The Blogmeister’s Farewell Episode Stardate 4.28.2011
In a very short time, Texas Thunder 2011 will commence. Caravans of T-Birders will flock, as colorful migrating birds, to the beautiful Hill Country for the first Texas hosted Thunderbirdnest event. By now, boots should be shined (cowboy boots), two straws should be shaped and ready (see previous postings regarding the straws), and a belt for your britches, remember the buckle must be earned so hopefully our fellow thunderbirdnesters will have ridden the bull or bronco by now to get their buckle if not please do not purchase one!!! A basic buckle will have to do otherwise as any good Texan will know if the buckle was earned or bought. As for the rest of the clothing items needed, anything will work with the items mentioned as a good straw will cover a multitude of sins (including the offensive green Speedo).
In preparation, by now you’ve had a small taste, a hint if you will, of what being a Texan is all about. We’ve journeyed into the past, back into the days of the conquistador, then forward a little to the Texas Fight for Independence with heroes such as William B. Travis, Davy Crockett, and Sam Houston, and then on we went into the lives of the lonely cowboy with the dangers of the cattle drive along the dusty trail. As you drive across the border into this great state, hopefully, you, dear readers, will remember those who came before to make Texas the state it is today.
Now it’s time for us to look ahead, travel in your mind as this blogmeister takes you through a journey into a wondrous land whose boundaries are that of imagination. That's the signpost up ahead - your next stop, Texas Thunder 2011. The planning committee has plotted and planned for the ultimate event. If you’ve been reading the threads regarding the event on thunderbirdnest.com, the agenda has been laid out for all to see. As an insider, this blogmeister is going take you on an imaginary journey. Sit back, relax, plop your favorite beverage into your thunderbirdnest koozie, pull back on the tab and take a sip, then read the rest of the blog.
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| The Parking Lot at the Y.O. |
Take a breath, then picture the scene…y'all 've traveled far and wide for this event, caravanning with fellow T-birders, to arrive at the Y.O. Ranch Resort and Conference Center. (This is a by the way…the driveway is hard to see, it dips down about ten feet, but this blogmeister has been there so don’t be scared, ya’ll will be fine). Ya’ll might be a little tired but put your bags in your room (leave the Speedo) and go to the Check-in Table where you will be greeted by a real, authentic, Texan.
Some of your fellow Thunderbirdnesters will be talking about apples…apple butter, apple pie, apple fritters, apples…apples…apples…yes…apples. Ya’ll probably get a hankerin for Apple Pie A La Mode, well here’s your opportunity! A self-drive tour to the Apple Store in Medina, TX will take care of any apple cravings. 
Late in the evening, you will be a little tired however; the laughter and voices of friends coming from the Cypress Room will call to you like the call of the mystical sirens from Homer’s Odyssey. Follow those sounds and you will arrive at the Texas Thunder 2011 Meet and Greet. Ya’ll will go to bed tired… with a mind active in anticipation of Thursday’s activities including a tour of the James Avery Jewelry headquarters where fine craftsmen will be creating lovely pieces of fine Jewelry.
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| Sonic Invasion |
You make plans for The Ultimate Sonic Invasion with your fellow thunderbirdnesters and then asked politely yet firmly, “Please don’t wake me up when you walk by my room to clean your bird at the crack of dawn!!!”
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| Y.O. Pool and Swim-Up Bar |
Thursday morning you awaken to the smell of coffee and pastries wafting from the hospitality suite. The morning caravan will leave for James Avery and Fredericksburg at about 8:15 giving lots of time to grab the Texas Hill Country’s version of the Kolachie and cup of coffee. After a day of driving and shopping, the refreshing water of the Y.O. pool with swim up bar will take the dust off (you can grab the green Speedo here). Hunger will drive you from the pool to ready yourself for the Texas Thunder Welcoming Banquet in The Live Oak Room.
Again, you make plans for The Ultimate Sonic Invasion with your fellow thunderbirdnesters and then as you leave your friends to walk back to your room, you ask politely yet firmly, “Please don’t wake me up when you walk by my room to clean your bird at the crack of dawn!!!”
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| River Walk |
Friday morning, you debate with yourself and/or your spouse…do you take the trip to San Antonio with the history of the Alamo and the restaurants along the River walk (that was built in the 1930’s by Roosevelt’s WPA) with lush landscapes, quaint pathways, tinkling waterfalls, quiet pools, outdoor art and relaxing outdoor patios that evoke the renowned public spaces of Europe? Or, do you take the trip through the Texas Hill Country to the beautiful Leakey, TX (which has been slowly shaping itself since the start of time) where you will sit back and enjoy great food and conversation with fellow thunderbirders? After you decide and are happy with the decision because it’s the perfect one for you, you depart for your excellent adventure.
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| Drive to Leakey, TX |
During the outing, you check your watch a few times to ensure a prompt return to the Y.O. to change for that night’s dinner and check your ticket to see if the reservations are for Mamacita’s in Kerrville or Mamacita’s in Fredericksburg. A rollicking good time at the Rockbox Theater in Fredericksburg closes out your evening but before you do you and your friends.....
... make plans for The Ultimate Sonic Invasion with the realization that the Invasion will overwhelm Sonic’s limited parking. However, after debating y'all decide the Home Depot parking lot next door can probably accommodate the overflow. Later, as you leave your fellow thunderbirdnesters you ask politely yet firmly, “Please don’t wake me up when you walk by my room to clean your bird at the crack of dawn!!!”
