communityservice

“The Gonzales Immortals”Community Service

During a Gonzales City Council meeting in January, 2013, plans were announced for the annual Gonzales County Day at the State Capitol — and Council members were also apprised of an advisory from Land Com-missioner Jerry Patterson querying Gonzales’ interest in taking part in the ceremonies surrounding the return of Travis’ famed “Victory or Death” letter to The Alamo.

Of The Alamo’s 188 defenders, nearly one in four were from Gonzales. It was 32 men from Gonzales who re-sponded to the Travis Letter, riding into the besieged mission in the pre-dawn hours of March 1, 1836 — the only reinforcements received by the embattled defenders.

The response from the Gonzales community — where many residents are either directly descended from or related to the 41 men from Gonzales who died at The Alamo — was overwhelmingly enthusiastic.

The Travis Letter returned to The Alamo on Feb. 27, and The Cannon newspaper was there to cover the event. We also asked for and received permission from the GLO to distribute copies of the special Immortal 32 Com-memorative created to honor the men of Gonzales who died at The Alamo.

Two days later, on March 1, The Cannon was again on-hand at very somber ceremonies to honor the nine origi-nal garrison members and the “Immortal 32” Gonzales Rangers of the Alamo Relief Force, and again received permission to distribute free copies of our Commemorative. As the name of each of the 41 men from Gonzales was read, a related member of the Gonzales delegation of more than 200 people present answered roll call with “Here!”

To say Frank Michael Benes has been a busy man most of his life would be something of an under-statement.

Named the winner of this year’s David B. Walshak Lifetime Achieve-ment Award during Fri-day’s Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture banquet, Benes has an im-pressive list of community service credits going back

more than four decades.Benes was instrumental

in the founding and de-velopment of the Gonza-les County Water Supply Corp, first helping to orga-nize it and then serving as a director from 1971-1986. He was the vice president of the corporation from 1976-78 and president from 1979-84.

Agriculture and learning have also played a large role in his life. He served as an adult leader for Gonzales

SAN ANTONIO — In the shadows of one Texas treasure, a Gonzales-based business celebrated being named a Texas Treasure Friday.

Adams Extract & Spice observed its 125th anni-versary Friday at The Ala-mo by accepting the Texas Treasure Business Award from State Sen. Leticia Van de Putte (D-San Antonio).

“Adams Extract is a trea-sure, but it’s the people

behind the product that makes Adams Extract a Texas treasure,” said Van De Putte, sitting in for State Sen. Glen Hegar, who was attending a legislative bud-get hearing Friday.

“This is hallowed ground,” she added, point-ing out various points around Alamo Plaza where heroes earned immortality on March 6, 1836. “When you think about it, maybe it’s appropriate for this to happen here, with all the historic connections be-

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BENES, Page A6

Adams named‘Texas treasure’

Fire claims homein Waelder

Page A3Cannon

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Adams Extract’s Stewart Crim makes remarks dur-ing Friday’s ceremonies at The Alamo. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

ADAMS, Page A14

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TABC investigating brawl

State agency launches probeinto bar fight, frequent police calls to the Silver Star Saloon

A local bar has drawn more scrutiny in connection with the high-profile fight that occurred there just over four weeks ago.

The Cannon has learned that the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has launched an investigation into the ac-tivities that took place on Dec. 29 at the Silver Star Saloon in Gonzales.

“We are currently looking into an in-cident where an injury occurred there,” said John Mann, Enforcement Division Sergeant for the TABC’s Corpus Christi/Victoria area office. “That investigation is in its very incipient stages. To say that there will be charges filed against the bar or any individuals is way premature. The investigator who is handling it hasn’t even sent over any reports for me to look at yet.”

Three individuals – Alvin Brister III, 36 of Bellville; Donna Marie Brister Al-len, 34 of Gonzales; and Roger Dale Gonzales, 18 of Gonzales – were charged with aggravated assault for the bar room fight that left Silver Star proprietor Kenny Rodgers hospitalized at a San Antonio hospital, where he was aiflifted to and later underwent reconstructive surgery

on his face.Brister is the brother of Allen, and

Gonzales is Allen’s son. Jeremy Kintz, 39 of Gonzales, was arrested at the scene and charged with disorderly conduct.

