Today in History: the siege began. . .

Today, the 23d of February, was a crucial event in the history of San Antonio and Texas. On this date in A.D. 1836 the Mexican general and dictator-president Antonio López de Santa Anna entered this city with thousands of troops and invested the fortress and former mission of The Alamo.

On Jerry King's "Today in History" on KKYX-AM 680, I heard that on this date a few years later (1847) the US Army under General Scott defeated General Santa Anna in la batalla de La Angostura near Saltillo. In US history textbooks this is usually called the Battle of Buena Vista, for some reason. Today there are major streets in both Nashville and San Antonio that carry the US version of the name! And finally, on this date in 1861 Texas seceded from the Union, and thus came to fly the sixth of its flags -- that of the Confederacy.

Both of the later events impacted this city. However, the '36 event had immediate effect. Thirteen days after the siege began (it being a leap year), on 6 March the fortress fell, with all the defending men being slain. Women, children and a slave were released, to spread the terrifying news of what Santa Anna was capable. (Santa Anna was an accomplished terrorist well over a century before such currently-infamous terrorists as Hussein and Bin Laden!) And then a month and a half later at San Jacinto near today's Houston, Texian leader Sam Houston led the rebels to victory, with cries of, "Remember the Alamo!" (And also, "Remember Goliad!" or "Remember Labadie!" -- see my posting of last 23 October.) Their victory was over the same Santa Anna -- making San Antonio and all Texas free of that dictator!

And so. . . for the next two months the residents of San Antonio and indeed of all Texas shall remember The Alamo!