Tired but happy, you decide to turn in to bed to rest for Saturday’s events. On your way back to the room, you notice old cowboys sauntering around the courtyard…wait a minute….you know about those guys from reading the blog! You run and grab your camera to capture Y.O.’s ghostly cowboys! As you go to sleep, you have a smile on your face, for you have the knowledge that you have won the prize for the best ghostly cowboy picture!!!
Saturday comes with lot’s of fun, from a morning tour to LBJ Ranch, Wildseed Farms, and Luckenbach, TX (remember Willie, Waylon, and the boys?) to an evening Chuck Wagon Dinner and Ho Down. You laugh as you watch the antics of fellow thunderbirders take Country Dance Lessons; you chuckle as you try it yourself.
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| Where Willie, Waylon, and the Boys Played! |
You make plans for the last Texas Thunder 2011 Ultimate Sonic Invasion with your fellow thunderbirdnesters and enjoy some more dancing in the Sonic parking lot to the Texas C.D. playing in one of the T-Birds. As you and your friends part ways for the evening you ask politely yet firmly, “Please don’t wake me up when you walk by my room to clean your bird at the crack of dawn!!!”
Later that night as you lay down (a little itchy from the straw that poked you during the hayride and a little full from eating a Sonic banana split), you remember back on the last few days and think that Texas Thunder 2011 was the best T-Bird event EVER!!!
Sunday morning comes too soon. Goodbyes are said and y’all promise to keep in touch on thunderbirdnest.com. As you roll past the sign saying “You’re Now Leaving the Great State of Texas”, you turn your car around because there’s no way y’all ever leave this state because now you have the Texas State of Mind!!
This blogmeister is signing off...it's been a real pleasure and look forward to seeing y'all at Texas Thunder 2011
Introduction
Hello fellow T-bird nesters, we would like to welcome you to our blog. The Texas Chapter of thunderbirdnest.com is proud to announce that we are hosting our very first major event. Attendees are coming from all over the nation to attend Texas Thunder 2011!!!
The location of Texas Thunder 2011 is in Kerrville, Texas. Kerrville and the surrounding area is a popular destination for car clubs and motorcycle enthusiasts. With the Guadalupe River and the surrounding hill country, driving excursions are being planned to enjoy the beautiful vistas.
Our theme of course is Texas. You will have the opportunity to become a Texan for your stay. Your initiation will be complete when you experience an outdoor barbeque (with a possible hayride) at one of our nearby dude ranches/country clubs (we are still in the planning process for this one).
Luckenbach, Texas is just around the corner. A visitor to this area will be interested to know that Luckenbach, Texas, a dancehall that was made popular when Jerry Jeff Walker recorded a live album at the dancehall. A few years later, Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons wrote a song sung by Waylon Jennings that immortalized Luckenbach. Luckenbach is now a popular tourist stop and will possibly be a stop for one of our driving excursions.
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| The YO Ranch Resort Hotel Lobby (Hosting our venue) |
We are the planning committee for Texas Thunder 2011. The purpose of this blog is to give our fellow members of thunderbirdnest.com, up-to-date information pertaining to the extremely fun T-Bird event the Texas T-birders are planning for our visitors from all over the nation, Canada, and Fritzerland ;-). The planning committee met this weekend (August 20-22) to plan the event. Our challenge has been narrowing down activities for a four-day event (so much to do and so little time).
Texas is one of the most beautiful states in the nation, with so much to offer a first time visitor. The Texas Hill country is rich in culture and history. This region of Texas offers a plethora of interesting activities and places to explore that will enrich our event.
Our theme of course is Texas. You will have the opportunity to become a Texan for your stay. Your initiation will be complete when you experience an outdoor barbeque (with a possible hayride) at one of our nearby dude ranches/country clubs (we are still in the planning process for this one).
Luckenbach, Texas is just around the corner. A visitor to this area will be interested to know that Luckenbach, Texas, a dancehall that was made popular when Jerry Jeff Walker recorded a live album at the dancehall. A few years later, Chips Moman and Bobby Emmons wrote a song sung by Waylon Jennings that immortalized Luckenbach. Luckenbach is now a popular tourist stop and will possibly be a stop for one of our driving excursions.
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| Enjoying Fredericksburg! |
Fredericksburg is only 22 miles from Kerrville and is known for its history, beauty, shopping, and food. We are planning a road trip with a stop in Fredericksburg for those interested.
No trip to this region of Texas would be complete without a trip to San Antonio. Our committee has planned an adventure for individuals interested in the history of the San Antonio area, the wonderful shopping that San Antonio has to offer, as well as Tex-Mex food that you can only find in this part of the country. A visit to the Alamo along with an excursion to the Riverwalk for dining is a must.
We have more to come in the near future regarding this event. Please check back often to both thunderbirdnest.com and this blog, as our committee will be posting frequently with the valuable information for the attendees to Texas Thunder 2011!!
How to Mount Steer Horns
Warning!!!! This week’s edition of Texas Thunder 2011 may be offensive to some people; however, no actual Thunderbirds were harmed in the making of this blog.
The event we have all been waiting for is just one month away. To get ready, I am devoting this week’s edition to preparations that you readers can make to get your Thunderbird “Texas” ready. One reader from the Netherlands has already embraced the Texas State of Mind by making preparations that would make any Texan proud.
Yes readers, this blogmeister is talking about mounting steer horns on the hood of your Thunderbird. Because of the sensitive nature of this week’s edition, many dear readers may choose to stop reading at this point and that is okay. The next edition will be about all things San Antonio so be sure to tune in for the next edition of Texas Thunder 2011.