Mann said the scope of TABC’s author-ity goes further than most realize.

“We are state peace officers and should the need arise, we do in fact file criminal charges on establishments,” he explained.

The Silver Star Saloon in Gonzales has seen more police calls for service in the last year than the other bars in Gonzales combined.

By CEDRIC [email protected]

TABC, Page A6

The unique history and culture of Gonzales will be showcased in events in both Austin and San Antonio, the Gonzales Economic Development Corp. Board of Directors heard Monday.

Economic Development Director Carolyn Gibson-Baros reported on the up-coming Gonzales County Day at the Texas Capitol, scheduled for Thursday, March 21.

The board approved an

expenditure of up to $2,500 to provide a bus to carry a city delegation to the event, which will include meet-ings with the area’s repre-sentatives and readings of resolutions saluting Gonza-les on the floor of both the House of Representatives and the Senate.

The event is expected to include students from Gon-zales ISD performing a skit about local history in the Capitol rotunda, as well as pictures with state officials and tours of the capitol.

By DAVE MUNDY

[email protected]

GEDC, Page A6

Walshak Award HonoreeOutgoing Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture president Patrick Hodges, left, and new president Sascha Kardosz flank Frank Michael Benes after he was named the winner of the David B. Walshak Lifetime Achievement Award Friday. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

“Most of our actions manifest them-selves in an administrative form against the liquor license itself.”

The penalties that can be levied by TABC vary and are offset by a Standard Penalty Chart.

“If we go by that chart, it gives us a little flexibility in how the case is settled,” Mann said. “It depends on the severity of the in-juries, was the bar in any way negligent?”

“It’s hard to say what the range of penalty would be for a first offense. Without hav-ing the results of a complete investigation, that’s really a tough question to answer. There’s so many pieces to this puzzle that make a clear picture and we don’t have that yet.”

The Silver Star Saloon has drawn a lot of attention from law enforcement since it opened last October.

According to records acquired from the Gonzales Police Department, there were 77 calls for service to the Silver Star from Oct. 2, 2012 to Jan. 14, 2013. Of those calls, 18 were described as disturbances.

Mann declined to speculate if the fault for the trouble stems from the way the bar is operated or from the clientele it draws.

“It does seem like an inordinate amount of calls for service,” said Mann. “The thing I would say is do we have a permit holder that is reliant on the local police to be there to help him run the place.”

“Basically, do we have a guy that runs and call the cops every time somebody says ‘Boo!’ or is there an operator factor we need to address where perhaps the opera-tor needs education on what a real breach of the peace is?”

Mann said there is no timeline in place in regards to the length of the investiga-tion, which he assured would be conducted thoroughly and fairly.

“It’s easy to blame the ownership and the employees, but the real question is have we as a regulatory agency been remiss in not giving this person the proper educa-tion needed to run this type of business,” he said.

“The bottom line is we have to educate this person and then if he chooses to oper-ate outside of the confines of the law, then he will absolutely face whatever punish-ment he deserves.”

The Cannon made several calls to Silver Star Saloon proprietor Ray Rodgers seek-ing comment, but they were unreturned as of press time.

The Cannon Thursday, January 31, 2013Page A6

New president unveils plans

BENES: Honored at banquet

Community Service winnerCharlie Walls, left, receives the Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture’s annual Community Service award from chamber president Sascha Kardosz. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

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TABC: Looking into bar brawlContinued from page A1

County 4-H from 1978-91. Benes took it upon himself to build and donate a lock-able cabinet to protect the souvenirs sold by the club during Come and Take It, and that locker is still used today by the Girl Scouts.

Benes was named a winner of the “Gold Clover” award in 1990 in honor of his 4-H leadership by the Cooperative Extension Service, U.S. Dept. of Agriculture and Tex-as Agricultural Extension Service.

He was also a member of the Gonzales Young Farmers from 1961 through the 1990s, including terms as the organiza-tion’s reporter from 1971-72, treasurer in 1972-73 and president in 1973-74.

Benes is a member of St. James Catho-lic Church and has served on the Pastoral Council for three different terms of three years each. He’s been active in developing a number of improvements at the church, and currently works on a committee plan-ning a new all-purpose building for the Gonzales Catholic Community.

