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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 19, 2013 18:56:05 GMT -5
 According to eye-witnesses, Milam, in the Veramendi courtyard, was shot by a Mexican sharpshooter either from the cypress tree in the bend of the San Antonio River (my tree is in that exact location) or from the bell tower of San Fernando. Attachments:
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 19, 2013 19:16:24 GMT -5
Francisco Amangual had other properties, one in particular was a portion of a larger lot owned by Marcos de Castro. Also from this larger Castro lot, Fernando de Veramendi purchased a portion for his property. Francisco’s portion was on the North side. Fernando’s lot was later owned by his son Juan Martin Vermendi. The Veramendi House is were Ben Milam was killed during the Siege of Bexar (1835) and where General Twiggs surrendered Federal authority to the Southern Confederacy’s Commissioners, Thomas Devine, Samuel Maverick and Philip Luckett (1861). Is it known for sure that Twiggs' surrender was signed IN the Veramendi house? I haven't heard this before. In November of 1909 the city council declared the Veramendi house unsafe and was demolished shortly thereafter. Prompted, no doubt, by the city's desire to get rid of the house because it extended 12 or 15 feet out into the otherwise widened Soledad Street. Francisco Amangual was buried at Campo Santo on the 21 May 1812 (now Santa Rosa Hospital). Ben Milam was buried adjacent to Campo Santo in the city cemetery (now Milam Park). The Campo Santo, of course, was a reality since 1808. However, I don't believe that there was a formal non-Tejano "city cemetery" per se in 1835 -- at least I've not yet seen that. My guess is that Ben Milam's body was simply buried "outside" the entrance to the Catholic Cemetery, since he was (I guess) a non-Catholic. Any information on this? |
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Post by edward on Nov 19, 2013 22:11:07 GMT -5
I believe the city cemetery was also called the protestant cemetery but I do not remember where I read that I have look it up. The Santa Rosa Hospital was placed over the cemetery. Below is how the survey of the cemetery was listed by the surveyor, without the Hospital of course and without the 'Milam Park' reference. Campo Santo 1808-1860  FYI: First burial '1 Nov 1808 - Angel Navarro #208, from the Island of Corsica, married to Josefa Ruiz'
Camposanto an Ancient Burial Ground of San Antonio Texas from San Fernando Burial Records transcribed by Juan Leal 1975
and City of San Antonio Survey Book 1, page 478
Soledad Widening  Twiggs SurrenderFrederick C. Chabot, With the Makers of San Antonio, (1937) (Self pub. by Artes Graficas, San Antonio, Texas). pg 251-252 |
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 20, 2013 4:22:30 GMT -5
Excellent! I've been dabbling with how big the Campo Santo was for years. Everybody shows it as covering that whole area, and I knew it was just a fraction of that, but didn't know precisely what faction. Also, I have craved Chabot's With the Makers of San Antonio, but do not have it. Just his The Alamo: Mission-Fortress-Shrine. I've seen the Soledad plat before (I think from Craig Covner) but didn't have a ready copy of it. Thanks, Edward.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 20, 2013 5:07:06 GMT -5
Primary source description of the Campo Santo posted on this forum several years ago by Craig Covner:
"Nov. 1 (1842) ... On our way to camp we visited the grave yard; it contained about an acre of ground enclosed with a wall of stone about 6 feet in height, except the gateway, with a ____ Stone centrally fixed on the top, with the date of 1808 upon it, which was perhaps the time of its enclosure. In the center of this enclosure there is a pile of stone rudely thrown together, with a cross standing in its center. Upon this pile of stone was a large collection of skulls. Also, human skulls were scattered promiscuously over the yard with various other bones, sticking out of the earth, which brought to my mind the 32nd verse of the 7th chapter of Jeremiah, the prophet, "That the valley of the son of Hinnom shall hide but half their dead; therefore behold the days shall come saith the Lord, that it sh(a)ll no more be called Jophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter, for they shall bury in Jophet until there be no place." - From the H. A. Adams diary in the Center for American History, U.T. at Austin.
With the dimensions of a square acre being 208.71 feet on a side, and comparing the survey drawing above to Google Earth Satellite imagery of the Santa Rosa sturctures, I guage the Campo Santo to have been less than the above suggested acre. I get approximately 130 feet on each side. With this size, it finally makes sense that Francisco Ruiz didn't have enough room to bury all the dead soldados there -- particularly with a convenient river in between!