L brackets were attached where the hood meets the front fascia with bailing wire. Hooks mounted on the back of the steer horns were then threaded through the L brackets, securing the steer horns to the front of the vehicle with no damage to the grill or front fascia. If you had the luxury of purchasing your Thunderbird from a Texas dealership, then it’s okay to use barbed wire instead of bailing wire as the Texas Thunderbird is from hardier stock and less prone to injury.
A choice can be made at this point to purchase Longhorn steer hide seat covers (or just ask a Texan if you can borrow theirs) and cover your seats as well. These steps should allow you to embrace the Texas State of Mind.
The event we have all been waiting for is just one month away. To get ready, I am devoting this week’s edition to preparations that you readers can make to get your Thunderbird “Texas” ready. One reader from the Netherlands has already embraced the Texas State of Mind by making preparations that would make any Texan proud. Yes readers, this blogmeister is talking about mounting steer horns on the hood of your Thunderbird. Because of the sensitive nature of this week’s edition, many dear readers may choose to stop reading at this point and that is okay. The next edition will be about all things San Antonio so be sure to tune in for the next edition of Texas Thunder 2011.
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| These Steer Horns are one of the actual door-prizes for Texas Thunder 2011 |
Those of you still reading will need the following: a Thunderbird, one set of Longhorn steer horns, L brackets, bailing wire or barbed wire, wire cutters, gloves, and a level. The Longhorn steer horns can usually be found on the internet. Many sites are devoted to the selling of such items with overnight delivery services. The bailing wire and/or barbed wire can be purchased at your local tractor supply or feed store. If you are a Northerner or coming from another country and do not have the luxury of a local tractor supply or feed store, those items too can be purchased online or request any Midwestern or Southerner to make the purchase and ship it so you can take the next step.
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| A necessary item |
The next step is to determine where the horns should be mounted. Much debate will probably occur (this blogmeister is remembering how much time was devoted to how to mount a license plate to the front of the T-bird without putting holes in the bumper) and feel free to debate with your fellow thunder
birdnesters as to the best method. This Texan chose to mount the steer horns above the Thunderbird emblem but below the hood to facilitate easy access to the engine compartment. L brackets were attached where the hood meets the front fascia with bailing wire. Hooks mounted on the back of the steer horns were then threaded through the L brackets, securing the steer horns to the front of the vehicle with no damage to the grill or front fascia. If you had the luxury of purchasing your Thunderbird from a Texas dealership, then it’s okay to use barbed wire instead of bailing wire as the Texas Thunderbird is from hardier stock and less prone to injury.
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| Absolutely do not use these tools!!!! |
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| What being "Bronzed" really means!!! |
Cowboys, Longhorns, and Cattle Drives March 27, 2011
TEXAS…
Fellow Thunderbirders, take a brief moment to roll the word around on your tongue. Let your imagination take a stroll. Does the word alone bring to mind old western movies with images of Gene Autry and Roy Rogers riding the trails singing songs along with a soundtrack? Or John Wayne driving cattle along the Chisholm Trail? Or are you picturing gunslingers meeting their enemies at high noon for a shootout on the main street of town. In truth, the romanticism of the cowboy life portrayed in western movies is far from accurate. Of course, a real cowboy, similar to the cowboy portrayed in movies, had to be made of strong stuff, however, the life of a cowboy was a lonely one. Many were just teenagers that left home for work and adventure. 
Cattle drives were brutal and the cattle were far from docile. The cattle were bred for endurance. Longhorns were a cross between wild feral cattle from Mexico, which had been imported from Spain during the fifteenth century and a few cattle brought by settlers from the east. The result was strong hardy cattle with horns that could span up to eight feet from tip to tip. These cattle were well suited for the rugged Texas terrain. This stock could withstand harsh winters and hot summers. They also were immune to disease that decimated other breeds. The wildness of this breed resulted in an animal that could turn on the cowboy with little or no provocation. Stampedes often led to the death of both cowboy and horse. 
The Great Western Trail was a thoroughfare for Texas cattle sent to market up north to Dodge City, Kansas. This trail was the convergence of several trails from across lower Texas, blending in Kerrville to form the Western Trail. Up to 3,000 head of cattle would be driven along the western trail, which extended from Kerrville to Kansas City, Kansas.
Thunderbirders, as you drive across Texas and converge upon Kerrville like cowboys from the old west drove their cattle, think of the true heroes that shaped this glorious state.
Next...How to mount steer horns on your Thunderbird!!!
The Texas Rangers March 5, 2011
As a child sitting in front of my great-grandparent’s cable television on Saturday mornings, my older brother and I would watch re-runs of old television shows. Our favorite was The Lone Ranger. Tales of the Lone Ranger with Tonto as his sidekick enchanted my brother and I. When our shows were over, would reenact them often arguing over who would be Tonto. To my brother and me, Tonto was the epitome of coolness. We idolized both characters, however after losing every game of paper-rock-scissors, I would have to don the hero’s mask and ride my stick-horse with shouts of “Hi-yo Silver! Away!” How many of you dear readers enacted the same scene in your childhoods? How many of you sang William Tell’s Overture with the words, “To the dump, to the dump, to the dump, dump, dump….”?
Our fictional hero, The Lone Ranger, was a member of the Texas Rangers who was the only surviving member of six massacred Texas Rangers who survived a brutal attack then feigned his death to bring criminals to justice across the state of Texas.