He is a former board member and vice president of the Gonzales County Farm Bureau board of directors. Benes has also served as a Gonzales Livestock Show Di-rector; as a member of the Gonzales Mental Health Advisory Board; Gonzales County Agriculture Advisory Board, where he has served as chairman since 1994; Gonzales County EMS Board; and Gonzales Pioneer Village Board.

He has been a member of the Knights of Columbus for more than 50 years, and is also a member of the Independent Cattle-men’s Association of Texas. Benes is also an active volunteer during the annual Come and Take It Festival, helping to set up and mark off food, craft and vendor booths as well as helping with the ticket booth.

Benes has been married to his wife Su-zanne for 48 years. They have four chil-dren: son Lance Benes and his wife Jenni-fer, daughter Rene Singleton and husband Mickey, Sandra Brown and husband Glen, and daughter Natalie Tatsch and husband Lance. The Beneses have nine grandchil-dren.

Among the items in the works may be a resolution declaring Oct. 2 — the anniver-sary of the 1835 Battle of Gonzales which began the Texas Revolution — as a state-recognized day in perpetuity.

An equally-unique event may also be taking place at The Alamo three weeks ear-lier, Baros said.

The famous “Letter from Travis” appeal-ing for aid for The alamo’s beseiged defend-ers will be on display at the historic site from Feb. 22-March 8. It’s the first time in nearly 30 years the letter has been available for public viewing.

As part of that, March 1 is being set aside as “Immortal 32 Day” to recognize and

honor the date that 32 men from Gonzales responded to Travis’ letter and rode into the Alamo. The “Immortal 32” were the only Texians to respond to the call for aid.

Directors gave their enthusiastic support to authorizing Baros to work on readying a delegation to represent Gonzales at the event.

The board approved minor changes to performance agreements for the Holiday inn Express and Win-Bin Ventures, LLC for two hotel projects, and baros noted during staff reports that five additional hotel-motel projects are in the works for Gonzales.

The board also approved funding updat-ed signage at Gonzales Industrial Park to reflect its latest business additions.

Continued from page A1

GEDC: Supports heritage events


The Gonzales Chamber of Commerce and Agriculture celebrated its year Friday with its annual banquet, and incoming president Sasha Kardosz said the organiza-tion has big plans for 2013.

Kardosz told members the Chamber is rapidly adapting to new technology, in-cluding an increased social media presence and an updated website.

“The economic development, employ-ment opportunities and lifestyle that this (oil) boom has brought to Gonzales Coun-ty are truly blessings,” she said. “We should be proud to be part of this significant time in history.”

Kardosz unveiled a new benefit for Chamber members, a partnership with Collette Travel. She said the Chamber will sponsor two trips per year — one a foreign

visit, the other domestic.This year’s foreign trip will be to Italy on

Sept. 2-10. A meeting is set at the Riverside Community Center at 5:15 p.m. Feb. 13 to disclose details, and to get input on the planned domestic tour as well.

Also recognized during the banquet were outgoing president Patrick Hodge and retiring Chamber secretary Bradley Avant.

Charlie Walls was named the winner of this year’s Community Service Award for his many hours of volunteer work on a number of projects.

Also recognized were the winners in the Chamber’s first “Leaders of Tomorrow” es-say contest. Shayla Simper was named the winner, with Lauren Campion and Tyler Janota recognized as finalists.

Future leadership awardShayla Simper was named the winner of this year’s Gonzales Chamber of Commerce “Future Leadership” essay contest. Accepting the award from Sascha Kardosz on behalf of her daughter was Sherri Simper. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

Daisy Scheske, left, and Patrick Hodges begin compiling the winners in this year’s silent auction. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

VICTORIA — The prin-cipal of Gonzales High School faces a charge of driving while intoxicated following an accident Fri-day night.

Christopher Morrow, 39, was charged after a two-vehicle crash on Main Street at Mockingbird Lane, said Sgt. Lee Lemmons, of the Victoria Police Depart-ment.

