Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire The Alamo: The Demise of Davy Crockett

Just got done reading James E. Crisps excellent and well-reasoned defense of the controversial De La Pena accounts of the Texas War of Independence in Sleuthing the Alamo: Davy Crockett's Last Stand and Other Mysteries of the Texas Revolution.

Not the least of Crisp's arguments in support of the authenticity of the De La Pena writings is the fact that correspondence generally accepted as being from De La Pena were written in another person's hand, including the signiature, answering the most obvious objection to authenticity.

Comparing and summarizing De La Pena's account, the memoir of Santa Anna's personal secretary (who was also present at the Alamo), two letters to different Eastern newspapers independently written by Americans in contact with Mexican prisoners after San Jacinto, Crisp comes up with the following sequence of events....

At the very end of the bloody fighting between five and seven (depending on the account) Alamo defenders, including Davy Crockett retreated to the very back of the Alamo church, prepared to sell their lives dearly. General Castrillon, who contemporary accounts speak well of, restrained his men from killing them and offered the men protection if they would surrender.

Castrillon brought the men to Santa Anna who, much as he would order carried out on the 340 Texian prisoners at Goliad two weeks later, flew into a rage and ordered the men executed immediately. This was carried out by the members of Santa Anna's own entourage using swords and bayonets on the helpless unarmed men.

All sources do agree that the men died well and courageously, despite in the ignominious circumstance of their execution.

Birdwatcher

Alamo defenders, including Davy Crockett retreated to the very back of the Alamo church, prepared to sell their lives dearly... AND then this >.... flew into a rage and ordered the men executed immediately. This was carried out by the members of Santa Anna's own entourage using swords and bayonets on the helpless unarmed men.
I need to "get on/learn " my history!

The thing that struck me about the Alamo was walking around the outside walls of the Mission; there are many thousands of little round impressions in the walls - the impact marks of balls. It is obvious a hard battle was fought there, regardless of the exact sequence of the defender's deaths.

It still pisses me off that Santa Anna was allowed to live

For sure, Steel.

Sam Houston wanted Texas more than he wanted Santa Anna's life. He made that decision, Santa Anna, was defeated, his army destroyed to the extent that it was not a viable army after San Jacinto.

I will say that the movies all get him wrong. At the time of the Alamo Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was only 44 years old, reportedly tall, charming in manner, and totally amoral. One legend entirely in character is that, during the siege, he had one of his men dress up as a priest so he could "marry" an attractive local girl, and sent her off to his enormous land holdings west of Veracruz when the siege was over.

In some ways he was the best friend the US ever had: Captured at San Jacinto he orders his forces out of Texas in exchange for his life. A year later, in exchange for his freedom, re "officially" signs off on Texas independence tho' not actually President of Mexico at the time.

1842, back in power, his armies invade Texas and occupy San Antonio TWICE. Convincing a great many Texians that Texas needed to become part of the greater United States for its own protection.

1846 war breaks out, Santa Anna brung back from exile in Cuba, raises several armies, loses every battle, at the close of that war the United States gets most of New Mexico and Arizona, and all of California. Santa Anna sent off to exile again.

1853, called back into power, this time from Columbia, Santa Anna sells us Southern Arizona and New Mexico, straightening the Border line allowing room for a railroad. Santa Anna pockets the cash, gets kicked out again.

1869, having outlived most of his enemies, the 74 year-old Santa Anna is living comfortably in New York City. While there he introduces chicle, chewing gum, to the United States. Finally dies at age eighty-one in Mexico in 1876, survived by at least eleven children by eight different women.

He should have his own mini-series, "the Most Interesting Man in the World's" evil doppelganger.

Birdwatcher

On the contrary, Houston had every reason to worry. MOST of Santa Anna's forces were still in the field, under the command of the able generals Urrea and Filisola. Indeed, one cam make the case that had any of his generals been in command instead of Santa Anna at San Jacinto things could have come out very different.

Most of the men present at San Jacinto despised Houston, and Houston himself barely retained authority, this being precisely why the seriously wounded Houston was treated so dismally after the battle.

As it was, had the at best loosely organized and poorly disciplined Texian Army met the likes of a Urrea even in the aftermath of San Jacinto my money would be on the Mexicans. Even though the Mexicans were out of supplies at the end of a very long supply line, and even though they suffered great privations on the long retreat, at the time of San Jacinto the Mexican Army was still dangerous.

YMMV,
Birdwatcher

General Sam Houston was a Freemason, as was General Santa Ana: he gave a distress signal and was given reprieve.

Sam Houston was a puss.

...and he was an opium-eater!!

I don't know about that, but he certainly sold Texas down the road.

I thought Houston and Santa Anna were both members of the Trilateral Commission and the Bilderbergers. They get a free pass about everything.

L.W.

So, uh, you do opium too.

I am sorry to admit, this is true.

Nah. A couple of scotches on Friday evening are about all I can handle.

L.W.

I've read a bit about it in the Freemason's history. It was rumored that Santa Anna gave ole Houston the "secret" handshake. Most of the articles I have read suggests that it is simply not true. But what is true is that Houston was smart enough to know that Santa Anna would give up Texas to save his own life.

Thanks, Birdie. Good thread on two fascinating subjects, The Alamo and the personalities involved. Too bad though there isn't a blanketing "kook-blocking" function and thus avoid the idiocy...

They didn't need to kill Santa Anna...but it would have been cool to hang him from his wrists while the guys did the Pinata thing for a little while.

Don't forget their work founding the International Zionist Banker Conspiracy.