In reality, Texas Rangers were and still are an organization created in the 1823 and then formally organized in 1835 by Stephen F. Austin to protect settlers from Mexican banditos and hostile Indians (wh
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| Famous Hanging Tree outside Goliad Courthouse |
Many outlaws were captured by the Texas Rangers during the time our forefathers were attempting to settle this wild frontier. Maybe you’re familiar with a few of our most infamous outlaws. John Wesley Hardin, Sam Bass, Bonnie and Clyde, were only a few of our most famous murders, train robbers, and gunslingers captured or killed by our Texas Rangers.
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| The Texas Rangers Badge |
Today, the Texas Rangers perform a serious duty here in the State of Texas. They are one of the most technologically and forensically advanced branches of law enforcement in the United States. It is an honor to be a Texas Ranger, recognized today by the Silver Star worn above the right pocket of their civilian clothes, cowboy boots, and a cowboy hat.
Interested parties might enjoy the opportunity to do more research in the history of the Texas Rangers. The Texas Ranger Museum in San Antonio Texas hosts a wide range of historical accounts and memorabilia that a visitor find to have historical significance to this auspicious organization.
Texas...The Beginning 12/3/2010
What type of man has the courage and fortitude to make the ultimate sacrifice? Since history began, tales have emerged of men and women who’ve sacrificed their lives for freedom from oppression and tyranny. September 11, 2001…that day, tales of bravery, selflessness, and sacrifice were repeated over and over such as firefighters and police officers who went back into a building after the first one collapsed to save the lives of those still trapped, losing their lives in the process. This writer remembers the story of a man who was working on one of the upper level floors when the planes crashed into the two towers. He could have escaped but instead chose to remain behind with a co-worker who was wheel-chair bound and unable to take the stairs to safety. Both he and his co-worker called loved ones with their goodbyes before the collapse of the Twin Towers. Passengers on flight 93 overpowered their hijackers crashing the plane short of its intended target of our Nation’s capital. To understand the type of men and women who shaped the great state of Texas, it’s necessary to comprehend the type of people that were willing to lay down their lives instead of surrendering to broken promises and loss of hope.
The next few blogs will focus on those very men and women that chose not give in to the beginning of the tyrannical rule of a dictator by the name of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
A few names that will be mentioned include:
Sam Houston
Stephen F. Austin
James Fannin
Jim Bowie
James Bonham
Davy Crockett
Louis Moses Rose
William B. Travis
The next few blogs will focus on those very men and women that chose not give in to the beginning of the tyrannical rule of a dictator by the name of Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
A few names that will be mentioned include:
Sam Houston
Stephen F. Austin
James Fannin
Jim Bowie
James Bonham
Davy Crockett
Louis Moses Rose
William B. Travis
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| The Alamo |
Legends and historical accounts will hopefully allow my fellow thunderbirdnesters to gain insight into the men who led and fought in the battles for Texas Independence. When you have the opportunity to walk through the Alamo during our visit to San Antonio, echoes of this last stand may ring in your ears. Listen closely for the ghosts of the past to tell their stories. To native Texans, the Alamo is hallowed ground. We revere this sacred site; it is our Gettysburg, our Pearl Harbor, and our Bastogne.
Next week’s blog: The Battle of Gonzales
Don't Mess With Texas!!!! 12/12/10
As soon as an individual crosses the border from another state into Texas, they will begin to notice signs with the statement “Don’t Mess with Texas” peppered along roads and highways. One might think this is in regards to littering (which Texans take seriously) and they might be right. The sign's origins develop from a much deeper mantra that begin long ago.
Let’s go back a ways to the 1830’s. Prior to the 1830’s, frontiersman and settlers from America, Mexico, and other countries came to Texas with a promise of land. Texas was still under ownership of Mexico. In the 1820’s many former Americans assisted the Mexican government in taking control of Mexico from Spain. A gentleman, by the name of Stephen F. Austin, was the number one individual bringing settlers from America to Texas. He established the Texas Rangers to protect those settlers from Indian attacks. Indian attacks were common due to settlers encroaching on Indian land. In Gonzales Texas, the settlers were dealing with vicious Comanche raids. The Mexican government issued the Gonzales settlers a brass cannon to thwart attacks from the Comanche’s. It’s with this brass cannon that my tale begins….
Texians, (as settlers were known in those days) were beginning to grumble about petitioning the Mexican President, Santa Anna, for statehood. Stephen F. Austin was to serve as their emissary and carry the petition to President Santa Anna in Mexico City. When Austin arrived in Mexico City, he was granted an audience with Vice President Gomez Farias. Apparently, Austin and Farias had a falling out, and Austin ended up being sent to a Mexican prison for nearly two years.
As stated in the historical novel The Alamo An Illustrated History by Edwin P. Hoyt, The Texains parked that old cannon with the flag draped over it on the west bank of the Guadalupe River. They made sure that crossing the river would be next to impossible by the Mexican force. Then, three hundred Texians stood armed and ready on the west bank of the river beside that rusty old blown out cannon. Imagine the surprise the Lieutenant and his troupe must have felt when they beheld such a sight. Of course, the Lieutenant asked for the cannon to be returned and he was respectfully invited to try to take it (Texans as a whole are a polite bunch). The morning came with the advancing of the Texians within a few hundred yards of the Mexican soldiers. Those heroes from Gonzales then loaded up the holey rusty old cannon and fired. They charged the Mexican line without actually crossing. It is the belief of this writer that the soldiers were so overwhelmed by our intrepid heroes that they turned tail and ran back to San Antonio! The battle ended without any Texian casualties.
