An Alamo hero's home in Alabama

William B. Travis home in Alabama

The historic home of William Barret Travis still stands in the unincorporated community of Perdue Hill, Alabama.  The future commander of the Alamo lived here in 1828-1830.

The house was built in around 1820 in the once thriving river port of Claiborne, about 1 1/2 miles west of its current location. In 1828, William B. Travis and his new bride, Rosanna Cato Travis, moved into the charming little cottage.  Their son, Charles Travis, was born there and the future hero of the Texas Revolution practiced law, ran a newspaper and served as an adjutant in the Alabama State Militia while he lived in the home.

Travis was only 19 years old when he and Rosanna were married, but by then had been educated at academies in Sparta and Claiborne and entered the practice of law in the office of James Dellet. That he was popular among his neighbors is evidenced by his election to a post in the state militia (forerunner of today's National Guard).  In those days, militia officers were elected.

The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas

After only two years of marriage and when his young son was only one year old, however, Travis suddenly left Claiborne.  The cause of his sudden departure is debated to this day.  Some say he was so severely in debt that he was unable to meet his obligations.  Others say his decision to lead was the result of marital strife with Rosanna.  The cause also could have been a case of the "Texas Fever." Men from all over the United States then were flocking to Texas hoping to make fortunes for themselves.

Regardless of why he left Alabama in early 1831, Travis became the heroic commander of the Alamo who inspired the world with his determined promise of "Victory or Death!"  He, of course, died at the Alamo alongside James "Jim" Bowie, David Crockett and other heroes on March 6, 1836.

To learn more about Travis and his Alabama home, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/travishome.

The Battle of San Jacinto - LaPorte, Texas

San Jacinto Battleground
Photo Courtesy of Moore Archeological Consulting

The Battle of San Jacinto was a history-changing engagement fought on the outskirts of what is now the mega-city of Houston, Texas.
Texas had declared its independence of Mexico after the government of that country issued a racial edict prohibiting any further Anglos from emigrating to previously approved colonies in the province. Armed forces of both Texians and Tejanos had driven Mexican troops from Texas in 1835, but 1836 brought a brutal counter campaign led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

Santa Anna styled himself the "Napoleon of the West" and stormed north across the desert, driving his army through winter conditions to appear in San Antonio in February. He took the Alamo, putting its garrison to the sword, and then ordered the slaughter of an even larger group of men that surrendered at Goliad.

Entrance to San Jacinto Battleground
Photo Courtesy of Moore Archeological Consulting

Knowing he could not hope to stand against Santa Anna with the force at his disposal, Texas general Sam Houston began a strategic retreat up the coast of the newly declared republic, scorching the earth as he went. Civilians fled for their lives as the Mexican armies advanced, many escaping with little more than the clothes on their backs. The retreat is remembered in Texas to this day as the "Runaway Scrape."

Everything changed on April 17, 1836. Having reached a site within today's location of the city that bears his name, Houston ended his retreat. Instead of taking a road that would lead him on to the Louisiana border and the protection of the U.S. Army assembled there, he instead turned down the San Jacinto River.

Prairie across which Houston Attacked
Photo Courtesy of Moore Archeological Consulting

By this time Houston, once a U.S. Army officer and the former Governor of Tennessee, had been reinforced and supplied. The strength of his army had also been augmented by the arrival of two small cannon. Dubbed the "Twin Sisters," these guns had been sent as a gift by the citizens of Cincinnati, Ohio.

In the days that followed, Houston took up a position near the confluence of Buffalo Bayou and the San Jacinto River, placing both streams to his rear as a clear signal to his men that there would be no retreat. Santa Anna advanced and assembled his army across a marshy prairie from Houston's men.

Although the Mexican general had the larger army and better artillery, it was Houston that seized the initiative. Sending mounted men to burn a bridge to Santa Anna's rear, he formed his men to battle with shouts of "Remember the Alamo!"

The Battle of San Jacinto lasted less than 30 minutes, but ended with Texas having assured its status as an independent republic. Santa Anna lost 630 men killed, 208 wounded and 730 captured. Houston lost a total of 39.

