Remember The Alamo!

...and the people who fought there.

February 23, 2011
Lorie Kramer - Houston, TX

175 years ago in 1836, defenders of Texas independence held off a siege by a large Mexican army for 13 days. Much is said and written about the battle. The cry "Remember the Alamo!" is synonymous with the idea of not giving up even though the odds are really, REALLY against you.

When people visit the site which is now in the middle of downtown San Antonio, they usually say they thought it would be bigger. It's not that big. The former Mission San Antonio de Valero, does not impress one as being a bigger than life fortress. That just illustrates the size of the sacrifice and struggle to hold the Alamo.

What touches me about the Alamo defenders is who they were. It wasn't just Davey Crockett and Jim Bowie.

Examining the names and the places those people traveled from to join the fight takes one back to a mindset that seems rare today. Check out some of the names, did you expect an Esparza or Fuentes or the Black Freedman, John? The idea was that the PEOPLE of Texas were fighting for their independence. Race didn't matter, age didn't matter, religion didn't matter, cultural heritage didn't matter, where one came from didn't matter. There were no lobbyists. Those things were not important because the goal was for the good of all who had the same beliefs in the bigger picture. I don't think people realize that it was not just a bunch of white cowboys there. MANY different types of people stood together that day. I may live in Texas, but I'm from Ohio. Both places are still my country, and from down here it looks like we're being invaded.

The defenders of the Alamo knew they had to fight together, to be independent. Maybe we should try that. I don't know if we could remember how.

So, in the interest of looking at the defenders of the Alamo, look at the bigger picture....they sure did.