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Post by edward on Nov 20, 2013 12:28:36 GMT -5
Primary source description of the Campo Santo posted on this forum several years ago by Craig Covner: "Nov. 1 (1842) ... On our way to camp we visited the grave yard; it contained about an acre of ground enclosed with a wall of stone about 6 feet in height, except the gateway, with a ____ Stone centrally fixed on the top, with the date of 1808 upon it, which was perhaps the time of its enclosure. In the center of this enclosure there is a pile of stone rudely thrown together, with a cross standing in its center. Upon this pile of stone was a large collection of skulls. Also, human skulls were scattered promiscuously over the yard with various other bones, sticking out of the earth, which brought to my mind the 32nd verse of the 7th chapter of Jeremiah, the prophet, "That the valley of the son of Hinnom shall hide but half their dead; therefore behold the days shall come saith the Lord, that it sh(a)ll no more be called Jophet, nor the valley of the son of Hinnom, but the valley of Slaughter, for they shall bury in Jophet until there be no place." - From the H. A. Adams diary in the Center for American History, U.T. at Austin. With the dimensions of a square acre being 208.71 feet on a side, and comparing the survey drawing above to Google Earth Satellite imagery of the Santa Rosa sturctures, I guage the Campo Santo to have been less than the above suggested acre. I get approximately 130 feet on each side. With this size, it finally makes sense that Francisco Ruiz didn't have enough room to bury all the dead soldados there -- particularly with a convenient river in between! 1830 City Council Minutes (San Antonio) The citizen Alcalde (Miguel Arciniega) called attention to the fact that the cemetery is without a gate, and much run down, for which reason all the animals that have their corrals nearby go in there; and said that this corporation should see what measures to take to end this evil. It was given consideration, and it was resolved to call the Priest of the Parish. (Present) Miguel Arciniega, Ygnacio Herrera, Francisco Xavier Bustillo, Ygnacio Arocha (Alcalde ~ Mayor) -------------- Items in ( ) added by me. The 'Old' Campo Santo was N 6.25º E 51.75 varas and one less vara (50.75) E-W. I had not heard that description of the cemetery made by Adams before. Thanks! |
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 20, 2013 13:18:39 GMT -5
Well, one thing clear. The Campo Santo is coming into focus. Thank you.
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 21, 2013 15:53:08 GMT -5
 Campo Santo de Curilla, looking E.N.E. It is on its exact site and measures 139.6 feet east to west and 142.25 feet north to south. It's southeast corner is 575 feet from San Pedro Creek (seen beyond Laredo Road in the middle).  The stone wall is 6 feet high, as described, and the gateway has the correct date over it. Cattle are seen grazing in the cemetery due to no gates. I will put in some indication of crosses (both standing and fallen). And some sculls scattered around, as per contemporary description. The pile of sculls reported to have been in the middle is symbolized by a pile of stones with a scull on top.  Looking N.W. toward Campo Santo from Plaza de Armas. Thank you, Edward, for your contributions to this part of the model. |
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Post by edward on Nov 21, 2013 20:54:35 GMT -5
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 21, 2013 23:09:32 GMT -5
Yeah, we kinda got off the thread, didn't we. Good article, even though the Battle of Bexar wasn't over the Alamo but over... Bexar.  And the "siege" was going on for months. |
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 22, 2013 1:20:27 GMT -5
 Aerial view looking N.N.W. from Plaza de Armas to Campo Santo in its correct location. The street that parallels San Pedro Creek between the creek and the graveyard is the Laredo Road. Laredo was 164 miles via this camino which was Hererra's 1805 road which did not follow the path of modern day I-35. When finished, my model will show the barrio of Laredito, mostly jacales, along this street. It is possible that most of the houses were along the west side of the street facing town with property that backed up to a "rudimentary" acequia (not shown) that was added in the 1760's and paralleled the steet, according to Jesus F. de la Teja.  Campo Santo from the tower of San Fernando Church.  Looking back at the town from Campo Santo. |
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 22, 2013 1:45:19 GMT -5
I am working on the Powder House now but I will post in that section. I'll be watching for it. |
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Post by Rich Curilla on Nov 22, 2013 1:54:51 GMT -5
I had not heard that description of the cemetery made by Adams before. Thanks! My niece, who was (until two years ago) a missionary in Haiti for 25 years, assures me that there are cemeteries there that still fit this description. |
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And the "siege" was going on for months.