Let’s go back a ways to the 1830’s. Prior to the 1830’s, frontiersman and settlers from America, Mexico, and other countries came to Texas with a promise of land. Texas was still under ownership of Mexico. In the 1820’s many former Americans assisted the Mexican government in taking control of Mexico from Spain. A gentleman, by the name of Stephen F. Austin, was the number one individual bringing settlers from America to Texas. He established the Texas Rangers to protect those settlers from Indian attacks. Indian attacks were common due to settlers encroaching on Indian land. In Gonzales Texas, the settlers were dealing with vicious Comanche raids. The Mexican government issued the Gonzales settlers a brass cannon to thwart attacks from the Comanche’s. It’s with this brass cannon that my tale begins….
Texians, (as settlers were known in those days) were beginning to grumble about petitioning the Mexican President, Santa Anna, for statehood. Stephen F. Austin was to serve as their emissary and carry the petition to President Santa Anna in Mexico City. When Austin arrived in Mexico City, he was granted an audience with Vice President Gomez Farias. Apparently, Austin and Farias had a falling out, and Austin ended up being sent to a Mexican prison for nearly two years.
The Mexican government, who was nearly broke for various reasons, went back on their word with the Texas people. The settlers who were given land grants to settle in this great state were expected to pay taxes. The Texians were beginning to voice their displeasure with taxation and lack of recognition for statehood. In 1835, Colonel Ugartechea was sent to San Antonio to command the Mexican garrison (first historical mention this blogmeister is making of the Alamo). It’s believed that his goal was to disarm and dissolve any opposition to Mexican authority. He got word of the cannon that was given to the Gonzales settlers several years before. By now this cannon was rusted and had a hole in it. Gonzales sent one of his lieutenants to take the cannon from the Texians in Gonzales.
As soon as our forefathers got wind that someone was on their way with a troop of Mexican soldiers to take their only cannon (their poor old rusted cannon that was dangerous to even fire), the Texians mounted that cannon on wagon wheels and the women created a flag to drape over the barrel. The flag read “COME AND TAKE IT!”.
As stated in the historical novel The Alamo An Illustrated History by Edwin P. Hoyt, The Texains parked that old cannon with the flag draped over it on the west bank of the Guadalupe River. They made sure that crossing the river would be next to impossible by the Mexican force. Then, three hundred Texians stood armed and ready on the west bank of the river beside that rusty old blown out cannon. Imagine the surprise the Lieutenant and his troupe must have felt when they beheld such a sight. Of course, the Lieutenant asked for the cannon to be returned and he was respectfully invited to try to take it (Texans as a whole are a polite bunch). The morning came with the advancing of the Texians within a few hundred yards of the Mexican soldiers. Those heroes from Gonzales then loaded up the holey rusty old cannon and fired. They charged the Mexican line without actually crossing. It is the belief of this writer that the soldiers were so overwhelmed by our intrepid heroes that they turned tail and ran back to San Antonio! The battle ended without any Texian casualties. Next week’s blog: What ever happened to Stephen F. Austin?
The Road to Independence 12/31/2010
Under Sam Houston’s command, Jim Bowie went to the Alamo at San Antonio to remove all artillery and discharge the men garrisoned at the makeshift fort. Upon his arrival, Jim Bowie became convinced that the Alamo was defendable. He wrote to Henry Smith the newly elected governor of Texas that Bowie and the Texas militia garrisoned there would rather die than give up the Alamo. In the letter he also requested more artillery and more man power. Reinforcements came in the form of William B. Travis, with a small group of men. Soon after, the legendary Davy Crockett arrived with volunteers to help fortify the Alamo.
Next: The Battle of the Alamo!!!
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| The Chapel of The Presidio La Bahia |
Revolution was in the air. Texians (what non-native Texans were called in the old days), were beginning to further their resistance to the oppressive rule of the Mexican government and were calling for independence. Stephen F. Austin, finally released from his two year unfair imprisonment in Mexico was one of the key players in “securing the Declaration of War against Mexico” (The Alamo an Illustrated History). Santa Anna and his government were trying to stem the tide of immigrants to Texas by exerting their autocratic rule. Battle cries were erupting all over the Texas territory. Texian rebels soon overtook the garrisons in Goliad The Presidio La Bahia and San Antonio The Alamo sending the Mexican troops back over the border into Mexico. Upon securing the fort at Goliad, the rebels quickly wrote and signed the first Texas Declaration of Independence.
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| Exterior Of the Chapel |
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| The 1st Texas Declaration Of Independence was signed at the Altar of this Chapel |
The Texians knew they had not heard the end of the Mexican leader. Sam Houston, the former governor of Tennessee and Major General of the Texas Army knew that Texians best defense against the large force of the Mexican troops was best served in the piney woods of eastern Texas. Most Texians were experienced frontiersman who knew how to fight and to defend themselves in heavily wooded locations. These frontiersmen learned from the best…the American Indians whose warfare skills were emulated by the Americans during the French and Indian War and during the American Revolution. The Mexican military still adhered to the European-Style infantry with troops standing in a straight-lined military formation. Sam Houston tried to convince his fellow rebels to abandon the garrisons in San Antonio and Goliad and move the future battle site to a more defendable terrain.
