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Post by Allen Wiener on Jan 3, 2008 0:36:53 GMT -5
Thanks for the clarification Mark. This entire discussion will add considerably to my next visit to the Alamo. I'll sure take a closer look at this stuff.
AW
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Post by Herb on Jan 3, 2008 12:27:13 GMT -5
Wolf, You may remember that we had an in-depth discussion on the issue of slaughtering beef way back when on the other site. This is a subject (livestock) that I admittedly know very little about, but which I had some very good input on at the time. The final decision was that, in all likelihood, the beef was walked to the site of cooking (outside the kitchen) and slaughtered (why haul it when it can walk itself?), then hauled up on a primitive scaffold with block and tackle, to gut and drain the blood. It was then butchered and cut into the desired sized portions for cooking, probably on a nearby butcher block or table, then carried inside to cook. The remains were tossed somewhere nearby, probably in a very unsanitary heap. I show as much in my book, and while it is admittedly speculation, I believe that it is the most likely and reasonable way to have done it, and anyone present who would have had any experience in such things, would probably have suggested this method. Mark Mark, Yes, I remember that discussion! and, while it is speculation, imo, it remains the most logical and probable scenario. What, I'm trying to grasp right now is the physical space, food, and water issues of maintaining this small herd. From a ration standpoint it makes no sense, even if these were the smallest of heifers, to butcher more than one cow a day. But, when looked at from maintaining the herd, there are numerous problems. The first is space, the northern courtyard is adequate if plenty of hay, and water is available, but when you throw in the latrines, the cannon position, ruined workshop, and the trenches, that northern courtyard has gotten awful crowded. Secondly is water, 10 gallons a day per animal is probably a minimum requirement! Delivering 300 gallons a day to the northern courtyard is a pretty work intensive effort. Food, there's no grass not even dead grass for grazing within the compound. Where I live we figure roughly 6000 lbs of hay per animal per winter or roughly 40 pounds a day (and that's supplemented with grain, protein tubs, and grazing the dormant pastures). Now, obviously, the defenders weren't going to be concerned with maintaining the herd in the best condition, but still even minimum maintenance, is going to be quite a labor intensive effort. Now, what hay/fodder I had, I'd be inclined to use it on what horses I may have had inside the compound. The corn that was brought in, I'd use mainly for the men. So how am I caring for my beef herd that is probably providing the major portion of my men's diet?
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Post by Allen Wiener on Jan 3, 2008 12:38:21 GMT -5
This is very interesting. What were those guys eating??? I recall Thimblerig's line in the old Davy Crockett series; "Corn and beef for breakfast; beef and corn for lunch. It's difficult to maintain manly courage on this provender." If the corn was for the men, what did the cattle and any horses they had eat, plus the question regarding water. I read somewhere that the men didn't even have any coffee.
Also, it was apparently cold during the siege and often windy, lowering the wind chill temperatures. How did the men keep warm (assuming that they did)? What firewood was available, as well as wood for the kitchen fires?
I get the impression that there was a general lack of preparation on the part of Travis and Bowie for a possible siege of any length, even if they believed they'd get help and that the Mexicans would not arrive until March. Despite Jameson's optimistic reports, little work on the fort appears to have been done beyond what Cos's forces had completed. There may have been a general unwillingness by the men to work. If this approach carried over to stocking the place with food and/or adequate feed and water for animals, wouldn't that have contributed to the garrison's lack of ability to function (throw in the lack of sleep and this becomes pretty awful)?
AW
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