To learn more about the battle and to see more photos of the battleground, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/sanjacinto.

The Alamo is NOT an "Over-Rated Tourist Attraction"

I signed onto Yahoo a bit ago to check my email and the first thing that greated my eyes was a photograph of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, beneath a banner headline that read, "U.S.'s Most Over-Rated Tourist Attractions."

Apparently the writer, Andew Harper, feels that the Alamo (along with seven other famous American points of interest) is not worth the time of day. He basically described it as a "few small stone buildings and some neatly trimmed lawns."

Andrew Harper, by the way, is not even his real name. Its the fake identity for a writer who describes himself as a "gentleman traveler."

I am not a Texan but I have a few words for Mr. Harper: Don't mess with Texas!

Insulting the memory of the men who fought and died at the Alamo is not the act of a real gentleman.

Tourists visit the Alamo, but it is not a "tourist attraction." The Alamo is a shrine, preserved to remind us all of the heroism that took place in and around those "few small stone buildings." It is a place where men gave their lives for what they believed. It is a place where Anglo, Tejano and African-American Texans fought side by side against what they considered a tyrannical government and where Mexican soldiers, many of them from the poorest villages in Mexico, fought bravely and died in the service of their country.

To call the Alamo an "over-rated tourist attraction" is an insult not just to the men of both sides who fought and died there, it is an insult to all people of any generation who fought for their countries. The places where men spilled their blood are sacred. It is a shame that too many Americans - Mr. Harper, for example - no longer appreciate that fact.

While it is often crowded and only a few of its blood-stained buildings remain, the Alamo is a place to pay tribute to those who came before us, those who gave their lives in the service of greater causes. We can never honor them enough. The words of critics like Andrew Harper will come and go, but the memory of the deeds performed by the men who fought at the Alamo will last forever.

You can learn more about what happened and why the Alamo is such a special place in Texas and American history by visiting www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alamo1.

San Antonio, Texas - Part Five

San Antonio's most famous landmark, of course, is the Alamo. The scene of an epic battle in 1836, the old mission actually has a long and multi-cultural history.

Authorized in 1716, the mission of San Antonio de Valero (today's Alamo) slowly became a reality over the next three decades. The present site was selected in 1724 and the cornerstone of the current structure was laid in 1744.

The oldest of five missions built to serve the Native American population of the San Antonio area, Mission San Antonio de Valero was the center of a large an active community. The friars provided religious instruction to their converts, but also supervised large farming operations and other aspects of community life.

After nearly 50 years of service, the old mission was abandoned by the Church in 1793. Ten years later it was occupied by the Spanish military. Among the units assigned there was the Second Flying Company of Alamo de Parras and many believe it was from this company that the name "Alamo" originated. Others believe it was adapted from the Spanish name for a grove of cottonwood trees that grew near the old structure.

In 1835 the converted mission was occupied by revolutionary forces from Texas and in 1836, of course, it was the scene of the monumental 13-day Battle of the Alamo when General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna attacked the small garrison there.

Today, the Alamo is the centerpiece of San Antonio and one of the most recognizable landmarks in the world. To learn more about San Antonio and the Alamo, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/sanantonio.

San Antonio, Texas - Part Two

The beautiful San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio is one the most beloved structures in Texas.

The cornerstone for the magnificent building was laid in 1738 and the dome of the original church was the point from which all distances were measured during the Spanish occupation of Texas. In 1836, when the church was nearly 100 years old, it played a critical role in the Battle of the Alamo. Mexican commander General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna raised a blood red flag from the original church tower to warn the defenders of the Alamo that they could expect no quarter.

After the battle, the remains of the Alamo defenders were gathered from the ashes of Santa Anna's funeral pyres and buried in the church. They were discovered in 1936 and are now housed in a marble casket on display at San Fernando.

The church was greatly enlarged during the late 19th century, but some of the original walls are still intact. It became a cathedral in 1874. Pope John Paul II visited San Fernando Cathedral in 1987.

To learn more about this beautiful old San Antonio landmark, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/sanfernando.

