San Antonio and the Alamo

San Antonio is one of the earliest Spanish settlements, centred around a mission built in 1718 on the banks of the San Antonio River. Travelling in from our campsite we pass through the usual urban sprawl and confusing road system. Texan drivers take no prisoners, but the satnav wins through.

Once in the Downtown area, it’s very pleasant. Even the highrise buildings have an air of mature elegance.

 Downtown is built around the Riverwalk. This is a scenic pedestrian thoroughfare threading its way along the banks of the San Antonio River. It is entirely separate from the road system. This is where we joined it.

There is a small theatre where the stage is on one side of the river and the seating on the opposite bank. The complete answer to the audience rushing the stage.

The lush greenery they’ve managed to pack into the walkway is amazing. Jane is looking suitably flabbergasted.

We stroll past hotels and the many riverside restaurants. Our goal is on the far side of the Riverwalk: the Alamo. If one historical building symbolises Texas, this is the one. I’m looking very proprietorial in the photo, as if I’ve just bought it.

The Alamo mission church is only part of the complex that grew up from 1718 onwards. Extra buildings were erected to service the conversion of the local Indians and also to establishing a Spanish presence in the area.

The mission was closed in 1793 and taken over by the Spanish military soon after. Part of the barracks is still standing and is used as a museum. These are the arches leading into the quarters.

Mexico successfully fought a war of independence from Spain in the early 1820s, so thereafter Mexican troops garrisoned the Alamo fort. The new Mexican Government encouraged settlers from the bordering United States, and copied the American arrangement where each state had a large degree of autonomy.

In 1833 President Santa Ana came to power in Mexico. He had different ideas, gradually and forcefully increasing central control. In 1835 the Texan settlers rebelled, capturing the weakly defended Alamo. Santa Ana sprang into action and personally led a force of 2,000 soldiers to re-take the fort. Imagine the 200 Texan volunteers in the Alamo observing the approach of the smart massed ranks of Mexican regulars. This is a Mexican uniform.

February 1836: battle commences. The Texans included legendary heroes like Jim Bowie and Davie Crockett. They had a few cannon, but otherwise relied on primitive weapons such as these.

The colourful Mexican army uniforms made good targets for the defenders’ muzzle loading rifles, demonstrated by the re-enactment Texan Volunteer soldier below, and the cannon kept the enemy at bay for the time being.

After 13 days, the weight of numbers triumphed, and the Mexicans broke through; the defenders all perished.

The church (no photos inside) is a shrine to the fallen, with the full list of names and flags representing their place of birth. I was surprised to see a Welsh flag, and discovered that a certain Lewis Johnson who moved to Texas from Virginia had been born in Wales. However, they’re now not sure about his birthplace so but the Welsh flag remains until they decide.

A happy ending to the Texan uprising in the capture of Santa Ana later that year at the battle of San Jacinto. Texan independence was granted in exchange for his safe return.

So, all heroed out, we walk back along the Riverwalk to the car park. We were amused to note that the ducks have no respect for the exclusive riverbank dining experiences in their quest for food.

San Antonio downtown, as they call it- the old part in other words- had more character than most American cities because of its history and the Riverwalk, a real gem.