GISD superintendent Dr. Kim Strozier said Wednes-day that district employ-ment policy prohibits her

from commenting on Mor-row’s situation and future with the school district. A Gonzales ISD Board of Trustees meeting is tenta-

The Texas Independence Relay is com-posed of 40 relay legs of various lengths, totaling over 200 miles. The course starts in Gonzales, where the spark of the Texas Revolution took place, and it finishes at the San Jacinto Monument, where Texas Independence was won!

To tackle this formidable task, your team will be composed of up to 12 mem-bers (your choice!), and you’ll have an exceptional time either furthering good friendships or making new ones! You’ll encourage each other along the way while you visit the small cities of Gonza-les, Shiner, Moulton, Flatonia, Schulen-burg, Weimar, Borden, Columbus, Altair, Eagle Lake, Wallis, Orchard, Simonton, and Fulshear. Then, you’ll make your way through the paramount city of Hous-ton, experiencing it in a way you never have before! Racing on a team with your friends in this unique format over an in-comparable span of Texas steeped with momentous history all amounts to a GREAT time that you’ll fondly remember for years to come! This all takes place over Saturday and Sunday, March 23 – 24 (and don’t forget the party on Friday, March 22!). Come and take it… if you have what it takes!

Detailed maps for every leg will be provided in the race manual and can be found on our interactive map. Specifics are subject to change, so please refer to the Race Updates section (and perhaps sign up to receive the updates) to get the most current information.

Gonzales is an exceedingly welcoming town, rich with history and attractive to tourists looking to escape the big city! Your entire team will run a small loop together around downtown, marking the commencement of your journey. You’ll enjoy picturesque rolling hills on perfect relay roads as you journey over rural dirt roads and Sam Houston’s Tree! After leav-ing Gonzales, you’ll get a taste of smaller Texas towns with exceptionally large hearts! Shiner, Moulton, Flatonia, Schul-enburg, and Weimar, you’ll appreciate each town’s individual flavor, but you will also note that they all possess a distinct relaxing quality. By the time your team

On March 1, 1836, 32 men from Gon-zales rode into The Alamo in response to a call for aid from LtCol. William B. Tra-vis, joining nine other Gonzales citizens already among the defiant defenders of the old mission.

On March 1 of this year, Gonzales will again answer the call of Travis’ Letter.

William Barret Travis’ famous “Victory or Death” letter will make its return to the Alamo at 4 p.m. Friday, February 22 for a grand celebration at Alamo Plaza. This will be the first time it has been at the Alamo

since it left with a courier on horseback under the cover of darkness during the fa-mous 13-day siege in 1836.

In commemoration of the day the “Im-mortal 32 from Gonzales” joined the de-fenders of The Alamo — the only Texians to respond to Travis’ call — a delegation from Gonzales will gather at the historic site for ceremonies marking the blood shed by the heroes of Gonzales.

Gonzales City Council on Tuesday gave its enthusiastic backing to the project, first proposed by Gonzales Economic Develop-ment Corp. chairman Nathan Neuse. The delegation is expected to gather at Alamo

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Inside This Week:



By DAVE MUNDY

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MORROW, Page A6

Relay readies for return

Winners in Luling, Flatonia, Moulton

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CannonThe Gonzales



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San Antonio man dies in oilfield accidentRELAY, Page A6

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Gonzales will answer the call as Travis’ Letter returns to The Alamo

Trail Ride moves through townMembers of the Texas Trail Riders out of Oakland enter the Gonzales City Limits along Highway 90A Monday as part of their annual trek to the San Antonio Live-stock Show and Rodeo. A total of five trail rides moved through the region this week in preparation for the annual festivities in San Antonio, which get under-way today. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

Making Texas history, again

GHS principal facescharge after accident

LETTER, Page A6

ROBBERY, Page A6

Justin Austin

Cuero police nabrobbery suspectsBy DAVE MUNDY

[email protected]

Darien Patton

CUERO — Cuero Police on Friday arrested the final two men wanted in connec-tion with an armed robbery at the Dairy Queen on Jan. 11.

Police Capt. Steven El-lis said Justin Austin, 24, of Cuero and Darien Pat-ton, 21, also of Cuero, were taken into custody without incident in the 100 block of Aggie Street on Friday. The local police were assisted by U.S. Marshals during a day-long search for the two men which included several hours of searching in Gon-zales on Friday.

