Lil’ Tex Visits the Alamo
2007 Copyright © Karen Perry & Casey Wise
“Yee Haw?” Lil’ Tex and his parents were finally in San Antonio , Texas for their day at the Alamo . It was a hot summer day as Lil’ Tex strolled down the street. He felt the Texas sun beat on his snow white, ten-gallon hat. His new pointed toe, leather boots, pinched his feet but try as he may, he just could not help running and jumping. “Lil Tex,” yelled his mother, “settle down!”
It was too late, Bam! Down he went. Lil Tex and a near by oak tree met head on! All of a sudden his head started twirling and spinning taking him into a dream he would NEVER forget. The next words he remembered were the words of his teacher, “Remember the Alamo, Remember the Alamo”……z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z.
The next minute Lil’ Tex realized he was inside an old building. It was called San Antonio de Valera. Lil’ Tex was told that the old mission was built in 1774. Later a Spanish Colonial company lived in it. The Spanish soldiers who last lived there were from Alamo de Parras in Mexico. This building was called the Alamo. Lil’ Tex remembered his teacher had said that the word Alamo is a Spanish word for cottonwood. Perhaps there were many cottonwood trees in the area at that time?
“Uh, sir,” Lil’ Tex inquired in his Texas southern accent. “Can ya’ll tell me who these men are and what year is it?”
“It is 1836,” said Colonel William B Travis, commander of the Texas army. “There is Davey Crockett, skilled hunter, and Colonel James Bowie, in charge of the Texas volunteers. We are all here to defend against General Santa Anna.”
“But who is Santa Anna?” Lil’ Tex asked in a shy voice.
The courageous commander cleared his deep voice, “He wants to own Texas and keep it Mexican territory. We are all here in heart and mind to make the land ours, for us, and for our children. We must have Texas!”
Lil’ Tex couldn’t believe it! The men…the troops. Could this be a dream? He continued walking. He hoped he would discover what these strange people were about. Lil’ Tex knew in his “Texas sized heart” that he was about to be apart of something important. Maybe, just maybe, he could help make a difference. Freedom, Texas — his Lone Star State. How could Lil’ Tex not help defend his Texas?
Lil’ Tex shook as he heard an explosion that rocked the ground under his feet. “What was that?” he asked. “It sounded like a gun or cannon?”
Daniel Boone said in a calming voice, “That is Colonel Travis’ sign to Santa Anna that we will NEVER GIVE UP.
The men at the Alamo did not know that Santa Anna would be gathering a large army. Santa Anna believed Texas had not kept its word with the Mexican Government. Santa Anna had gathered thousands of men, but Texas only had a few hundred men. All the other Texas troops were scattered in Gonzolas, Gollaid, and San Patricio. Travis was sending many letters, begging for more men to fight. He knew he could not hold out against Santa Anna for very long should they attack. Travis hoped that Santa Anna would not attack for a few more months.
Lil’ Tex walked over to Bowie, who was cleaning his rifle. Lil’ Tex asked, “Are we going to be killed if Santa Anna attacks?”
Bowie said, “We will work hard to be strong. The walls of this old mission are two to three feet thick and twelve feet high. We have cannons, including one powerful eighteen-pounder. Our supplies and water are good. Hopefully, Santa Anna will not attack until spring.”
History would take a twist because Santa Anna did attack soon. The walls of the mission were not finished in some places. The south wall was weak, even after a fence of sticks and dirt had been placed where the wall had fallen down.
Lil’ Tex thought to himself, “We have no chance to win. We are headed for certain death.” Lil’ Tex watched Travis take his long sharp sword, and carefully draw a line in the sand.
Travis looked at his men and said, “If you wish to defend the Alamo, cross this line.” All but one man would cross the line and stayed to fight at the Alamo. Lil’ Tex counted about one hundred and eighty men.
All of a sudden Lil’ Tex heard an explosion, “Boom”! Mexican cannons began blasting the Alamo. Lil’ Tex was terrified, and for thirteen days the fighting continued. Lil’ Tex did all he could to help. He reloaded rifles and brought food and water to the fighting men. He had tears in his eyes when he saw soldier get shot and die. He thought to himself, “I never knew war was so horrible.” His friend Bowie became sick during the week and was bed ridden. Travis was one of the first to die and Lil’ Tex missed him. Travis had been a brave man.
Lil’ Tex shivered with fear and cold. It was the morning of March 6 th. The fighting had stopped. Lil’ Tex looked outside through a small square window. His ears still roared from the cannon and rifle noise. He was tired from lack of sleep, but he soon forgot about this when he looked outside. He could not count all the Mexicans and Texans lying dead on the ground. Only seven Texan men were still alive…….all the others had been killed by Santa Anna. The women and children cried as the Mexicans fired their last shots at the seven men. The last of the Texans at the Alamo had fallen.
Santa Anna let the women and children go so they could spread the word though out Texas. Santa Anna had won and two hundred brave Texans had died. His friends, Travis, Bowie and Crockett were among those.
Lil’ Tex knew he would always remember the importance of the Alamo:
Lil’ Tex heard his mother’s voice and jumped. He opened his eyes as the warm breeze blew against his face! He was on the ground with his parents looking over him. As his parents helped him up, Lil Tex thought, “Life as a Texan and American is good. I lived this dream and know that Texas is a gift. We fought for a proud land, and we will always, “Remember the Alamo.”
As Lil’ Tex walked into the Alamo, he reached for his mother’s hand and his dad rubbed the bump on his forehead. His hat didn’t seem too large, and his boots no longer pinched his feet. The hot sun no longer seemed too hot, because within these walls people had suffered and died a brave death and given him freedom and a land he would cherish forever…Texas!