Alamo Pilgrimage 5: Living History part 2

Continued from yesterday, a rubbernecking stroll around the Alamo grounds.

This guy was with Captain Shackleford's Alabama Red Rovers. Quite possibly the Captain himself.

The Red Rovers' weapon collection, including a nice blunderbuss.

 The fellow was demonstrating how to load a flintlock. He agreed with my observation that riflemen sometimes urinated down the barrel to clean it, bringing wrinkles to the noses of these two ladies.

Had to keep my distance from these folks. They wanted donations.

Throwing knives on display. These are the first I've seen that actually look like Bowies. Most throwers resemble the ones front and center. A snot-nosed kid was showing off in the background, hitting the mark every time and making it look easy. It's not. 

The real Davy Crockett, and friend. Is that Georgie Russel?

Even brave Alamo defenders need a cigarette break now and then.

For more Alamo Pilgrimage photos, click HERE.

Alamo Pilgrimage 4: Living History part 1

Over the March 6 and 7 weekend, The San Antonio Living History Association sponsored exhibits on the Alamo grounds.

Let the Special Event begin.

Author J.R. Edmonson enthralls the crowd as Jim Bowie.

Jeff Beardon as Davy. Dang, I missed his performance.

Well-dressed gent No. 1

No. 2

No. 3

An Alamo cooking demonstration. Nuts, they were not offering free samples.

More Living History tomorrow.

Earlier Alamo trip photos HERE.

Alamo Pilgrimage 3: Battle Aftermath

Following the battle reenactment on March 6, 2010, participants got chummy with one another and posed for us tourists.

Santa Anna chats with a Texian rebel.

The New Orleans Greys show off their gun.

 Is that Jim Bowie? Close! It's Ron Ianitello.

Davy meets Davy.

Defenders swap email addresses.
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This fearsome fellow is actually a concert trombonist.

Jim Bonham (Wade Dillon) still has some fight in him.

For more photos (and a battle video) from my Alamo trip, click HERE. More pics coming soon.

The Battle of the Alamo 2010

Every year, I'm told, the San Antonio Living History Association reenacts the battle on Alamo Plaza. In 2010, the year I was there, they did it three times. I caught all of the second and the end of the third. Here's the story in pictures, followed by 5 minutes of furious video action.

General Santa Anna (at center) conducts the Mexican council of war. The Texian rebels, he says, will receive no quarter.

Col. Travis (white coat), Davy (coonskin cap) and the men discuss their dilemma. Juan Seguin is at right. I think Jim Bowie has already taken sick.

Travis sends Jim Bonham to Goliad for help.

 The defenders on the north wall can only watch and wait.

Bonham is back (just behind Davy). There will be no help from Goliad.

The men decide to stay and fight. The crowd is asked if they'll stay too. They will.

The Mexican cannon roars. The battle is on. The New Orleans Greys prepare a reply.

Davy lessens the odds. He's deadly at 600 yards.

The attack comes at the north wall. The men fire...

...then step back to reload, as others take their place.

The north wall is breached and the defenders slain. (Fallen men bow their heads and rest on their weapons.)

Davy dies fighting. The last of the defenders are killed.

The Mexicans have won, but don't feel like celebrating.

And finally, the spirits of the defenders come alive to lead the crowd in the battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!"

Now, for you brave souls who stayed and fought to the end, here's the battle at the north wall (including the death of gallant Col. Travis) as captured by my pocket-size video camera. You may click on the four arrows at lower right to view the action FULL SCREEN.

Alamo Pilgrimage: Crockett Encounters

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Last Fall I was whining about someday wanting to visit the Alamo on March 6 to take part in the annual shindig surrounding the anniversary of the battle. So I was mighty surprised on Christmas Day, when my wife Irene gave me my present: A trip for two to the Big Event.

On our two previous visits to San Antonio, I took photos of the Chapel, Long Barracks and grounds from every conceivable angle, sat in the plaza replaying the battle in my mind, and lugged home samples of just about every item in the Alamo giftshop. This time, though there was some of that same behavior, it was mostly about meeting other Alamomaniacs and taking part in the commemorative activities.

The well-dressed fellow above stopped me on the plaza and introduced himself as David Preston Crockett, saying he's a direct descendant of old Davy himself. That's his ID I'm holding, an official State of Texas Birth Registration Card.

I met this gent on the plaza one evening and complimented him on his attire. He introduced himself only as "Col. Crockett", and if he has any other name I failed to get it. He bears an uncanny resemblance to the portrait of Davy on the pin below, and regularly portrays him at meetings of the Direct Descendants of David Crockett and other venues.

I acquired my limited edition enameled pin from Suzanne Brooks, 3rd Great-Granddaughter of the Polly Finley line (via Davy's first son John Wesley), a member of the board of directors of the DDDC, and a very nice lady. Since I failed to snap her picture, I borrowed this one from the DDDC website.

I also had a nice chat with Caroline Crockett-Cotton, a Direct Descendant through the Elizabeth Patton line (Elizabeth was Davy's second wife). She indicated I'd be welcome at one of their bi-annual family reunions, and I certainly hope to take her up on it. She's seen here with author and Alamo Journal editor Bill Chemerka, in a 2009 photo stolen from all-around nice guy (& author) Jeffrey Dane.

Finally, here's a fellow I did not get to meet (no, the short guy's not me), but I enjoyed his performance as Davy in the battle reenactment staged on Alamo Plaza.