Subject: Alamo Archeology
Date: November 18,1997
From: Jeff Pendleton
What ever happened with that effort to dig up a well on the Alamo grounds and recover "Bowie's treasure"? How far did it go? Where did these people get such an idea? What is the opinion of the experts here?
Jeff Pendleton
The Center for Archaeological Research was originally contacted to do the excavation by Frank Bushbacker, who at the time was associated with NUMA (the organization back by Clyde Cussler) but at the last moment Cussler decided that it should be supported by Texans.
The Organization was unable to post the required bond with the city, so the project was canceled. The following year, Frank had formed the Tesoro del Alamo and hired Dr. Tom Guderjohn of St. Mary's to conduct the excavation.
They excavated the site identified by Ground Penetration Radar as the well site, but at approximately three feet down hit caliche and that continued undisturbed to the final depth excavated by back hoe of approximately 17 feet with no sign of disturbance (i.e., well)
The last I heard Bushbacker was attempting to raise further funds to explore two other sites on the Plaza that gave the indication of being the well. One of the reasons for selecting the first site was the agreement with the location shown by the Green Jameson map, however, that is a second generation map and is highly questionable. The only other map, that I am aware of, that shows the well is the Sánchez Navarro map --which shows it on the other side of the Plaza, and not near Franks' other "sites."
That the well exist is well documented, but just were is another question, and that's a lot of area to go breaking concrete over. For a first hand report, you should contact Herbert Uecker, now with the Texas Historical Commission in Austin. He was the field director on the project.
Waynne Cox, Archaeologist UTSA
Consultant to Alamo de Parras
Subject: Elizabeth Crockett's Grave
Date: November 20, 1997
From: Donna Donnell
What a nice picture of Mrs. Crockett's grave. When I was a little girl, in the 50's and early 60's, that was one of my father's favorite Sunday drives and it became mine.
I moved away from Texas for some years, when I returned I took my two boys there. I was appalled at the condition the cemetery was in. It is also a cemetery. There were beer cans and broken bottles, the fence around Elizabeth's grave had been torn down, there was graffiti on it, and other graves in the vicinity had been tipped and broken. It was obvious this destruction had been going for some time. I was angry at the State & Parks Commission, the Historical Commission and the Crockett Family, who lives just right down the road in Hood County. I wrote the State and telephoned. Some time later, I went out there and it was cleaned up. Periodically I try to stop by. I have kind of made it my mission, to see that this place of such historical value is maintained so I can someday visit with my grandchildren.
It's a great place to have a picnic!
Donna Donnell
Several years back, I did some investigation into the location of Elizabeth Crockett's homestead. I learned that in 1936 that her cabin was dismantled and reassembled on the Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas as part of a celebration of the Texas Centennial. Today there is absolutely NO RECORD of what happened to that log cabin after the centennial. If anyone knows, please fill me in. There is a small log cabin that is being preserved in Granbury, Texas that claims to have inherited the front limestone stoop of the Crockett cabin. However, there's no proof to that claim.
Randell Tarín
Subject: Mrs. Crockett's Grave site
Date: 24 Nov 1997
From: Jeff Pendleton
In reference to the Alamo Forum letter about Mrs. Crockett's grave site...I work about 2 miles from the cemetery in Acton and remember someone telling me about a recent article in the Hood County News or maybe the Fort Worth Star Telegram about a plumber working on a house in Acton who found a powder horn with one of David Crockett's son's initials scratched on it.
Supposedly closer research uncovered a small log cabin built inside the house.
Jeff Pendleton
There are many such houses in North Texas that are cabins in disguise. And, as you indicated they are usually not discovered until the house is being renovated or remodeled. Though, possibly not connected with the Crockett family, these cabins are significant in that they are the last remnant of the Peters Colony settlement. Unfortunately, few are preserved.
I had not heard that particular story about the powder horn, but I am familiar with many of the log cabins in that area. It's doubtful that particular cabin was in the Crockett family, but stranger things have happened.