Memorial Day, Part Five - The Alamo, Texas

Continuing our special Memorial Day series, there are few places in the world as recognizable or moving as an old mission chapel in the heart of San Antonio, Texas.

Since it fell to overwhelming odds on a cold March morning in 1836, the Alamo has been a focal point of emotion. And despite revisionist history that often seems pre-determined to tear apart its story rather than interpret it, the Alamo still stands as a dramatic symbol of liberty and a fight for independence.

Originally built during the 1700s as Mission San Antonio de Valero, the Alamo originally served as a place of peace. Resident friars ministered to local Native Americans, working to bring the Indians to Christianity and helping them raise better crops for the support of their community and families. Its Christian purposes fulfilled, the mission was abandoned by the Church in 1793 and for a decade was allowed to crumble.

In 1803, however, it gained new life as a military post. Assigned to the original garrison was the Second Flying Company from the Alamo de Parras area of Mexico. Some believe it was from the presence of this unit that the structure gained its present name, but others believe the name originated from the Spanish name for a grove of cottonwood trees that once grew on the site.

Captured in 1835 by Texas revolutionaries, the old mission soon became the scene of a monumental battle. In February and March of 1836, a small garrison of defenders held the crumbling mission against an overwhelming Mexican army led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. For thirteen days the mission held out against determined and brave attacks by Santa Anna's troops.

On the final day of the battle, Santa Anna attacked the Alamo from all four sides. Mexican soldiers went up and over the walls in a bloody battle to the death. By the time the bloodshed ended, only two men who took up arms in defense of the mission are known to have survived: a Tejano patriot who was confused for a Mexican prisoner of war and Joe, a man who had been a slave of Colonel William B. Travis until the fall of the Alamo. Several women and children also survived. Lying dead at their posts, however, were such men as the famed frontiersman David Crockett, Alamo commander William B. Travis, famed knife inventor Jim Bowie and many others.

The Alamo today is a shrine located in the heart of downtown San Antonio. To learn more, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alamo1.

The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas

If you've been watching television today, you have probably seen video of the massive Tea Party at the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas. Thousands of people were on hand but, uniquely, they did not walk on the grass in front of the historic chapel.

In Texas, the Alamo is sacred ground. Originally built as the Spanish mission San Antonio de Valero, the complex was later converted into a fortified post by Spanish soldiers. In 1835 it was captured by Texans and in February and march of 1836, because the setting for one of the most dramatic events in American history.

For thirteend days, a force of fewer than 200 volunteers held the Alamo against overwhelming odds as thousands of Mexican troops led by General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna attacked the crumbling mission. Their stand was among the most heroic in American history and the defenders included Texas-born Tejanos, volunteers from across the South and at least one free African American. Leaders inside the mission included William B. Travis, David Crockett and Jim Bowie.

The defenders held out knowing that they would die if the Alamo fell. Santa Anna had raised a blood red flag of no quarter from a church tower in San Antonio. Instead of slipping away while they still could, however, Travis and his men remained and fought to the death. With the exception of a few noncombatants, a Tejano soldier who was mistaken for a Mexican prisoner of war and possibly one man that went over the wall on the last night, every man in the Alamo died.

In recent decades, revisionists have tried to recast the nature of the fight at the Alamo, even using extremely sketchy evidence to suggest that David Crockett surrendered near the end of the battle. The strongest evidence, however, indicates that Crockett went down fighting and despite such efforts, the story of the Alamo remains one of the most inspiring in American history.

To learn more, please visit our new Alamo pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alamo1.

Spring Travel Part Fourteen: The Alamo

Very few Americans with so much as a passing interest in history do not recognize this structure in downtown San Antonio, Texas on sight.

It is, of course, the historic Alamo chapel. Once part of a much larger mission complex, the chapel is one of the most famous landmarks in the United States.

A small force of Texas revolutionaries held the fortified mission against a much larger Mexican army for nearly two weeks in February and March of 1836. It was one of the most heroic "last stands" in American history.

