Posted by Rich on March 04, 1999 at 04:25:48:
In Reply to: Alamo Ancestors posted by Champ on March 03, 1999 at 17:42:02:
Interesting, Champ. To have ancestors who stood their ground within those crumbling walls against overwhelming odds is something to be proud of!
There can be little doubt that not ALL the defenders inside the Alamo compound were the righteous defenders of liberty portrayed in John Wayne's version of "The Alamo." (Or, even in the much more accurate "Thirteen Days To Glory") Some were greedy land thieves, slaveholders, assorted riff-raff ... HOWEVER, there is something to said for a man, ANY man, who would stand and give their life for what they believe in. The famous scene where Alamo commander, Col. William B. Travis, draws a line in the sand and asks all who wish to stay, and die, to cross ... well, that may or may not have really happened, but it surely DID happen in spirit. Couriers almost freely made their way through the Mexican lines seeking reinforcements. Any man would have been free to leave when it became obvious that no more aid would be coming, that there were not enough bodies to adequately man the walls, that the Mexican Army, led by the ruthless Santa Anna, was far superior in numbers & artillery ... they could have left. They didn't. And their valor cost the Mexican Army dearly, inspiring other Texans to "Remember The Alamo."
We should do the same this March 6. It's one of those things that should make us feel proud to be who we are. The least these men deserve is a moment of reflection. A moment to consider what great inner strength it must have taken to know you were going to die with a steel bayonet in your gut, and yet choose to stand in defiance for the cause you believed in.
One can argue the rights & wrongs of the Texas War For Independence ... certainly there are 2 sides to the story ... one cannot deny these men their bravery!
It's a theme frequently visited in "The Last Of The Mohicans" ... one of the many reasons I love the film ...