Under Sam Houston’s command, Jim Bowie went to the Alamo at San Antonio to remove all artillery and discharge the men garrisoned at the makeshift fort. Upon his arrival, Jim Bowie became convinced that the Alamo was defendable. He wrote to Henry Smith the newly elected governor of Texas that Bowie and the Texas militia garrisoned there would rather die than give up the Alamo. In the letter he also requested more artillery and more man power. Reinforcements came in the form of William B. Travis, with a small group of men. Soon after, the legendary Davy Crockett arrived with volunteers to help fortify the Alamo.
Next: The Battle of the Alamo!!!
The Last Days of the Alamo 1/09/2011
March 3, 1836
James Bonham road his horse hard from the fort in Goliad, The young attorney and lieutenant in the Texian Calvary had bad news to share with his fellow Texians at the Alamo…help wouldn’t be coming. Fannin wasn’t willing to share his soldiers or weapons to defend the Alamo from the enormous Mexican army. The army, led by Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (Santa Anna,) had arrived in San Antonio with 1500 troops February 23, 1836. William B. Travis, now in complete charge of the Alamo had sent numerous letters requesting assistance from Sam Houston and others in the state. Unfortunately the response wasn’t good. There would not be any help forthcoming from Fannin and although men were on their way to help from America and across Texas, they were still too far to be of any assistance. Many Tejanos and Anglo settlers moved into the Alamo at the approach of the Mexican Army. It was assumed this would be the strongest area of defense and the safest for the families of the settlers that chose to remain and fight.
Jim Bowie had fallen ill after a skirmish with the Mexican Army and was no longer able to co-command with Travis. Bowie was confined to his bed during the final days of the Alamo. Leadership now fell solely on the shoulders of Travis. Legend has it that when Bonham shared the news that Fannin wouldn’t provide any support, Travis called his men for a group meeting. Jim Bowie had the men carry his litter into what was going to be one of the most inspirational events in Texas history. According to Robert Hollmann’s biography, Jim Bowie: Frontier Legends, Travis shared with the men the news that Bonham had imparted to him earlier. He told his men that the fight was no longer a fight to live this was going to be a fight to the death. He told his men that the longer they were able to defend the Alamo and engage Santa Anna’s soldiers in battle, the longer the Texian army had to build its forces to end Santa Anna’s oppression and gain Texas Independence. This blogmeister can imagine what was said next and am using my imagnination to recreate what was said:
“Men, today we are not fighting for victory. We are outnumbered. We know the Alamo will fall. I choose to remain and fight to the death. Because we fight today, the people of Texas will know of our sacrifice and there will be a call to arms like no other. You cannot be blamed if you choose to leave. Those of you that make that choice be assured that those who stay will hold no grudge, carry our stories with you…tell it to those who listen…Texians will not bend to oppression…we died for liberty.”
Next time…The fall of the Alamo
James Bonham road his horse hard from the fort in Goliad, The young attorney and lieutenant in the Texian Calvary had bad news to share with his fellow Texians at the Alamo…help wouldn’t be coming. Fannin wasn’t willing to share his soldiers or weapons to defend the Alamo from the enormous Mexican army. The army, led by Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (Santa Anna,) had arrived in San Antonio with 1500 troops February 23, 1836. William B. Travis, now in complete charge of the Alamo had sent numerous letters requesting assistance from Sam Houston and others in the state. Unfortunately the response wasn’t good. There would not be any help forthcoming from Fannin and although men were on their way to help from America and across Texas, they were still too far to be of any assistance. Many Tejanos and Anglo settlers moved into the Alamo at the approach of the Mexican Army. It was assumed this would be the strongest area of defense and the safest for the families of the settlers that chose to remain and fight.
Jim Bowie had fallen ill after a skirmish with the Mexican Army and was no longer able to co-command with Travis. Bowie was confined to his bed during the final days of the Alamo. Leadership now fell solely on the shoulders of Travis. Legend has it that when Bonham shared the news that Fannin wouldn’t provide any support, Travis called his men for a group meeting. Jim Bowie had the men carry his litter into what was going to be one of the most inspirational events in Texas history. According to Robert Hollmann’s biography, Jim Bowie: Frontier Legends, Travis shared with the men the news that Bonham had imparted to him earlier. He told his men that the fight was no longer a fight to live this was going to be a fight to the death. He told his men that the longer they were able to defend the Alamo and engage Santa Anna’s soldiers in battle, the longer the Texian army had to build its forces to end Santa Anna’s oppression and gain Texas Independence. This blogmeister can imagine what was said next and am using my imagnination to recreate what was said:
“Men, today we are not fighting for victory. We are outnumbered. We know the Alamo will fall. I choose to remain and fight to the death. Because we fight today, the people of Texas will know of our sacrifice and there will be a call to arms like no other. You cannot be blamed if you choose to leave. Those of you that make that choice be assured that those who stay will hold no grudge, carry our stories with you…tell it to those who listen…Texians will not bend to oppression…we died for liberty.”
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| Coloniel William B. Travis |
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| Travis's Line |
The legend states that after making a speech to his men, Colonel William B. Travis pulled his sword and drew a line in the earth in front of the men. He then said, “Those of you who wish to stay with me and fight for Texas Independence…cross the line.” (Hollman) One by one the men stepped across. Bowie requested that his litter be carried so he too could join the men on the other side of the line. Only one man chose not to cross. Was he a coward? Some might say yes…others might say that Louis Rose aka Moses Rose had no stake in the battle that this wasn’t the former Napoleonic soldier’s fight. What we do know is that Rose left the Alamo the night before the final assault under the cover of darkness. No other man (including slave), woman, or child made their escape that night.
