demonstrations will also take place all day between the battle reenactments. The historical encampment will be open all day from 10:00AM to 5:00PM. Admission is free and open to the public.

Teachers offering extra credit for attending the event should tell their students to ask for “Sargento Torres” or “Coronel Duque” in order to get their event program stamped.

What: 1836 Alamo Battle Reenactment

Where: Alamo Plaza, San Antonio, TX

Who: Free & Open to the Public

When: Saturday, March 7th and Sunday, March 8th

The Heritage Society of Somerset High School is a student-led campus organization that works to share the history of Texas, and especially San Antonio, with the community. The group is involved in living history reenactments of many different eras, such as American Revolution and Civil War – but is especially focused on the Texas War for Independence. Students or teachers who are interested in becoming a living history reenactor may get plenty of information at this event.

There are upcoming opportunities to participate in living history programs in a number of historical eras. Including; Roman Legion, American Revolution, Texas Revolution, Civil War, WWII, and Vietnam.

For more information, Contact:

Damaso Torres, Social Studies & P.E. Depts., Somerset High School, damaso.torres@sisdk12.net

[Rightly Biased]

Several historians have given similar reports on the "Bloody arm flag of Goliad" said to have been made by Captain Phillip Dimmitt. On December 20 1835 the first declaration of Texas independence was signed at Goliad in the chapel of the Presidio by members of Dimmitt's command then stationed at La Bahia. After signing, the group went into the quadrangle and "amidst rapturous hurrahs, the flag of Texas Independence was hoisted and unfurled to the wintry wind".

The flag was described as being made of white domestic, two yards long and one yard wide. "In the center was a sinewy arm and hand, painted red, grasping a drawn sword of crimson." The flag pole was made from a tall sycamore tree found on the banks of the San Antonio River.

Most of the accounts on this flag ceremony quote as their source of information, the memoirs of John James and Nicholas Fagan.

The Dimmitt flag has now become the accepted flag of Goliad and is frequently displayed by business houses around the Goliad Square.

The Goliad Massacre

On Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, after being held captive for one week, the men were told to gather up their things. They thought that they were going to the port of Copano and then on to New Orleans. They were happy and singing. They knew that Colonel Fannin had returned from the Port of Copano the previous day. What they didn't know was that at 7:00 p.m. the pervious evening, Colonel Portilla had received word directly from Santa Anna to execute the men. About an hour after Portilla received the execution order from Santa Anna, he received another order from General Urrea to "Treat the prisoners with consideration, particularly their leader, Fannin, and to employ them in rebuilding Goliad."

At sunrise the able bodied men were formed in three groups and under very heavy guard taken out of the fort. One group was taken out on the San Antonio road, another on the Victoria road, and the other on the Copano road. The prisoners had little suspicion of their fate because each group had been given a different story as to where they were going. One group told that they were going to gather wood, another to drive up cattle and the they they were going to the port of Copano. At selected spots on each of the three roads from one half to three-fourths of a mile from the fort, the groups were halted. After they halted, the guards on one side stepped through the ranks so that all the guards were on one side, they turned and fired at very close range. Those men where not killed ran and were pursued by the cavalry.

The soldiers then came back to the fort and executed the wounded. There were about forty of them. Colonel Fannin was saved until last. He was taken outside the chapel, blind folded and seated in a chair. He made three requests, not to be shot in the face, his personal possessions sent to his family and that he be given a Christian burial. He was shot in the face, an officer took his personal possessions and his body was burned along with many of the other bodies. Not all bodies were burned, some were left where they died. There were 342 men who died in the Goliad Massacre, which is almost twice the number of men who died at the Alamo and San Jacinto combined. Twenty-eight men did escape from the three massacre sites and seventeen men's lives were spared. It is from the accounts of the men who escaped and were spared that we know what happened at Presidio La Bahia. Francita Alavez, the Angel of Goliad and the wife of General Urrea saved the lives of a number of the men.

Of the multiple banners that flew over DeWitt Colony territory and those under which DeWitt colonists served and died, this famous flag is one which originated solely within and is unique to the DeWitt Colony and a symbol of contribution of the region to the Texas Independence movement. The banner can be said to be the counterpart in concept and message of resistance as the early "Don't Tread on Me" flags of the American Revolution. Some say it was made from the white silk of the wedding dress of Empresario DeWitt's daughter, Naomi, and was flown by DeWitt Colonists reinforced by volunteers from the other settlements at the confrontation with the Mexican army in October 1835 over the Gonzales cannon (Battle of Gonzales). Other reports suggest it was made after the confrontation during the muster at Gonzales for defense of Texas and the assault on Bexar.

