The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1906-02-21

the glory OF the Alamo belong to Ala
bams. lie came out of the pine
woods of Alabama and went to Texas
to win limitless fame. And yet 80
few Alabamians know that Travis
was Alabama reared and Alabama
bred.
He led 10 the fight of the Alamo
which was perhaps the greatest exhi-
bition of collective courage that his
tory has written since men began to
hunt each other down with weapons
in their hands. In the future some
gifted one vino reads the stars and
who sings the songs Of the nation is
going to give that splendid combat
voice. The world is going to know it
then, as it was, in truth, finer
thing than Thermopylae; a braver
thing than the fight of three Romans
at the bridge; greater, a more glor.
ious tragedy than tae charge Of the
Light Brigade. 1t is not 80 known
now. 1t is known, but not 80 greatly
as it should be, as q memorable con-
fict, narrowed field whore men did
deeds to be applauded 10 the years to
come by generations to be born.
But the memory of the men who
made the narrow bloody fold of the
Alamo glorious for all years has not
yet come into its own. The school
child reads more Of the minor skir-
mishes between the Massachusetts
Puritans and Massasoit and King
Philip; more Of Bunker Hill; more of
the slaughter Of the troops of the
blind ana obstinate Braddock; more of
Monmouth; Of the Tippecanoe fight;
Of Gettysburg; Of a half hundred
battle6elds of the War Between the
States, than he reads Of the splendid,
desperate struggle that overshadowed
Thermopylae aud set new standard
for collective bravery.
In the Texas capitol at Auotin :he
Texans have paid due and just honor
to the memory Of tLose who fought
joyfully though hopelessly with q
dead wall behind them, certain death
in front OF them, and the blood soak.
ed sand at their feet. They have
erected monument to Travis and his
men. The monument has this in
scription, "Thermopylae had her
messenger Of defeat; the Alamo hsa
none."
1t is su eloquent sentence. Il is ss
fine an epitaph as ever marked the
fight and the death of any choice
band Of spirits. No noble verse, no
great song to catch che ear of the
world has been written upon the
splendid death Of Travis and his msu.
but this muoh at least is ,heira, their
epitaph ID th he most eloq uent that ever
preserved 1.-The achieved glory Of any
set Of men. =.
sope Texas Tennyson may tell the
story some day, tell it as Tenuysou
told the story Of the ride Of the Light
Brisade half q league into the Jaws Of
he'll Tell it as Macaulay told how
the Three kept the: bridge in the
bravsr, days OF old. It is a finer,
greater theme than either the ride Of
Rsglan's men at Balaklava or the
agha Of HiEoFatiu5 aud his fellows fellows
against:,< .Lars Porsena and ; host.
The odda were quite as great. And
FOX the men Of the Alamo there was
no future, no chance but death.
They fought the fight joyfully, fought
It IN that curious ''eostaoy which so
thrills brave man with sword Ia 1
his hand, foe in front of him, the
sun overhead and tho earth beneath
his feet. 49,. ..N, J. .=s.< &
The fight of the Alamo was The
browning glory Of the War; OF Inde.
pendencs, the 6ght Of the American /
setslers against the, dominion Of the
Spanish power Of Mexico. And vet
it was . defeat and worse than q de-.
feat for Travis, aud every, man that
shared ia the glory. OF the: fight Vac
slain in tho walls Of the Alamo and
the bodies of oil were piled In d heap |
aud burned, 80 furious were the Next:
cans. at the desperate bravery of; .the
mariana and eas f,,r;o,>,,, =. IL -
over the sight Of the dead bodies 81 /
their lled assooi,sss |whiea marked oyerry /
step Of tie ;.yi;to% their hollow yio-||
tory IN .he 'sue walls Of tho Alamo. sR /:
d But .tory: OF the Eight MAS sto.
a's.ather TEXANS like che bastls, cali ii
= silver b ampet, Y Ihose whot, ht, N !: had i
hesitated, hes!s=.ed no longer. TIC
thin ranks nE she nSEs IN & i
swelled and VIXEN, Santa Anoa: ana His /
men who had dons shs { deed fas iths;1||