Randell Tarín
Subject: Nationality of the Alamo defenders.
Date: November 26, 1997
From: Martin Smith
Congratulations on your web site. However, the place of origin of the defenders does appear to be a bone of contention with your contributors. Surely this is unimportant, as a hero is a hero. Perhaps you might like to consider that the largest proportion of defenders were foreign immigrants from the United Kingdom.
From the 1800 Act of Union, the United Kingdom comprised: England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Of the men that fought and died at the Alamo, 29 are known to be from the United Kingdom.
It has not been possible to trace the place of origin of 19 defenders. This suggests that they did not own land or have families in the United States, probably because they were new immigrants. I would suggest that there is more than fair chance that a high proportion, say 30%, of these 19 defenders were from the United Kingdom.
The Napoleonic Wars cost the United Kingdom dear, in 1815 unemployment and poverty were rife in Great Britain. The Treaty of Ghent in 1815 ended the War of 1812, between the United Kingdom and the United States, and opened the United States for immigration from the United Kingdom. However, the Irish potato famine did not start until, say, 1841 and did not cause mass emigration until 1845.
With this in mind, the proportion of Alamo defenders from the United Kingdom can probably be increased. Excluding: the 7 Tejanos, 2 Germans, 1 Dutchman, and John the black freedman; probably as much as 20% of the remaining 130 were new immigrants from the United Kingdom. Thus, men from the United Kingdom comprised at least 15% and may be 33%.of the defenders of the Alamo.
Martin Smith
Subject: Miles DeForest Andross
Date: 26 November, 1997
From: Danny Landry, Vermont
I've always been an avid Alamo reader and to some degree a researcher, but until two weeks ago I thought there was never a Vermonter who fought there.
To my surprise after reviewing the Alamo de Parras Home Page, I found the name "Miles DeForest Andross" from Vermont in the list of Texans killed at the Alamo.
For the record, I've done some very preliminary research into the Vermont Archives and found the following about him.
He was born in Bradford, Vermont (I don't have a date yet) He was the 5th son of Captain John Andross and his second wife Rebecca Barron. His grandfather Dr. Bildad Andross (probably Andruss) was a graduate of Yale and served for time in the Revolutionary War as a surgeon. Bildad Andross also was a signer of the Vermont Constitution and served several terms in the Vermont Legislature.
According to the History of Bradford, Vermont written by Silas McKeen, written in 1875 it says:
Mills (notice spelling), married Eliza Peabody, a cousin of George Peabody, so distinguished for financial success and great liberality. He went to New Orleans, got involved in the troubles of Mexico, under the domination of Santa Anna, and with twenty-nine others were massacred there, far from home and friends. They removed to Jamesville, Wisconsin, where they resided, in pleasant circumstances, with a highly respectable family.
That record seems to hint that he might have been a member of the New Orleans Grey's, but in "A Time to Stand," by Walter Lord, he lists him as having been from San Patricio. What other sources do you suggest that I try?
Danny Landry
According to Bill Groneman's entry in the New Handbook of Texas:
Miles DeForest Andross, Alamo defender, was born in Vermont in 1809. Hemoved to Texas and settled in San Patricio. He took part in the siege ofBexar, became ill afterwards, and remained in Bexar as part of Lt. Col. James Clinton Neill's command. Andross served in the Alamo garrison as partof Capt. William Blazeby's infantry company. He died in the battle of theAlamo on March 6, 1836.BIBLIOGRAPHY:
DAR, The Alamo Heroes and Their Revolutionary Ancestors (San Antonio, 1976)You might also try to locate Bounty Land Grants and Widow pension records in Austin at the Texas State Archives, Lorenzo de Zavala State Library. They have Archival holdings of documents pertaining to early Texas History.DRT, Muster Rolls of the Texas Revolution (Austin, 1986)
Groneman, Bill, Alamo Defenders (Austin: Eakin, 1990)
Rosenthal, Phil and Groneman, Bill, Roll Call at the Alamo (Ft. Collins,
Colorado: Old Army, 1985)
Also Try these sources:
Miller, Thomas Lloyd. "The Roll of the Alamo",Texana, Vol.2, No.1, Spring 1964.Also these articles in the Southwestern Historical Quarterly:Miller, Thomas Lloyd,"Bounty and Donation Land Grants of Texas, 1836 -1888". (Austin,TX:UT Press,c.1967).