The Zavala Flag. Proceedings of the Texas Independence Convention of 11 Mar 1836: "On the motion of Mr. Scates, the Rainbow and star of five points above the western horizon; and the star of six points sinking below, was added to the flag of Mr. Zavala accepted on Friday last. Mr. Taylor introduced the following resolution: Resolved that the word "Texas" be placed, one letter between each point of the star on the national flag." The banner at left is most often depicted as the first official flag of the Texas Republic proposed by Vice-President of the new Republic of Texas, Lorenzo de Zavala. The proceedings appear to indicate that Zavala proposed a simple Lone Star flag which if white on blue was essentially that of Scott's flag of the War Party without the word "Independence," or the left part of Burnet's naval flag. It is unclear whether any of the proposed modifications including the indicated lettering were ever employed.

Remember the Alamo!!

Remember Goliad!!

remember San Jacinto!!

[Rightly Biased]

The Last two times I went to the Shrine last March 08 and March of 07 there was one of those Henna Tattoo kiosks set up in the back of the Alamo complex. Not the mission building itself but the complex back by the public restrooms.

I was completely dismayed I called and emailed the DRT to no avail. I finaly got a response from the DRT and they told me they would look into the matter.

I have not been back but am going over there next week with the kids we will see.

[Proud_texan]

I haven't been for a while, glad this came up, I'm going to make a point...

If it weren't for the DRT I expect there would be a gift shop inside the main building.

[Rightly Biased]

If it weren’t for the DRT then there wouldn’t be an Alamo.

The Woods Family was a big reason that we still have the shrine today.

But come on a tattoo kiosk? I can see kids wanting to buy a book about the Alamo or a Coonskin cap. or a Davey Crockett pop gun. But a henna tatto of the latest Bratz kid?

[Bender2]

Oh, Blackie, I fear my words will be like casting pearls before swine, there is aways certain types that start brawls by spouting nonsense and then act as if they were the injured party.

Well, enough fun with such, I have other much more worthy fish to fry.

We shall let him slink back to his own delusions of grandeur. We could get him past his megalomania with an atomic hand grenade.

As we both so well know, you can lead an self-serving idiot to knowledge, but you cannot make them think.

But you sure can make ‘em steam by nailing the peckerwoods and then ignoring them until the their cackles are pure silence.

[Proud_texan]

I think a fitting result would be to sic one of those DRT ladies on ‘em.

[Allegra]

And nothing personal, but if this place is one of the few that leave you "speechless and reverent", you must not travel very much.

Really? I am also rendered reverent by the Alamo and very impressed by all that it represents.

*Sigh* I guess I'm one of those people who just hasn't traveled much past my backyard.

[blackie]

Yes!!!

[laotzu]

I just emailed them to a few..enemies

Tear 'em up buddy. Tell them a native son of Texas, on this blessed day of the Alamo, sent you.

I really should add more W C Fields and Groucho Marxs to my page.

[Bender2]

Re: *Sigh* I guess I'm one of those people who just hasn't traveled much past my backyard.

That's so true about you, my dear... From your quaint Baghdad backyard, you can only see them local sights in Jordan, Kuwait or Dubai, but they ain't nothing like the ones is my backyard: Kerens, Blooming Grove, Powell, Rice, Richland and them fancy folks in Rural Shade.

Whoa! They've even got... a Trailer Park there now!

[Marauder]

Now the cannons are silent, and there’s rust on each sword;
And the small band of soldiers, “Lie asleep in the arms of the Lord.”

[Bender2]

I am sure the Øbamanation is hard at work... on an executive order apologizing for our rash conduct at the battle back then and Ø will soon be giving the old mission back to Mexico along with compensation plus interest.

He certainly is stimulating... the Mexican Plumbers Union!

[Liberty Valance]

[ru4liberty]

Click on image...

[Bender2]

Nice video, mine on the Vietnam War is at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4VXTsLvprE

I have not found enough public domain or my own pixs to use for one like yours on the Alamo. How did you get the video uploaded to youtube with Marty Robbins' "Ballad of the Alamo" on it? The very frist first video I tried to upload had Paul Anka's "Times Of Your Life" as the soundtrack and youtube rejected it as copyrighted material.

[mad_as_he$$]

Excellent idea.

[mad_as_he$$]

Hey Allegra. How are things in the sandbox today?

[antisocial]

“I wouldn’t have expected a rude, ignorant and incredibly immature reply from someone your age. “

The same could be said for your remark, you obviously are a damnyankee.

Remember the Alamo!!

[blackie]

Love those trailer parks!!