Defenders of the Alamo

Abamillo, JuanTexas
Allen, RobertVirginia
Andross, Miles DeForrest Vermont
Autry, MicajahNorth Carolina
Badillo, Juan A.Texas
Bailey, Peter James IIIKentucky
Baker, Isaac G.Arkansas
Baker, William Charles M.Missouri
Ballentine, John J.Pennsylvania
Ballantine, Richard W.Scotland
Baugh, John J.Virginia
Bayliss, JosephTennessee
Blair, JohnTennessee
Blair, SamuelTennessee
Blazeby, WilliamEngland
Bonham, James ButlerSouth Carolina
Bourne, DanielEngland
Bowie, JamesKentucky
Bowman, Jesse B.Tennessee
Brown, GeorgeEngland
Brown, JamesPennsylvania
Brown, Robertunknown
Buchanan, JamesAlabama
Burns, Samuel E.Ireland
Butler, George, D.Missouri
Cain, JohnPennsylvania
Campbell, RobertTennessee
Carey, William R.Virginia
Clark, Charles HenryMissouri
Clark, M.B.Mississippi
Cloud, Daniel WilliamKentucky
Cochran, Robert E. New Hampshire
Cottle, George WashingtonMissouri
Courtman, HenryGermany
Crawford, Lemuel South Carolina
Crockett, DavidTennessee
Crossman, Robert Pennsylvania
Cummings, David P.Pennsylvania
Cunningham, Robert New York
Darst, Jacob C.Kentucky
Davis, John Kentucky
Day, Freeman H.K.unknown
Day, Jerry C.Missouri
Daymon, SquireTennessee
Dearduff, WilliamTennessee
Dennison, StephenEngland or Ireland
Despallier, CharlesLouisiana
Dewall, LewisNew York
Dickinson, AlmeronTennessee
Dillard, John HenryTennessee
Dimpkins, James R.England
Duvalt, AndrewIreland
Espalier, CarlosTexas
Esparza, GregorioTexas
Evans, RobertIreland
Ewing, James L.Tennessee
Faunterloy, William KeenerKentucky
Fishbaugh, Williamunknown
Flanders, JohnMassachusetts
Floyd, Dolphin WardNorth Carolina
Forsyth, John HubbardNew York
Fuentes, AntonioTexas
Fuqua, GalbaAlabama
Garnett, WilliamVirginia
Garrand, James W.Louisiana
Garrett, James GirardTennessee
Garvin, John E.unknown
Gaston, John E.Kentucky
George, Jamesunknown
Goodrich, John C.Virginia
Grimes, Albert Calvin Georgia
Guerrero, José María Texas
Gwynne, James C.England
Hannum, JamesPennsylvania
Harris, JohnKentucky
Harrison, Andrew JacksonTennessee
Harrison, William BOhio
Hawkins, Joseph M. Ireland
Hays, John M.Tennessee
Heiskell, Charles M.Tennessee
Herndon, Patrick HenryVirginia
Hersee, William DanielEngland
Holland, TapleyOhio
Holloway, SamuelPennsylvania
Howell, William D.Massachusetts
Jackson, ThomasIreland
Jackson, William DanielKentucky
Jameson, Green B.Kentucky
Jennings, Gordon C.Connecticut
Jimenes (Ximenes), Damacio Texas
Johnson, Lewis Wales
Johnson, WilliamPennsylvania
Jones, JohnNew York
Kellog, John BenjaminKentucky
Kenney, JamesVirginia
Kent, AndrewKentucky
Kerr, JosephLouisiana
Kimbell, George C.Pennsylvania
King, William PhilipTexas
Lewis, William Irvine Virginia
Lightfoot, William J.Virginia
Lindley, Jonathan L. Illinois
Linn, WilliamMassachusetts
Losoya, ToribioTexas
Main, George Washington
Malone, William T. Georgia
Marshall, WilliamTennessee
Martin, AlbertRhode Island
McCafferty, Edwardunknown
McCoy, Jesse Tennessee
McDowell, WilliamPennsylvania
McGee, JamesIreland
McGregor, JohnScotland
McKinney, RobertTennessee
Melton, Eliel Georgia
Miller, Thomas R.Tennessee
Mills, WilliamTennessee
Millsaps, Isaac Mississippi
Mitchell, Edwin T.unknown
Mitchell, Napoleon B.unknown
Mitchusson, Edward F.Virginia
Moore, Robert B.Virginia
Moore, Willis A.Mississippi
Musselman, Robert Ohio
Nava, AndrésTexas
Neggan, GeorgeSouth Carolina
Nelson, Andrew M.Tennessee
Nelson, EdwardSouth Carolina
Nelson, GeorgeSouth Carolina
Northcross, James Virginia
Nowlan, JamesEngland
Pagan, Georgeunknown
Parker, Christopher Adamunknown
Parks, WilliamNorth Carolina
Perry, RichardsonTexas
Pollard, AmosMassachusetts
Reynolds, John PurdyPennsylvania
Roberts, Thomas H.unknown
Robertson, James WatersTennessee
Robinson, IsaacScotland
Rose, James M.Ohio
Rusk, Jackson J.Ireland
Rutherford, JosephKentucky
Ryan, IsaacLouisiana
Scurlock, MialNorth Carolina
Sewell, Marcus L.England
Shied, MansonGeorgia
Simmons, Cleveland Kinlock South Carolina
Smith, Andrew H.
Smith, Charles S.Maryland
Smith, Joshua G.North Carolina
Smith, William H.unknown
Starr, RichardEngland
Stewart, James E.England
Stockton, Richard L.New Jersey
Summerlin, A. SpainTennessee
Summers, William E.Tennessee
Sutherland, William DePriest unknown
Taylor, EdwardTennessee
Taylor, GeorgeTennessee
Taylor, JamesTennessee
Taylor, WilliamTennessee
Thomas, B. Archer M.Kentucky
Thomas, HenryGermany
Thompson, Jesse G. Arkansas
Thomson, John W.North Carolina
Thruston, John, M.Pennsylvania
Trammel, BurkeIreland
Travis, William BarretSouth Carolina
Tumlinson, George W.Missouri
Tylee, James New York
Walker, Asa Tennessee
Walker, JacobTennessee
Ward, William B.Ireland
Warnell, Henryunknown
Washington, Joseph G. Kentucky
Waters, ThomasEngland
Wells, WilliamGeorgia
White, IsaacAL or KY
White, Robertunknown
Williamson, Hiram JamesPennsylvania
Wills, Williamunknown
Wilson, David L.Scotland
Wilson, JohnPennsylvania
Wolf, Anthonyunknown
Wright, ClaiborneNorth Carolina
Zanco, CharlesDenmark
___?___, Johna Black Freedman

List thanks to the Daughters Of The Republic Of Texas

The Alamo Museum Website

Lorie Kramer - Houston, TX
seektress@seektress.info

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