Police had previously ar-rested three other suspects in the case: Joshua Wil-liams, 20; Dedrick Griffin, 18; and Mary Villareal, 18;

CHEAPSIDE — A San Antonio man was killed Monday after being run over by a trailer in an oilfield ac-cident.

A Department of Public Safety spokesman said an oilfield crew was rolling 3-inch poly pipe on a spool mounted on a trailer being pulled by a pickup at around 12:20 p.m. Mon-day near Cheapside in far southeast Gonzales County. The pickup truck

towing the trailer was traveling northbound at 10-15 miles per hour on County Road 294, troopers said.

A worker who was riding on the tongue of the trailer helping to spool the pipe fell off the trailer and was run over by the trailer’s right rear

wheel.Attempts to revive the man were

unsuccessful, and he was pro-nounced dead at 1:04 p.m. by Justice of the Peace Deidra Voigt.

DPS said an investigation into the accident is proceeding.

Cannon News Services

[email protected]

By DAVE MUNDY

[email protected]

Christopher Morrow

The Cannon Thursday, February 7, 2013Page A6

ROBBERY: Cuero police arrest additional suspects

Guadalupe Co. supports split of 25th Judicial prosecutionsBy BOB THAXTON

Of the Seguin Gazette

LETTER: Returning to AlamoContinued from page A1


MORROW: Facing DWI charge


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Plaza for a solemn reading of the names of the 41 Gonzales men who were among the Alamo garrison when it fell on March 6, 1836.

The local delegation will then move into the Chapel of the old fortress, where the fa-mous letter will be on display.

“To the People of Texas and All Ameri-cans in the world – come and see the letter,” Texas Land Commissioner Jerry Patterson said, paraphrasing the opening lines of the Travis letter. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime chance to be inspired by this patriotic letter at the Shrine of Texas Liberty itself.”

On Feb. 22, the letter will be escorted to the Alamo by officers of the Texas De-partment of Public Safety and San Antonio Police Department. An honor guard will carry the letter inside as Travis’ fifth great- nephew, Denton County Sheriff William B. Travis, reads the stirring letter.

Inside the Shrine, the letter will be care-fully placed inside a custom-built, shatter-proof glass display case made by the world-renowned German company Casewerks at a cost of $20,000. This special case will al-low visitors to see both sides of the fragile letter at a safe distance. Armed peace of-ficers will flank the case for the duration of the exhibit.

As a prelude to the viewing of the letter, visitors will tour an exhibit detailing Tra-vis’ life and the Texas Revolution, through fragile historic documents and artifacts from the vaults of the Texas General Land Office and the Alamo. The arrival cer-emony will include music and historical re- enactors and all are invited to join in the moment.

Public display of the letter will be from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 23, through

Thursday, March 7. As always, the Shrine of Texas Liberty is open to visitors free of charge. Free full-size reproductions of the Travis letter will also be available to visitors inside the Shrine.

Visitors are asked to be silent and re-spectful when viewing the document and no flash photography will be allowed to protect the light-sensitive paper.

Commemorative items will also be available in the newly renovated gift shop, including an official exhibition guide, T-shirts, mugs and more. Sales from the Alamo Gift Shop fund the operation of the 300-year-old mission.

The event is being coordinated by the Texas State Library and Archives Commis-sion, the Texas General Land Office and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

More than $100,000 in private donations from the San Antonio-based McCombs Family Foundation, Fort Worth’s Meta Al-ice Keith Bratten Foundation and Galves-ton’s Moody Foundation will help cover the costs of this extraordinary exhibit. H-E-B and the Kempner Family also contrib-uted to the effort. Texans wishing to be a part of this moment may make an online donation through the San Antonio Area Foundation here: https://www.saafdn.org/sslpage.aspx?pid=202.

“Dedication. Courage. Defiance. The very essence of Texas is captured in this let-ter,” Patterson said. “See this letter and be inspired about what it means to be a Texan and the cost of liberty.”

For more information on the Alamo, please visit www.travisletter.org or the Of-ficial Alamo website at www.thealamo.org. Stay posted with regular updates by click-ing like on the Travis Letter Returns page on Facebook.

tively set Tuesday, Feb. 12.Morrow was offered an opportunity to

comment on the case but did not respond by press time Wednesday.

