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Photos: Hundreds observe fall of Alamo in 1836

March 6, 2022 By Ben Olivo 52 Comments

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James Madewell (from left) Ray Bassham, and Ron Paynter exit the visitors center Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron A wreath honoring Davy Crockett is positioned in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Bob M. Benavides (left) of The Sons of the Republic of Texas interviews John MacGregor (played by David Sutherland) a Scottish cannoneer and bagpiper who fell at the Alamo on March 6, 1836, on the morning of March 6, 2022, in front of the Long Barrack. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Shelby Rice, a student at Dobie Middle School, reads her winning essay on the Alamo as part of the Alamo Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas's annual ceremony "After The Fall" on March 6, 2022, on the anniversary the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor Scenes in front of the Alamo on March 6, 2022, the anniversary of the day the fort fell to Mexican forces in 1836. Photo by Ben Olivo | Heron contributor

By Ben Olivo | @rbolivo | Heron editor

Alamo Plaza has been packed all day as hundreds of visitors take in events commemorating March 6, 1836, the day Texian forces inside the Alamo fell to the Mexican army ending a 13-day siege.

The day began with the decades-long tradition Dawn at The Alamo early this morning. By mid-morning, the line to enter the Shrine of Texas Liberty stretched back to Ripley’s Haunted Adventure. The front of the greensward was decorated with wreaths honoring the defenders. Re-enactors walked the grounds and interacted with visitors by answering their questions or taking photos with them.

Late morning, the Alamo Chapter of the Sons of the Republic of Texas held its annual ceremony “After The Fall,” and did something new this year: Instead of hosting a keynote speaker, they conducted interviews with five lesser-known characters representing those who died that day, including a slave named Sarah (played by local actress and director Danielle King), who was said to have died amid cannon crossfire; and John J. Baugh (played by Alamo employee Scott Jones), who traveled to Texas the year before the battle as a first lieutenant in the New Orleans Greys. It’s an effort to stage a more inclusive event.

“I hope we can continue it, because 200 people is a lot of people to cover five at a time… I may not live that long,” said Bob M. Benavidez of The Sons of the Republic of Texas, and who’s also chairman of the San Antonio Living History Association. “We’re including more Tejanos and solados (Mexican soldiers) than we ever had by going to the community. Otherwise, it will wind up being Crockett land.”

The day concluded at 6 p.m. with “Remember The Defenders,” a ceremony led by the Alamo Defenders’ Descendants Association.

Heron Editor Ben Olivo has been writing about downtown San Antonio since 2008, first for mySA.com, then for the San Antonio Express-News. He co-founded the Heron in 2018, and can be reached at 210-421-3932 | ben@saheron.com | @rbolivo on Twitter


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Filed Under: Alamo, Events, Photos Tagged With: Alamo, Alamo Plaza, Bob M. Benavidez, San Antonio Living History Association, The Sons of the Republic of Texas

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Comments

  1. Johnathan Scott Garcia says

    March 7, 2022 at 4:46 am

    COME AND TAKE IT hell yeah boys lets go TEXAS and always remember and celebrate the fallen

    Reply

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