CHASING AMERICAN LEGENDS

Ep9 Teaser

Episode 9 – Come & Take IT!

Ep9 Behind the Scenes Bonus Specials

Extended Scene at the Alamo

Extended Scene Shooting Muskets

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Come & Take It!

This week’s episode takes us to the iconic Battle of the Alamo and the lesser known, but even more critical, part of the Texas Revolution…Gonzales! To set up this episode appropriately, we need to go back more than just a few hundred years, we need to step back a couple thousand years.

When the Persians demanded surrender of the 300 Spartans at the battle of Thermopylae in 480 BC, Leonidas responded with “MONAN LABE!!!” Which is, to say in English – ”Come and Take it!” And then they made their heroic stand against an impossibly larger force of Persians.

More than 2,300 years later, that same phrase and attitude became the battle cry against tyranny in our family’s home state of Texas.

What started as a simple ribbon cutting for our family’s newly renovated historic hotel, became a challenge to defend the courage of some of the greatest men in history.

We begin with the chaos of the grand opening for The Alcalde Hotel, when Brad (a Tennessean) decides to question whether our Texas icons were heroes or cowards. This leads to a journey through the first shots of the Texas Revolution, the story behind that white flag with the cannon, the Alamo in San Antonio, and the amazing story of the Immortal Thirty-Two. Somewhere in the mix, we get to shoot muskets with a very authentic re-enactor…and guess who gets off the best shot?

—Rick Green

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The Question:
Was the courageous last stand at the Alamo just a myth?
Were there cowards fleeing from the Alamo?

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Gonzales
Our episode begins in the city of Gonzales, located just southeast of Austin, the Texas Capitol. Gonzales is a town rich in history, with the first shot of the Texas revolution occurring here. Rick represented Gonzales in the Texas Legislature from 1999-2003 and had it officially named “The Lexington of Texas” for her “first shot” history. Having a little over 7,000 people, Gonzales is exactly what comes to mind when you think of a small town in Texas!

Alcalde Hotel
The Alcalde Hotel originally opened in 1926 and served the Gonzales area with rooms as well as a coffee shop and dining room. The Alcalde is filled with history and folklore. Bonnie & Clyde once stayed at the Alcalde, escaping out the window and climbing down a tree when the local law showed up. Elvis Presley stayed at the Alcalde multiple times during his days as part of the Louisiana Hay Ride. Our family has since renovated the Alcalde to a beautiful hotel and grill.

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For more information, visit TheAlcaldeHotel.com. Come stay with us next time you come through Texas!

First Shot
Before the famous Battle at the Alamo, was the little known Battle of Gonzales, the first military engagement in the war for Texas independence. Originally, the Mexican government had loaned the settlers of Gonzales a cannon for the purpose of fending off Indians. In 1835, the president of Mexico, Santa Anna, overthrew the Mexican Constitution and appointed himself dictator. Santa Anna feared that his dictatorship would push the Texians to secede from Mexico, so he ordered the Mexican military to start disarming the Texians whenever possible. Santa Anna then sent 100 Mexican dragoons to retrieve the cannon from the Gonzales settlers that had been loaned to them four years earlier. The citizens of Gonzales refused to give up the cannon, and decided to take a stand against the Mexican dragoons (YES!).

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While it was originally just 18 Gonzales townsmen, more militiamen from surrounding settlements were summoned, resulting in a small group of nearly 140 men to stand against the dragoons.

The Texians ultimately attacked the Mexicans and refused to give up the cannon, resulting in the dragoons re-treating from the fight. This was officially the “first shot”. The battle itself was a minor affair, but it represented the first real act of war on the part of the settlers, and was therefore a major step forward in the movement to throw off the chains of the tyrannical Mexican government. The Battle of Gonzales was to Texas what the Battle of Lexington was for the United States. The Battle of Gonzales sparked the flame of liberty in the hearts and minds of all Texians, causing many of them to go into action and resist the tyranny of Santa Anna and the Mexican government. From this battle, the now famous “Come and Take It” flag was born. After the Battle of Gonzales, the Texians fought many battles for another six months, before finally achieving independence!

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The Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo is the most famous battle that occurred during the fight for Texas Independence. It was a thirteen-day siege, ending with a major defeat for the Texian defenders by the Mexican army. The Texians were commanded by Lt. Col. William B. Travis.