Next time…The fall of the Alamo
The Fall of the Alamo 1/12/2010
Rumors had abounded the fort since the siege began. The men and women holding out in the Alamo expected the assault from the Mexican Army to occur at any time. Women did their best to quiet the fears of tired scared children while hiding their own mounting terror. Minor skirmishes had broken out between the Texian Calvary and the Mexican Army for the past few days. The two groups had shared volleys of gunfire...the pounding from the cannons fired from the interior walls of the Alamo toward Santa Anna’s men shook the ground as the brave men warned their future murderers that it wasn’t going to be an easy victory. Santa Anna had been flying the red flag which meant there would be no quarter since the day his troops had surrounded the fort. (No quarter means no prisoners will be taken, no man will be left alive.)
Outside the fort, Santa Anna was marching around giving final orders. Napoleon of the west had directed his Generals to lead the troops closer to the fort for the final assault. The troops had followed their orders to approach within 200 yards of the walls of the fort. As Santa Anna raised the bugle to his lips, an overzealous soldier shouted, “Viva Santa Anna!” (Hoyt) The men began running toward the walls with 1500 men shouting their battle cries.
Inside the fort, the men quickly ran to their posts taking up the fight lightening fast. The women hurried their frightened children into the chapel to protect them from the stray bullets that were striking walls too close for comfort. Davy Crockett and his Tennessee Volunteers took up position on the south wall. Crockett and his sharpshooters cut down multitudes of Santa Anna’s men. William B. Travis ran around giving his men last minute orders. Legend has it that Travis rallied his men with cries of, “Give ‘em hell!” His men heeded his call; all around the fort the men were showing Santa Anna’s army what it meant to be a true Texian…never give in, never surrender!
The sheer multitude of Santa Anna’s men was keeping the outnumbered Texians from success. For every man that fell outside the walls, another would step up to take their place. A toll had finally been taken on the men holed up in the fort, according to legend, when the battalion had made it to the north wall Travis was cut short by a bullet through the head. Soon other brave men met their deaths as Anna’s army finally breached the walls of the fort. Crockett and his Tennessee volunteers met the fate of Travis as they tried to defend the interior walls of the Alamo. A couple of men carried the ill Bowie on his litter from the garrison into the chapel with the women and children while the survivors enclosed themselves inside the buildings barring windows and doors. Soon the doors and walls were breached as the Texians were overwhelmed cut down by swords and bullets. One of Santa Anna’s officers approached Jim Bowie and shot him through the head as he fired his weapon from his litter. Some stories say that several of the children were shown no mercy as bayonets cut through tender flesh.
One Anglo woman and her daughter were left alive and were brought before Santa Anna. Santa Anna allowed the woman to go free with the charge of telling the Texians of the Great Santa Anna’s victory. They were sent out along with a surviving slave by the name of Joe with a message for the Texian Army that Santa Anna was on his way and would show no mercy to any Texian found fighting. Twenty surviving Tejano women and their children who had found sanctuary in the chapel were shown mercy and sent to live with relatives in the town of San Antonio. Santa Anna ordered all the bodies of the fallen Texians burned. Over five hundred of Santa Anna’s troops died and all one hundred seventy eight of Texian defenders perished that day at the Alamo.
Interesting footnote: Santa Anna ordered the total destruction of the Alamo as he and his soldiers left San Antonio to continue their mission to slaughter any of the Texian Calvary left in Texas. One of Santa Anna’s generals and small battalion (Historical accounts are unclear on how many men were left behind but it would have been formidable based on the threat perceived from any Texian hold-outs or sympathizers) were left to monitor San Antonio and were to be responsible for demolishing what was left of the Alamo. The general sent a few of the soldiers to take care of the demolition. The men returned almost immediately screaming, “El Diablo! El Diablo!” According to legend, as the soldiers approached the ruined fort, four glowing images appeared from the rubble with flaming swords ordering the men to leave and never return. The men fled in terror. The next day the general took a formidable group of soldiers to complete the destruction. They too were thwarted by these mysterious specters. The accuracy of this legend is only known to those who are long dead. This fact is true; Santa Anna ordered the complete destruction of the Alamo. His orders were not followed. Although nearly decimated during the battle, the Misión San Antonio de Valero or as we know it, the Alamo, received it’s stay of execution. It stands today, chapel rebuilt to honor those who died…a shrine of Texas Liberty!
Next week: Fannin’s Folly
Fannin's Folly 1/22/2011
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| Interior walls of La Bahia |
The news that Sam Houston received was not what he had hoped to hear. Three battle weary men that were fortunate enough to escape from the Battle of Coleto Creek brought news that James Fannin had not heeded Houston’s advice.
Sam Houston, the General for the Texas army knew his orders were sound, after the fall of the Alamo, Houston had commanded Fannin to abandoned the fort in Goliad…it wasn’t a practical nor defensible location to take a stand. Houston knew the fort would be easy fodder for Santa Anna’s army. He gave orders to scuttle the cannons and blow up the fort in Goliad, the Presidio Nuestra Señora de Loreto de la Bahía.
Even with the knowledge the Alamo had fallen and Santa Anna’s army was on it’s way, Fannin procrastinated. It is impossible to know what the Lt. Colonel was thinking. His men told Houston of an aloof leader who was indecisive. Fannin would make orders to bury the weapons, blow up the fort, make ready for leaving, and then would change the orders. His men ended up burying the artillery and digging it up on several occasions before the final retreat, March 18, 1836.
When told Santa Anna’s army (led by General Urrea), camped only a few miles from the fort, were readying for march, Fannin finally made the order to retreat. Instead of packing food and water, the pack animals were laden with heavy artillery, weapons, and personal possessions.
