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Posted on 05/01/2005 9:50:04 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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There's an old rumor that suggests the mission now known as the Alamo isn't really the Alamo. Texans would like to see such rumors squashed. They know the Alamo always has been the Alamo. It just has another Christian name.  San Antonio has always been predominantly Spanish. In 1691, a Spanish missionary expedition stopped under a spreading cottonwood tree in central Texas and surveyed the surrounding hills and a gently flowing river. The military commander, Domingo Teran de los Rios, called the spot "the most beautiful part of New Spain." Father Damien Massanet agreed, and since it was June 13, the feast day of Saint Anthony, he promptly named it: "I call this place San Antonio de Padua, because it was his day." Once back in Mexico, they talked of building a mission at the San Antonio de Padua site. Father Massanet insisted it should be a presidio, a fort built and manned by enough armed men to force respect for the missionaries. Shocked church authorities sent Father Massanet a letter, part of which said, "The [church] marvels at the proposal of violence and the use of the force of arms in the conversion of these savages to our holy faith...."  Seven years later, the Franciscan Seminary in Mexico City was mulling over the idea of building missions like stepping stones across the isolated outposts and the colonized parts of New Spain--with an army contingent, of course. In 1699, construction began on San Juan Bautista on the Mexican side of the Rio Grande at Laredo. A presidio also went up nearby for the Spanish soldiers. On New Year's Day, 1700, San Francisco Solano was begun about 10 miles farther upriver. By the time civilization crept into San Antonio de Padua in 1718, a new mission stood near the river. It was San Francisco Solano, moved from below the Rio Grande to its new site and renamed San Antonio de Valero, after the viceroy of New Spain, the Marqués de Valero. The San Antonio de Béxar presidio, named in honor of the viceroy's father, was built nearby. The area grew to become the capital of New Spain. At first, the mission was situated on the east bank of the San Antonio River at the junction with San Pedro Creek, but when the river flooded a year later, the fathers wisely decided to move it to the west bank and farther away from the meandering course of the stream. Whiplash winds from one of the notorious Gulf Coast hurricanes flattened the flimsy structures, and the mission was moved once again, this time upstream and to the east side of the river where it now stands.  Twenty years later, the crumbling adobe walls were replaced with stone and the stone church was constructed, a measure that saved the fathers and Christian Indians within the fortifications of the church from certain death from marauding Apache on the warpath. Directly across the river on the west bank, the city of San Antonio de Béxar flourished around the presidio. With the success of San Antonio de Valero, the river corridor through the central Texas hills all the way to the Gulf Coast soon became dotted with missions. One mission thought by the fathers of San Antonio de Valero to be in direct competition with their own lay not quite four miles downriver on the west bank. It was the customary practice to establish missions two leagues apart (about seven miles), but the fathers of Mission San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo convinced the New Spain authorities that by following the twisting and turning San Antonio River, their mission was two leagues away. Ironically, San Jose y San Miguel de Aguayo was destined to be the "Queen of Missions" in Texas--until her shoddy sister upriver achieved infamy years later. By 1758, the San Antonio area boasted five missions, all of which are within nine miles of each other and still in use today. One, Nuestra Senora de la Purísima Concepción, became the site of the Battle of Concepción (in October 1835), in which Stephen Austin, Jim Bowie, James Fannin, Juan Seguin and a detachment of 90 volunteers took on a force of at least 230 regulars of the Mexican army under General Martín Perfecto de Cós. The Texans lost one man, the Mexican army about 60.  Eventually, the Spanish began secularizing their missions, beginning with San Antonio de Valero in 1793. When Mexico began its campaign for independence 10 years later, Spanish troops from the city of San José y Santiago del Alamo de Parras moved into the now abandoned mission and stayed for many years. Since it was the common practice to identify the men by the full name of their town, and their town was named after a landmark cottonwood tree (alamo is Spanish for cottonwood) growing on a ranch near Parras, the Spanish soldiers became known as "los Hombres del Alamo." San Antonio de Valero became known as El Alamo. (Parras today is called Viesca and is located in Coahuila, Mexico.) Whether or not this is the sole reason why the old fortress achieved such an informal name is still a matter of debate. Some claim the nickname really stemmed from the cottonwood trees that lined the river in front of the church. In any event, by the time the Texans got there, the old fortress had long been known as "the Alamo," although its official, Christian name is still San Antonio de Valero.
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LOL. Okay, I've lost my appetite for breakfast. This could help me lose weight. ;-)
Good morning feather.
Wow. Great story, I would have loved to see the show.
Thank you and Good morning Mayor.
I right behind you!
Your very welcome Snippy.
How's the weather in Oregon?
That is an interesting Flag-o-Gram this morning!
Where's the tattoo? :-D
Ya'll know, this is the reason you don't find too many Texans without a big-headed amount of pride in the place. The knowledge of that sacrifice pervades all of us for some unexplainable reason. We just can't get away from it.
I've got friends here in town that moved down from Montana. It bugs the dickens out of them how Texans are so proud of the place. They're always fussing at me "now see, this is why Texans drive us crazy." No amount of explaining can get through to them that it's part of history. They're nice folks - but I'm thinkin' they just need to go to another state. We prolly ain't gonna change this century.
free dixie,sw
Tell ya'll what, if you ever get down here I'd love to give anybody the hometown tour of San Antonio. I've lived there and love that city better than anybody ought to love a "city." (Ya know I'm a country gal.)
It's moving, tear-inducing and awe-inspiring to step inside the Alamo itself. The price of freedom there is tangible to me. As many times as I've been I've never failed to "feel it."
But, the other missions at San Antonio are just as fun to visit for anybody that likes history. San Jose is great because it's still in use as a church. Was over there one afternoon just walking around the garden (it's gorgeous in spring) and there was a beautiful traditional Mexican wedding. It felt like stepping back 100 years. Amazing.
My favorite place to visit in San Antonio is the old Spanish aquaduct built crossing a ravine near the mission de la Espada. I *wish* I didn't have my pictures all packed up to move cause I'd scan one if for ya. There's still water in that aquaduct much like the old Roman aquaducts - but maybe not as grand or old.
I could go on... Spanish Governor's Mansion, Lone Star Brewery (but they moved to New York - ick) O'Henry house, places of historic value related to Teddy Roosevelt and his rough riders. Gees, I love that city. :-)
Mid 60's here with sun and light northerly wind, which makes it cool for us. You need a thin long sleeve shirt at the least.
I've been trying to talk Sam into going to Texas. I know there are some "Gift Mart" venues down there and we could come down on a business trip. We'd have to close the store though and that's the problem. Maybe for a long Oregon winter weekend.
Hope you had room for it. I know my brain is getting a little crowded with info.
;-)
Regards
alfa6 ;>}
!!!!!
Cloudy and 59. Suppose to hit 65. :-)
Hey, by then I ought to have a new place to live --- SOUTH of the insane weather!!! :-)
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