Williams, Amelia. A Critical Study of the Siege of the Alamo.SWHQ,Vol.37, pp.17-19 (Originally Vol.37, July 1933, No.1).I hope this helps. Let me know if you find anything new.Williams, Amelia. A Critical Study of the Siege of the Alamo and of the Personnel of Its Defenders. Chapter IV "Historical Problems Relating to the Alamo". SWHQ, Vol.37, pp.167-171, January 1934, No.3.
Randell Tarín , Managing Editor
The Second Flying Company of Alamo de Parras
Subject: Makeup of Mexican Army
Date: December 6, 1997
From: Rick Holden
If you could provide any of the following information or sources where it is available, it would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you.
Rick Holden
- Which battalions were with Santa Anna at San Jacinto?
The units at San Jacinto were:
- Permanente Matamoros
Permanente Aldama
Permanente Guerrero
Activo Toluca
Activo Guadalajara
Regiment Tampico
Regiment Guanajuato
Source: Filisola, Delgado, Santa Anna.
- There apparently was movement of troops between Santa Anna and Urrea.What was Urrea's command at Matamoras and which troops were later diverted to him from Santa Anna?
Urrea's command on February 16, 1836 at Matamoros consisted of:
Batallion Activo Yucatan Cuaulta Dragoons Elements of the Tampico and Guanajuato
Cavalry Regiments
On March 11, 1836 the following regiments were detached to Urrea
from Santa Anna at San Antonio:
- Permanente Jimenez
Activo San Luis Potosi.
- What was Gen. Amador's command?
Juan Amador was a detached officer serving on staff: apparently at one point serving as an adjutant, inasmuch as the March 6 battle orders are signed by him. My register of Mexican Army officers is from 1845-46 and he does not appear, which means he may have retired from service by then (he died in 1851).
Who was in command of Permanente Allende?
The placing of the Permanente Allende Battalion in the Campaign and at the Alamo is from Potter, and not from any Mexican source. I have not been able to find out who was commanding the Battalion, because it isn't on any of the Mexican documents for the Texas Campaign. I feel that it may have not been involved.
Also, how tight was Santa Anna's command structure? Col. Juan Morales, for example, was in command of Activo San Luis Potosi at the Alamo, but was captured at San Jacinto while his battalion was apparently sent to Urrea to support the fight against Fannin. Likewise, Morales' command at the Alamo was not of his own battalion, but of the combined Cazadore companies, whose role seems somewhat obscure. What did they do?
- It was not uncommon in the British army to make specialized combined units for assaults and other duties. In the case of the Mexican army, Santa Anna did like to combine the Cazadore companies to preform specialized duties: at the Alamo, the #4 column was made up of Cazadores from several regiments who job it was to keep the south end of the defenses busy while the major assault was launched against the north end. Cazadores were the light infantry companies of the battalion. They performed skirmish or light infantry functions. When Santa Anna entered San Antonio, he had the light infantry go in first to secure the plaza.
Morales was apparently the best light infantry commander in the army of operations: he commanded a combined Cazadore column at the battle of Zacatecas, the Alamo, and colteo. He was probably dispatched to rejoin Santa Anna to perform the same function in what we call the San Jacinto campaign. Simply a matter of the best man for the job.
Kevin R. Young
[EDITOR'S NOTE: Multiple letters were combined for brevity and clairity]
