Monday, February 28, 2011

Texas Tidbits: Time Is Not an Ally to Travis and His Men, The Siege of the Alamo, Days 6 - 9

***Quick note: So I don't confuse you with the number of days until a certain event, etc., 1836 was a Leap Year, so that's why it seems like there's an extra day, because there was!  :)***

Remembering Gonzales on the Way to the Alamo
The next four days in the Siege of the Alamo were fairly uneventful as far as the two sides shooting at each other, but there was quite a bit going on away from the Alamo, as Texians from various locations planned to rush to the besieged mission and serve as reinforcements to Colonel Travis command. Dodging roving Mexican troops was a constant problem for the reinforcements, even causing some of the men headed for the Alamo to become separated from their larger group. At this point, we turn to ever useful Wikipedia: "After learning that Fannin was not coming and that there would likely be no other reinforcements,[77] a group of 25 men set out from Gonzales at 2 pm on Saturday, February 27.[96] They were led by Martin and George Kimbell, Almaron Dickinson's business partner.[97] As the group passed the ranch of volunteer John G. King on their way out of town his fifteen-year-old son, Wiliam, rushed out and asked to take his father's place, as John King was needed to support the family's nine children. The men agreed, and William exchanged places with his father.[98] On the march to Bexar eight additional men joined the group.[99] The men carried with them the first flag ever made for use in a Texian battle; the Come and take it flag from the Battle of Gonzales." There's more to this story and you can read it at Wikipedia.

Time was not a trusty ally to the Defenders of the Alamo, nor to the men who would be much-needed firepower to the weary men at the mission, for within a week's time, they would all perish pursuing those most-cherished of God-given rights, the Twin Sisters of Liberty and Freedom.

God bless Texas!

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All Original Material © Toby Shoemaker