Travis knew that they desperately needed reinforcements, and inside the Alamo he penned one of the most stirring letters in American history pleading for the people of Texas and all Americans in the world to aid them in this battle. Even despite being outnumbered and knowing that death was likely, Travis wrote:

“The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion – I have answered the demand with a cannon shot & our flag still waves proudly from the walls – I shall never surrender or retreat.“

—Lt. Col. William B. Travis

You can see why we Texans have a lot of pride in our state! Words like that stir up a lot of patriotism for the cause of liberty! Travis’s letter was immediately dispatched out and

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word of it spread as far as New York City. Responding to his letter were thirty-two brave men from Gonzales, called the Immortal 32.

Nearly 2,000 Mexican soldiers continually attempted to of the Alamo. On March 6, 1836, after thirteen days, the Mexicans made a final assault on the weary Texians killing all of them in a bloody battle that lasted about ninety minutes, while losing around 600 men themselves. William B. Travis, David Bowie, and even the famous frontiersman and former Congressman, David Crockett (known as “King of the Wild Frontier”) died that day defending the Alamo. A few civilians were spared by Santa Anna and sent away to warn the remainder of the Texian forces that his Mexican army was unbeatable. Santa Anna chose to make an example out of the brave soldiers at the Alamo, and even though the defeat that day sent fear through many Texians,

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it also created a thirst for revenge. “Remember the Alamo” became a rallying cry across Texas, and Santa Anna himself was captured at The Battle of San Jacinto, less than sixty days after the fall of the Alamo. Treaties were signed May 14th, formal surrender of the Mexican Army was June 4th, and The Republic of Texas was a free and independent nation just eight months from the firing of the first shot in Gonzales.

The Immortal Thirty-Two
During the siege at the Alamo, Col. Travis sent several requests for aid, his most famous being the “Victory or Death” letter of February 24, 1836. The only known answer to Travis’s call for help came in the form of the Immortal Thirty-Two from Gonzales. They not only answered the call, they fought their way through the Mexican forces in order to get into the Alamo and aid the defenders. Although they knew death was likely, they did not shrink from their responsibility to their fellow Texians, but instead, they welcomed it. These Immortal Thirty-Two, along with the rest of the defenders of the Alamo, were true heroes of courage.

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The Answer:
The men of the Alamo were most definitely not cowards!
They not only stood their ground, they ran towards the fight!

Take Home Lessons:

It started with only 18 brave men willing to say “no more.” That small band of patriots knew they were standing against the entire, seemingly impossible to overcome, Mexican Army when they
began their stance.

We are given so many opportunities to take a stand every day. Whether it’s simply speaking up for truth in a small circle of friends, or perhaps even standing up for the defenseless in our communities. Your “stand” may be with your vote, or a letter to the editor, or a post on Facebook. For some of you, it will be joining the military and defending our nation physically, or serving as a first responder in your community. But for all of us, whether simply using our voices or literally laying down our lives, there is no limit to the potential impact we can have on the future of liberty in our great nation. Others will rally to the cause if just a few, or
sometimes even one, is willing to raise the flag and say, “Come and Take It!”

—Rick Green

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Discussion Questions

Essay Question

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Guest Profile: Dr. Bruce Winders
We had such a great time with Dr. Bruce Winders and learned so much in our time with him at the Alamo. Dr. Winders earned his doctorate at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth, Texas in 1994. He came to the Alamo in 1996 to fill the newly created position of Historian & Curator. A recognized authority on the conflicts involving United States, Mexico, and Texas, Winders is the author of a number of books and articles on the topic, including Mr. Polk’s Army: The American Military Experience in the Mexican War (1997), Crisis in the Southwest: The United States, Mexico, and the Struggle over Texas (2002), Sacrificed at the Alamo: Tragedy and Triumph in the Texas Revolution (2004), and Panting for Glory: The Mississippi
Rifles in the Mexican War (2016). A former classroom teacher and public historian, Winders maintains a keen interest in education and educators. Those who know him can readily attest to his passion and skill as an educator of students of all ages. Be sure to watch the Extended Learning Scenes on the DVD’s for more time at the Alamo with Dr. Winders.

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Guest Profile: George Rollow
Special thanks to Texas Revolution re-enactor George Rollow for giving us a great experience shooting muskets and also sharing some wonderful history with us. Be sure to watch the Extended Learning Scenes on the DVD’s for some extra learning and shooting!