Only having traveled a few miles, the heavily loaded animals quickly tired and needed rest. Just a mile from a densely wooded area bordering Coleto Creek, Fannin made the fatal decision of ordering the men to make camp. No food, no water, out in the open without any protection from trees, Fannin created a situation for easy pickin’s for Santa Anna’s men. Fannin ignored advice to continue for another mile to where there would be some protection at the forested creek.
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| Battle Site |
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| Names of the 350 |
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| Monument to Honor the Fallen |
Francesca Alavez, known as the Angel of Goliad, and two other women including Urrea’s wife, rescued twenty-eight men prior to the execution. A statue now sits next to the Presidio to honor this angel of mercy.
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| Angel of Goliad |
"Remember the Alamo!! Remember Goliad!!" February 2, 2011
April 21, 1836
Confident after his victory at the Alamo and Goliad, Santa Anna led his troops eastward in pursuit of Sam Houston and the rest of the Texian Army. General Sam Houston’s recruits, grown to 910, had been playing a game of hide-n-seek with Santa Anna for a month after the fall of Goliad. During their month-long “retreat”, Houston was training his recruits for the inevitable final confrontation.
Houston had lived for a period with the Cherokee’s and was an adopted member the Cherokee tribe. He had also wed a Cherokee maiden and had learned the ways of the Cherokee’s. He was a tough hard drinking man that was more comfortable in buckskin than military garb. He served as a lieutenant in the War of 1812 and his military and Cherokee background came in handy as he strategized to bring an end to the dictatorial rule that Santa Anna had brought to Texas and the Texian people.
Sam Houston positioned his men to wait on the other side of the San Jacinto River at the junction of the River and Buffalo Bayou. This would create an optimal position to confront Santa Anna and his 1500 troops. Because of heavy spring rains (of which modern day Houstonians are quiet familiar), Santa Anna was forced to march downstream of the flooded San Jacinto River and cross Vince’s Bridge. Soon after Santa Anna and his men crossed Vince’s Bridge, a few of Houston’s men destroyed the bridge cutting off any chance the Mexican Army might have had for retreat.
Houston’s men hid in the woods and behind embankments as Santa Anna’s army approached. Overconfident, Santa Anna and his men made camp in an open meadow surrounded by water and woods. Houston and his men just bid their time watching as the Mexican Army began their siesta. Then Houston led the charge with “Remember the Alamo!!! Remember Goliad!!!” Within 18 minutes, the Battle of San Jacinto was over. It took another day to find Santa Anna who had run away when the battle started. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President and Dictator of Mexico and self-styled "Napoleon of the West," had stripped down to his silk drawers ridding himself of his military garb and (by some accounts) was found hiding up in a tree.
On May 14, 1836, Santa Anna signed the Treaties of Velasco. These treaties called for all Mexican militia to return to Mexico and recognized Texas as an independent nation. After the Treaties of Velasco, Sam Houston was elected the President of the Republic of Texas. Texas was now a recognized country independent of Mexico and the rule of the Mexican government.
Confident after his victory at the Alamo and Goliad, Santa Anna led his troops eastward in pursuit of Sam Houston and the rest of the Texian Army. General Sam Houston’s recruits, grown to 910, had been playing a game of hide-n-seek with Santa Anna for a month after the fall of Goliad. During their month-long “retreat”, Houston was training his recruits for the inevitable final confrontation.
Houston had lived for a period with the Cherokee’s and was an adopted member the Cherokee tribe. He had also wed a Cherokee maiden and had learned the ways of the Cherokee’s. He was a tough hard drinking man that was more comfortable in buckskin than military garb. He served as a lieutenant in the War of 1812 and his military and Cherokee background came in handy as he strategized to bring an end to the dictatorial rule that Santa Anna had brought to Texas and the Texian people.
As Houston and his army retreated, his men began to question his leadership. The men were eager for a fight, but like any brilliant strategist, Houston was bidding his time. He needed to get his ragtag group of men ready for the battle and lead Santa Anna into an area that was favorable for an assault. As a cat plays with a mouse, Sam Houston led Santa Anna to the area now known as Houston Texas. During those days, the region, sitting on the Gulf coast, was a combination of marshes, bayous, woods, and meadows. This would be a more desirable location and the fight would be on Sam Houston’s terms. All along, Houston had been advising the Texas militia to bring the fight to an area that best suited the unique fighting style of these rugged frontiersmen. His men were hunters and were familiar with this type of terrain.
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| San Jacinto Monument |
Houston’s men hid in the woods and behind embankments as Santa Anna’s army approached. Overconfident, Santa Anna and his men made camp in an open meadow surrounded by water and woods. Houston and his men just bid their time watching as the Mexican Army began their siesta. Then Houston led the charge with “Remember the Alamo!!! Remember Goliad!!!” Within 18 minutes, the Battle of San Jacinto was over. It took another day to find Santa Anna who had run away when the battle started. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, President and Dictator of Mexico and self-styled "Napoleon of the West," had stripped down to his silk drawers ridding himself of his military garb and (by some accounts) was found hiding up in a tree.
On May 14, 1836, Santa Anna signed the Treaties of Velasco. These treaties called for all Mexican militia to return to Mexico and recognized Texas as an independent nation. After the Treaties of Velasco, Sam Houston was elected the President of the Republic of Texas. Texas was now a recognized country independent of Mexico and the rule of the Mexican government.
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| Statue of Sam Houston |
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