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Post by elcolorado on Dec 19, 2007 10:50:28 GMT -5
I don't find it surprising or unusual that we haven't seen clear documentation of horses being brought into the Alamo. At that particular time, it would have been regarded as insignificant information...unworthy of documenting. But there are indications of horses being maintained by some of the Garrison. John Sutherland owned two horses. John Smith had a horse. Crockett rode with Sutherland across the ford and into the Alamo on the 23rd. Almeron Dickinson and Sue rode into the Alamo. Capt. Dimitt was mounted when he left Bexar. Surely, Seguin's company had some horses. There are some indications that Travis and Bowie did conduct some small scale patrols. I realize that these are just a few examples, but out of 150 men entering the Alamo on the 23rd, I think it's reasonable to believe there were other "personal horses" that found their way into the Alamo as well. And, like a thoughtful cavalry officer, Travis did send for his " caballado." Also, we have some cattle being driven into the fort...horses may have been used here. While I agree that the above does not constitute hard proof, in fact, it is rather circumstantial. I feel it's enough to demonstrate that there was, in all probability, sufficient mounts available in the Alamo for courier needs. I think too much has been read into the third-hand account of Antonio Cruz y Arocha, which I find far from convincing. If anything, we're having a good discussion/debate. Glenn
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Post by Jim Boylston on Dec 19, 2007 11:06:09 GMT -5
This might be better addressed in the thread on Travis's leadership, but I'll comment here and we can move the discussion if need be. I wonder how much of a cavalry officer Travis really was. It always seemed to me that this was just another example of Travis's romanticism. Certainly he could ride a horse, but so could most of the other men. What qualifications did he have other than wanting to be in the cavalry? Was his initial assignment based on anything other than a vision of a mounted knight from a Walter Scott novel? Jim
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Post by stuart on Dec 19, 2007 11:38:51 GMT -5
I could be cynical here and point out that its generally held by infantrymen that the brains of the partnership are in the horse.
Being more sensible about it there are soldiers on horseback and there are cavaliers - Travis was definitely a cavalier
Returning to the thread though, although he sent off a man on one of Sutherland's horses to go out to the Salado with a message to bring in some of the horses pastured out there there's no evidence that he succeeded. Moreover Travis sent for them in order to mount a scouting party and it was in default of those horses that Sutherland and Smith were sent out on their own and Dimitt and Nobles likewise. Its also worth pointing out that he sent off at least one other messenger besides and that of the five none of them made it back into the Alamo.
He was short of horses in Bexar itself, no doubt about it
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Post by Herb on Dec 19, 2007 11:48:03 GMT -5
I could be cynical here and point out that its generally held by infantrymen that the brains of the partnership are in the horse. Of course we used to say the difference between infantry and cavalry was that infantry could only think at 3 miles an hour. Now, I like that; it's as true today as 1836! Sorry, for the interruption.
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