Gonzales ready to answer Alamo call ... again

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Citizens encouraged to rally at the Alamo to commemorate Gonzales’ contribution

One hundred seventy-seven years ago, on March 1, 1836, a contingent of 32 men from Gonzales arrived at the Alamo to join Col. William B. Travis’ forces – including nine from Gonzales already garrisoned in Bexar – in a futile defense of the mission.

The Gonzales City Council and Gonzales Economic Development Corporation believe a contingent from Gonzales should return to the iconic mission to commemorate those who represented the city when Travis dispatched an impassioned plea for reinforcements to battle a burgeoning Mexican army determined to quash the Texas rebellion that began five months earlier in Gonzales with the firing of the first shot in the battle for independence.

The Gonzales rally at the Alamo 177 years after the first coincides with the return of Travis’ handwritten “victory or death” letter to its point of origin, a two-week patriotic extravaganza Feb. 23 through March 7 that also coincides with the Mexican siege of the mission defended by the handful of dedicated Texans.

“The [Travis] letter’s never been to the Alamo since it left the first time,” pointed out Nathan Neuse, chairman of the Gonzales Economic Development Corporation board, in proposing the idea that Gonzales should be well represented during the festivities. “Since Gonzales was the only one that answered that call, I think it would be nice for a contingent of Gonzales people to show up and maybe do a memorial at the Alamo recognizing the Immortal 32 plus the nine that were already there.”

The GEDC board gave its enthusiastic support for “Gonzales Immortals Day at the Alamo” on March 1, then sent the idea along to the City Council for its consideration.

“The reason we want to go March 1, is because that’s the day we arrived at the Alamo,” explained Carolyn Gibson-Baros, executive director for GEDC. “That’s when the Immortal 32 arrived [in 1836].”

By the time the proposal was presented to the City Council less than 24 hours later at its monthly meeting, enthusiasm for the rally had taken on a life of its own.

“We thought how appropriate it would be to have at least 41 people from the city be there to represent the Immortal 32 plus the nine who were already at the Alamo,” Gonzales city manager Allen Barnes told the City Council. “As I have become very proud to say, we supplied more than 20 percent of the folks that gave their lives at the Alamo.

“With Texas Independence Day on March 2, we really needed to pay homage to the folks from Gonzales who gave their lives, and we thought what a great way to couple our salute to those people with the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see the actual letter written by Col. Travis,” Barnes said.

Barnes told the City Council that plans are for the Gonzales contingent to arrive at the Alamo March 1, conduct a brief commemoration at the monument dedicated to the Immortal 32 – which includes a roll call of the 41 from Gonzales – and then into the chapel to view Travis’ letter as a group.

“[March 1] is also a holiday here at school, so hopefully there would be parents who would want to take their children to view this or participate [in the rally],” councilman Clarence Opiela added.

“Having 41 people there to have a roll call will be awesome,” added mayor Bobby Logan, echoing the enthusiasm of the council.

“There won’t be a dry eye in the house,” Barnes predicted, just before the City Council gave its unanimous approval to the “Gonzales Immortals Day at the Alamo” resolution.

For information about the rally, call 830-672-2815.

It was Feb. 23, 1836, when Santa Anna laid siege to the Alamo, the first of 13 days that ended March 6 with the final battle that claimed the lives of all the Texans defending what has become known as “the shrine of Texas liberty.”

But one day into the siege, Travis knew he would need more men if he had any hope of fending off the thousands of Mexicans who were assembling to overrun the mission.

Travis penned his famous letter on Feb. 24, 1836, calling on “the people of Texas and all Americans in the world” to come to the mission’s aide.

Although a courier raced across Texas to deliver Travis’ plea, only the 32 from Gonzales answered the call, arriving at the Alamo on March 1 and dying in defense of the Republic five days later.

Arrangements for the display of the iconic letter have involved a battle plan even more extensive than the one 177 years ago. The letter has been jealously protected at the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin, and special provisions had to be made to bring it to the Alamo.

Those visiting the Alamo for the viewing of the letter will barely recognize the symbolic building. To protect the letter from the sun’s damaging rays, windows have been blacked out, tents have been erected at the mission’s exits, curtains will be used to protect the fragile letter which will be housed in a custom-made, shatter-proof glass display case and climate control has been ramped up.

The Alamo has also renovated its gift shop to include souvenirs related to the Travis letter.

Admission to the Alamo is free, and the shrine is open 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.

The letter, renowned as a “declaration of defiance” and a “masterpiece of American patriotism,” is scheduled to arrive at the Alamo at 4 p.m. Friday, Feb. 22, for a special pre-event ceremony, then open to the public beginning Saturday.

For more information about the exhibition, visit www.TravisLetter.com.

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