quote:
Fellow citizens and compatriots; I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country. VICTORY or DEATH. William Barret Travis Lt. Col. Comdt. Alamo

Travis defied a direct order from Sam Houston to retreat from the Alamo in the face of an overwhelming Mexican force. Moreover, he chose to defend the Alamo when there was a more suitable position, the Presidio, in San Antonio itself. Travis made himself a legend and got a bunch of stuff named after him, at the cost of losing his life and almost his entire command. Had he survived, he would have been courtmartialed for his amateurishness and insubordination.

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Posted by 777Tiger

Member since Mar 2011

73856 posts

Posted on 3/13/18 at 12:42 pm to Jim Rockford

quote:
Travis defied a direct order from Sam Houston to retreat from the Alamo in the face of an overwhelming Mexican force. Moreover, he chose to defend the Alamo when there was a more suitable position, the Presidio, in San Antonio itself. Travis made himself a legend and got a bunch of stuff named after him, at the cost of losing his life and almost his entire command. Had he survived, he would have been courtmartialed for his amateurishness and insubordination.

if there had been a back door at the Alamo there wouldn't be a Texas

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Posted by Pdubntrub

Member since Jan 2018

1779 posts

Posted on 3/13/18 at 12:43 pm to Jim Rockford

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat. TR

It takes more than a bullet to stop a bull moose. TR

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Posted by BlackAdam

Member since Jan 2016

6462 posts

Posted on 3/13/18 at 1:20 pm to Jim Rockford

quote:
Travis defied a direct order from Sam Houston to retreat from the Alamo in the face of an overwhelming Mexican force. Moreover, he chose to defend the Alamo when there was a more suitable position, the Presidio, in San Antonio itself. Travis made himself a legend and got a bunch of stuff named after him, at the cost of losing his life and almost his entire command. Had he survived, he would have been courtmartialed for his amateurishness and insubordination.

That is not true. Houston asked Governor Henry Smith if he could have the Alamo demolished and the cannons removed to Gonzales. Smith turned him down.

Also the bulk of the garrison were volunteers under Jim Bowie's command. When the Alamo fell Houston only had command of regulars, not volunteers.

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