Before the actual Battle of the Alamo (2/23-3/6/1836), the Texians had driven out all Mexican troops from Mexican Texas. Those were getting to be confusing days of who owned what, or maybe I should say it was confusing days of who thought who owned what. It was Mexico, but it was becoming Texas. By skirmishes and battles.
The Mexican president, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna launched a once and for all battle to get things settled. He won the Alamo, but then ultimately lost at the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. And there you have a cut and dried synopsis of a testy time in Tex-Mex history. And now, every April, San Antonio has one big party called Fiesta Week that commemorates more the Battle of San Jacinto, of course, and everyone just has a good time together. Together!
Possible aha moment:
The Sunday Traveler, being a born and raised San Antonian, grew up with the history, but in going to Wikipedia to get dates correct, found a fact not remembered, that one of the women who took refuge in the Alamo during that battle, Susanna Dickinson, was there with her infant daughter, Angelina. No one in my family had any knowledge of why my grandmother named one of her daughters, Angeline(a), and who I was in turn named after. I now have to wonder if my grandmother had the history of the Alamo women in mind. My grandmother, Mercedes, was a strong woman who I truly believe would be out there in marches today if she were here now.
The Sunday Traveler was on a quick trip in to downtown San Antonio when getting these couple of outdoor photos, with good intentions to go back to get some inside photos, but that never happened. Next trip, which should be in the not too distant future.
The following photo is of a garden on one side of an Alamo wall.
See y’all next week.
AngelineM's Blog 
Amazing pictures and a nice history reminder!
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Thank you!
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Angel, what gorgeous photos! And your name too, of course! Great to know the possible origin!
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Thanks, K. After all these years, I am remembering the Alamo.
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Both photos are beautiful, Angeline. When I visited SA in 2010 I was amazed at the small size of the Alamo. I thought it to be a much larger fort for some reason.
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It is surprising to see it and realize the smallness. I really do regret not having gotten inside, but am planning another trip to SA in spring.
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When I was there the line was around the block and down the street to get in. I went to the IMax theater and watched a short movie about the battle. It was so well done that you could almost smell the gunsmoke in the air of the theater.
I also spent some time in the church where Santa Ana gathered his army and launched his attack. It is rich with history and I would go back again if I revisited San Antonio.
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There were few people there on the Sunday after New Years. Now I really wish I had gone in. I was a child the last time I was inside.
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Both images captured my attention. Nicely done.
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Thanks, Sally.
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Nice articles. We LOVED touring the Alamo. We learned so much about our new home state of Texas there. A few weeks ago, we visited Austin, and there we toured the home of Susanna Dickinson! We learned much about her history and her daughter. Super interesting, but not all that impressive of a house. She was through SO much, but ended up happy after many difficult times.
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Thanks, Diane. Next trip to San Antonio I’ll have to make a little side trip to Austin.
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Beautiful photos and a great reminder that we were part of Mexico once. I have had to remind people of European decent of this part of our history when they talk about anyone with Spanish/Indian/Mexican heritage to go home. This was true when I lived in SoCal too! I need to come visit the San Antonio soon!
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Thank you so much, Laurin. A lot of people truly do not know, or remember, that we were once Mexico. San Antonio is a wonderful city; I was getting pretty homesick for it while I was there.
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