Post by sloanrodgers on Oct 19, 2008 15:20:36 GMT -5
The odd and apparently fabricated story of alleged Alamo survivor Charles Bledsoe has been
making the rounds of internet sites (Alamo de Parras, Footnote.com, etc.), which has given
it a modicum of legitimacy among a few Alamo fans. Besides the claims of Bledsoe in this old
San Antonio Express article, there doesn't appear to be any indication that he and his uncles
fought and bled for Texas in this heroic duel. The names of Charles, John and James Bledsoe
appear no where in the Texas revolutionary record. There is no muster roll, republic claim, or
General Land Office grant for these mysterious Alamo soldiers. The archival silence is a very
stark and telling contrast to Bledsoe's bloody, but convoluted remembrances of the conflict,
where he alone survived among his companions. I've only placed a link to this story here to
address the veracity of Bledsoe's statements and apologize if it's old news to some.
Battle of the Alamo from Survivor's Lips-San Antonio Express-1904
www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/adp/archives/newsarch/bledsoe.html
While there seems to be no data on Charles Bledsoe's Texas Revolutionary service, I believe
I've found information on his Civil War service in the Union Army. Bledsoe claimed he served
under the command of Generals Rosecrans and Blunt. He also states that he was wounded
in battles at Fayetteville and Little Rock, Ark. A Private Charles Bledsoe (Age30) enlisted in
Company G, 1st Regiment of Arkansas Cavalry on July 17, 1862 in Carroll Co., Ark. and this
unit later fought with Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt in the areas where Bledsoe claimed he had
served under Blunt. However, the record doesn't list this Bledsoe as a hell-bent for leather
cavalryman in the unit. This Bledsoe is specifically noted as being the company's gardener,
which makes me wonder, if the same man, how did he really get wounded or did he stretch
the truth a bit? Bledsoe may have bled some in wars, but probably not to the extent that
he would have us believe.
PS. I found the correct Alamo de Parras link above.
making the rounds of internet sites (Alamo de Parras, Footnote.com, etc.), which has given
it a modicum of legitimacy among a few Alamo fans. Besides the claims of Bledsoe in this old
San Antonio Express article, there doesn't appear to be any indication that he and his uncles
fought and bled for Texas in this heroic duel. The names of Charles, John and James Bledsoe
appear no where in the Texas revolutionary record. There is no muster roll, republic claim, or
General Land Office grant for these mysterious Alamo soldiers. The archival silence is a very
stark and telling contrast to Bledsoe's bloody, but convoluted remembrances of the conflict,
where he alone survived among his companions. I've only placed a link to this story here to
address the veracity of Bledsoe's statements and apologize if it's old news to some.
Battle of the Alamo from Survivor's Lips-San Antonio Express-1904
www.tamu.edu/ccbn/dewitt/adp/archives/newsarch/bledsoe.html
While there seems to be no data on Charles Bledsoe's Texas Revolutionary service, I believe
I've found information on his Civil War service in the Union Army. Bledsoe claimed he served
under the command of Generals Rosecrans and Blunt. He also states that he was wounded
in battles at Fayetteville and Little Rock, Ark. A Private Charles Bledsoe (Age30) enlisted in
Company G, 1st Regiment of Arkansas Cavalry on July 17, 1862 in Carroll Co., Ark. and this
unit later fought with Maj. Gen. James G. Blunt in the areas where Bledsoe claimed he had
served under Blunt. However, the record doesn't list this Bledsoe as a hell-bent for leather
cavalryman in the unit. This Bledsoe is specifically noted as being the company's gardener,
which makes me wonder, if the same man, how did he really get wounded or did he stretch
the truth a bit? Bledsoe may have bled some in wars, but probably not to the extent that
he would have us believe.
PS. I found the correct Alamo de Parras link above.