tedkaw

Imagine you are a Texan, would you have fought at the Alamo knowing you were going to die? A man like Davy Crockett had a lot to live for. He was a highly regarded politician from Tennessee, and yet he stayed at the Alamo to fight. Would you have packed up and left or stayed to fight?

Commander

I was born in Texas and know the spirit that exists in the people from there. It's a unique feeling. Outsiders don't understand it. There's a reason that even today people still yell "Remember the Alamo". It was because the Texans were so outnumber and knew certain defeat was in front of them. But they stayed any way to fight for what they had. Without Texas they had nothing. It was their home and their land of opoortunity.

Texas was its own Independent republic after it declared independence from Mexico. It didn't become a state for some 10 years later.

Portal to Texas History

Historum is right, Texans do have a fierce pride in their own history. John Steinbeck once said,

"Texas is a state of mind. Texas is an obsession. Above all, Texas is a nation in every sense of the word."

and I think he caught that feeling very well!!

If you are interested in the Alamo, our digital library, The Portal to Texas History, has several books about the Alamo that you can read and access online for free:

History of the Alamo and of the local Franciscan missions, published 1908: http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-14389

The Alamo; Remember Goliad; Story of San Jacinto. pubished 1901:
http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-14381

and even a little poetry:
The Alamo, and other poems, published 1906:
http://texashistory.unt.edu/permalink/meta-pth-14394

celtman

I'm not trying to belittle you for being a Texan, but why do Texans take pride in losing a battle?

Portal to Texas History

Probably because it's one of those underdog situations where you can't win, but you stick with it despite overwhelming odds.

There's some controversy over how many died on each side (well, ALL of the Texians), but the Texians certainly held their own for many days. This battle became a rallying point for the Texas rebellion.

jameson189

well that ionvoles 2 things personal pride and military tactics... with pride you would stay, but if you died then theres one less person on your sode to fight.... the texans lucked the **** out when houston won

Portal to Texas History

No doubt! That one had to be timed just right to work.

Ritocal

See.. I don't get this. It seems more like bullheaded stubornness and a search for personal glory rather then some sort of honorable act.

Lord_Cronus

Yeah, it's kind of like those guys that wear the Confederate Battle Flag on their shirts that say "Dixie Outfitters." It kind of takes away from the honor of the men who were fighting. Texas History, what you've said is making it sound like the only reason people still yell "remember the Alamo" is because the men who fought and died there were like, "hey, we're outnumbered but let's stand our ground so that everyone after this day will yell 'Remember the Alamo!'" The fact is they didn't have a choice, Santa Anna wasn't gonna just let them leave, and it isn't like they had anywhere else to go. They didn't have a choice.

Estonian

I may not be from Texas, but I visited that state many times and enjoyed my visits there. I would have stayed and fight.