The battle for the Alamo has been the focus of a great deal of revisionist history over the last couple of decades, but the simple fact remains that on this ground a small group of men held out to the last against overwhelming forces, giving their lives for what they believed. The men of both sides fought bravely in the battle and it did indeed play a large role in determining the future of Texas and the United States.

To read more about the Alamo and see additional photographs, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alamo1.

Our spring travel series will continue.

Remember the Alamo! - Fall of the Texas shrine took place 172 years ago today

On this date in history, 172 years ago, the Alamo was stormed and captured by Mexican soldiers during the Texas Revolution.

The attack took place before daylight on the morning of March 6, 1836 when General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna sent four columns of troops to attack the old fortified mission. The battle was bloody for both sides, but when the smoke cleared, the defenders of the Alamo had been wiped out. Among the dead were such legendary American heroes as David Crockett, Jim Bowie and William Barret Travis.

To read more about this epic American battle, please visit www.exploresouthernhistory.com/alamo1.

Remembering the Alamo

In the year 1836, this date (March 5th) was the last full day of life for the defenders of the Alamo. By sunrise the next morning, they would fall and begin their journey from revolutionaries and soldiers to legends.

After nearly two weeks of siege, the Mexican army had tightened its ring around the fortified mission in San Antonio, Texas, and on March 5, 1836, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna met with his staff and made his final decision to carry the Alamo by storm. He would attack before dawn the next morning.

To read more about the Alamo and see additional photos of this Texas shrine, please visit our Alamo pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com. Just follow the link and look for the Alamo picture and heading.

The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas

This week marks the 172nd anniversary of the Siege and Battle of the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas.

The story is one of the best known in American history. A small band of around 200 soldiers and volunteers, along with a few civilian women and children, held the Alamo for nearly two weeks against the overwhelming force of the Mexican Army. When the smoke finally cleared on March 6, 1836, the defenders lay dead and the armies of both sides had entered the story of one of the most heroic events in American history. David Crockett (who never went by the name "Davy Crockett"), Jim Bowie, William Barret Travis and scores of others were among the killed.

We recently added new Alamo pages at www.exploresouthernhistory.com, so if you would like to read more about this famous battle and see additional photos of the Alamo as it appears today, just click here and look for the Alamo heading.

Alamo pages now online!

Our new section on the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, are now up and online at http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/.

We will expand this section more as the month goes along, but so far we have up the Alamo main page, a page exploring the historical backgrounds of the Alamo, a page on the siege of the Alamo and a page on the evidence surrounding the death of David Crockett.

Be sure to drop in and take a look! Our thanks also to Bruce Schulze of www.civilwaralbum.com for the new photographs of the Alamo included on our pages.

New Home Page is Up

Our new home page is up at www.exploresouthernhistory.com. Drop by and let us know what you think!

We are also in the process of adding a number of new pages to the site. Among them are visits to the Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, the Corinth and Grand Gulf battlefields in Mississippi and more! These pages will come fully online this week!

New home page coming on Saturday!

We will be launching a new home page and expanded content on Saturday at www.exploresouthernhistory.com. Be sure to check out the new design! We hope you will find it easier to navigate and loaded with new content!

Among the new pages we will be launching at the same time are:

• The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas
• Grand Gulf Military Monument - Mississippi
• The Natchez Trace - Mississippi, Alabama and Tennessee
• Battle of Corinth - Corinth, Mississippi

In addition, we will launch our new online bookstore!

Be sure to check out the improvements on Saturday afternoon.

William Barret Travis Home - Alabama

We've added a new page on one of Alabama's most unique historic landmarks. On U.S. Highway 84 in Perdue Hill, Alabama, stands a little cottage that was once the home of Lt. Col. William Barret Travis, the commander of the Alamo and a hero of the Texas Revolution.

Travis lived here with his wife and children prior to relocating to Texas in 1831. The home originally stood in nearby Claiborne where he practiced law, published a newspaper, served as adjutant of an Alabama militia company and was a member of the Masonic Lodge.

To read more and see additional views of the home, please visit http://www.exploresouthernhistory.com/travishome.html.