The Blood of Heroes by James Donovan

The Blood of Heroes by James Donovan

“The Blood of Heroes” explores the fight for an independent Texas; a big, bold fertile land just waiting for bold men with big ideas and large appetites to populate it.

American “desperados” running away from their obligations found refuge in Texas; men who felt the tug to go west and have their own farm land found fertile ground in Texas; and Americans whose forefathers were heroes in the American Revolutionary War found their own cause to support at the Alamo. 

 

The Americans forgot they were no longer on United States soil and resented Mexico’s way of governance and unfair taxation.  “For these War Dogs, as they were called, independence was the only answer…”   Texas attracted men like William Barret Travis, an extremely ambitious and smart lawyer, who was in dire financial trouble; James Bowie, brave and tough, as well as a scam artist in land speculation; Sam Houston, American statesman, politician and protector of Native Americans against fraud; David Crockett, skilled woodsman, naïve and honest to a fault politician; Stephen Austin, soft-spoken, legal colonizer of Texas.  Many Tejanos, including Juan Seguin who led mounted troops and who was responsible for providing supplies, also supported the move for Texas independence.

On the Mexican side there was Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, president of Mexico; a man who had helped Mexico to win its independence from Spain, after first fighting against it, and who overshadowed and overrode all of his subordinates.  Santa Anna was an arrogant tyrant who felt the newly independent Mexico “was not ready for democracy.”

The first clash between the Texians and Mexican army came about at the Siege of Béxar; a punishing, five-day battle which forced the Mexican army out. The ragtag group of colonists with no proper weapons, no uniforms, no reinforcements, most with no military experience, just a willingness to overcome Mexico’s autocracy was able to defeat a standing army.

During the Battle of Béxar, the Mexicans had established their position in the Alamo, an abandoned Franciscan Mission. While there, they had done much to fortify the mission into a semblance of a fort, and it was the Alamo the Texians regrouped at after the Mexican army retreated, while their fledgling Texas government failed to do anything constructive.

Santa Anna was humiliated by this defeat and was not about to let it stand. His government had no funds and his army was spent after fighting for their own independence for so long. To fill out the ranks, peasants were forced in to the military; they had little training and many would have never fired their weapons until they found themselves in battle. The unprepared army then had to march north during the winter, fight their way through Apaches and Comanches without proper food, water, mules, footwear, or doctors (they had some medical students).

Once the Texians knew for certain that Santa Anna was on his way, they did what they could to reinforce the Alamo, but a mission was never meant to withstand fighting, so there was not a lot that could be done, especially with their acute lack of manpower and supplies. Travis’ desperate pleas for reinforcements met with little success. Sam Houston was gathering forces to rescue the Alamo, but his actions were not quick enough. James Fannin’s troops at Fort Defiance, less than 100 miles away were too unprepared and unorganized to get to their aid.

When the Mexican army raised their red flag, the rebels knew exactly what it meant; Degüello, or “give no quarter.” There was no turning back; they knew they would be executed if they surrendered. The Battle of the Alamo, a 13 day siege pitted perhaps 200, maybe less, Texians against a Mexican army of at least 1,500. At the conclusion, only two of Texians who fought were left alive.

Throughout the siege, Travis wrote letter after letter seeking support, and knowing they would be published, he eloquently and hauntingly wrote to his friend Jesse Grimes, “…If my countrymen do not rally to my relief, I am determined to perish in the defense of this place, and my bones shall reproach my country for her neglect.”

The siege lasted 12 days and on the 13th day, the slaughter began; accompanied by the bugle call, El Degüello. Travis was one of the first to fall, and in just an hour, every rebel lay dead.

Skirmishes continued between the Texians and the Mexican army; and even though many of the Mexican officers wanted the rebels to be treated humanely, as prisoners of war, Santa Anna would not allow it. Under his orders, all warriors captured were to be immediately executed. Finally the United States and other sympathizers were outraged enough to send much needed aid to the Texians; and more importantly, the Texians realized their way of life, as well as their very lives were in peril.

Sam Houston and his Texian army soundly defeated Santa Anna and the Mexican army at the Battle of San Jacinto, barely a month and a half after the fall of the Alamo, which paved the way for the Republic of Texas. Had it not been for the sacrifices made by the Texians and Tejanos at the Alamo, this probably would not have happened.

Through the painstakingly researched “The Blood of Heroes,” James Donovan brings to life the renowned heroes of the Battle of the Alamo, and the battle for Texas independence; warts and all. These brave, boisterous men have redeemed themselves in the eyes of Texas and all of the United States until they have become seemingly legendary.