Post by Allen Wiener on May 18, 2007 13:36:57 GMT -5
Wolf has wisely suggested that I move this to a new thread, so I'm reposting here.
I'm becoming more interested all the time in the role of Tejanos and the number of them at the Alamo. This actually has come about from my research into Alamo music, which has led me to inquire about songs that may present the Mexican or Tejano side of the conflict. People rarely write songs celebrating wars that they lose, so there may not be a lot (any?) Mexican songs, but there could be Tejano songs.
But, for this thread, I'm interested in how the Tejano defenders saw themselves in the struggle. Were they always somewhat "squeezed" between their Mexican heritage and their desire to overthrow Santa Anna, and their alliance (uneasy?) with the Americans, who increasingly pushed for complete independence? Stuart's book shows that Houston was opposed to any alliance with other Mexican states or any attempt to keep Texas in the Mexican federation. He also seems to have been at least somewhat racist in his efforts to partition off an all-Anglo (or mostly-Anglo) Texas. I wonder if this is why he was not too interested in defending or bothering with Bexar, a largely Hispanic area, and kept focusing on the need to defend Gulf ports and the areas to the east, adjoining the U.S. I haven't read much of Juan Seguin's writing, but I wonder how he saw all this as it played out, especially when Houston initially told him and his Tejanos to stay out of the San Jacinto fight for fear they'd be confused with the Mexicans and shot by the Texans.
Also, I wonder if there is a way to resolve the question of how many, if any, of the Tejanos were included in troop headcounts by Neill, Bowie, Travis or other Texan leaders at the time. Wolf suggests that some in Bexar may not have formally enlisted and were thus omitted from some roles, but if they took up arms and were in the Alamo, why would Travis have omitted them from his troop numbers except for racial reasons? Travis's letters hint at a suspicion (if not outright hostility) toward the Tejanos.
Another of the less-mentioned events in the Alamo story (which I'm hoping will be included in a new revised account of the siege and battle) is the amnesty that Santa Anna offered to the Tejano defenders, which (apparently) many of them took. I believe that the amnesty was honored and that these Tejanos were not harmed by the Mexicans. This could not have set well with Travis (or the other defenders?).
Susannah Dickinson also alluded to a Tejano woman who betrayed the garrison by spying for the Mexicans, a story that has never seemed persuasive -- I think Santa Anna had plenty of intel on what was going on in the Alamo without this spy "betraying" the garrison.
In addition to the Mexican amnesty, there is probably something to the various stories of Travis offering his men a chance to escape and/or his promise to surrender or attempt a mass escape if no help arrived by a certain date (March 5?).
There doesn't appear to be much info on these points, which may be why they are explored so little.
AW
I'm becoming more interested all the time in the role of Tejanos and the number of them at the Alamo. This actually has come about from my research into Alamo music, which has led me to inquire about songs that may present the Mexican or Tejano side of the conflict. People rarely write songs celebrating wars that they lose, so there may not be a lot (any?) Mexican songs, but there could be Tejano songs.
But, for this thread, I'm interested in how the Tejano defenders saw themselves in the struggle. Were they always somewhat "squeezed" between their Mexican heritage and their desire to overthrow Santa Anna, and their alliance (uneasy?) with the Americans, who increasingly pushed for complete independence? Stuart's book shows that Houston was opposed to any alliance with other Mexican states or any attempt to keep Texas in the Mexican federation. He also seems to have been at least somewhat racist in his efforts to partition off an all-Anglo (or mostly-Anglo) Texas. I wonder if this is why he was not too interested in defending or bothering with Bexar, a largely Hispanic area, and kept focusing on the need to defend Gulf ports and the areas to the east, adjoining the U.S. I haven't read much of Juan Seguin's writing, but I wonder how he saw all this as it played out, especially when Houston initially told him and his Tejanos to stay out of the San Jacinto fight for fear they'd be confused with the Mexicans and shot by the Texans.
Also, I wonder if there is a way to resolve the question of how many, if any, of the Tejanos were included in troop headcounts by Neill, Bowie, Travis or other Texan leaders at the time. Wolf suggests that some in Bexar may not have formally enlisted and were thus omitted from some roles, but if they took up arms and were in the Alamo, why would Travis have omitted them from his troop numbers except for racial reasons? Travis's letters hint at a suspicion (if not outright hostility) toward the Tejanos.
Another of the less-mentioned events in the Alamo story (which I'm hoping will be included in a new revised account of the siege and battle) is the amnesty that Santa Anna offered to the Tejano defenders, which (apparently) many of them took. I believe that the amnesty was honored and that these Tejanos were not harmed by the Mexicans. This could not have set well with Travis (or the other defenders?).
Susannah Dickinson also alluded to a Tejano woman who betrayed the garrison by spying for the Mexicans, a story that has never seemed persuasive -- I think Santa Anna had plenty of intel on what was going on in the Alamo without this spy "betraying" the garrison.
In addition to the Mexican amnesty, there is probably something to the various stories of Travis offering his men a chance to escape and/or his promise to surrender or attempt a mass escape if no help arrived by a certain date (March 5?).
There doesn't appear to be much info on these points, which may be why they are explored so little.
AW
says there are only 3 locals left, and from Esparza's statement that the Flores's left. They appear again at Gonzales, Salvador as the rear guard and Manuel Flores following Seguin with Houston to San Jacinto. The locals that stayed were aligned with Bowie , I believe, if others returned on the 5th when Seguin was waiting on the Cibolo, may be possible , I haven't heard the arguement against it...