He was hired by GISD at the June 11, 2012 Board of Trustees meeting after serv-ing as principal at Friona High School from 2008-2012.

Victoria Police said Morrow was driving a silver Hyundai south in the northbound lane on Main Street about 6:30 p.m. when his vehicle struck a Dodge pickup truck.

David Silva, 49, of Dripping Springs, told police he was traveling north on the road in a Dodge pickup when he saw the Hyundai in his lane. Silva said he tried to swerve out of the path of the Hyundai, but it struck the bed of his pickup, knocking his truck off its axle and crushing the front of the Hyundai.

No one was reported injured. Victoria Police Sgt. Eline Moya said Morrow, listed as a Gonzales resident, was charged with DWI, , a Class B misdemeanor punishable

by a fine of up to $2,000 or a maximum 180 days in jail and possible license suspension.

A report in the Abilene Reporter-News on May 15, 2008, noted that Morrow had been placed on paid administrative leave by Huckaby Superintendent Cheryl Floyd as a result of an arrest for driving while in-toxicated.

The Reporter-News report quoted a De-partment of Public Safety account of an accident in which a vehicle was involved in a rollover accident in Stephenville. Ste-phenville police were called to the home of the driver of that vehicle, where he was ar-rested by DPS officers after refusing to sub-mit to a breath test to determine his blood-alcohol content.

According to Erath County Jail records, Morrow was charged with a first offense of driving while intoxicated. The newspaper gave no indication how that case was ad-judicated.

Morrow has also previously worked in various roles for the Dublin, Boerne and Gatesville school districts.

all of Cuero.About $1,000 was taken from the res-

taurant at 802 N. Esplanade St. A previ-ous news release from Police Chief Jay Lewis said the robbery took place about 11:15 p.m. when three armed gunmen entered the restaurant as it was closing and held the manager at gunpoint.

The manager was not harmed, but was forced into the freezer and re-mained there until she felt safe enough to leave and call police. “They were wearing ski masks and hoodies,” said Lewis. “The manager was not harmed and was able to provide detailed infor-mation to the investigating officers.”

In responding to the call, police no-ticed a suspicious vehicle leaving the scene and attempted to catch up to it.

It was later located unoccupied at the corner of Dunn St. and North St.

An off-duty DeWitt County Sheriff ’s deputy contacted police after seeing one of the suspects, leading to the arrest of Williams in the 200 block of Togo St. Williams was a former employee of the restaurant and had quit about a week prior to the robbery, Lewis said.

A revolver and cash were recovered from the car, and police later found a backpack containing cash believed sto-len from the restaurant.

On Jan. 16, police arrested Griffin, and on Jan. 22, Villareal was also ar-rested. Police said Villareal was em-ployed at the restaurant at the time of the robbery.

The suspects are charged with aggra-vated robbery and engaging in orga-nized criminal activity.

reaches Columbus, the sun will be retiring for the day.

Eagle Lake, Wallis, Orchard, Simonton, and Fulshear will be sleeping communities as you pass through (though at least a few will stay up to curiously observe your unre-lenting journey through the night). Press-ing on tirelessly toward the finish, you and your team will follow the trail of little flash-ing lights (other runners).

When you begin to make your way through Cinco Ranch on the west side of Houston, you’ll notice the early indicators that a new day is underway. You’ll also be-come aware that you’re crossing the thresh-old between country and city. Between here and downtown, you’ll traverse paths

that wind through pleasing parks (George Bush Park, Terry Hershey Park, Memorial Park, and the Buffalo Bayou). You’ll admire stately homes in well-preserved neighbor-hoods, and then, you’ll stride through Houston’s very downtown, passing right by reflective sky scrapers and making your way around the Toyota Center!

After exiting downtown, you’ll navigate through an industrial section of Houston that is quickly followed by quiet neighbor-hoods. Then you’ll march due east towards the vast Ship Channel – all culminating with a celebratory finish in La Porte at the San Jacinto Battleground and Monument!

To register for the event, you can sign up online at http://www.texasindepen-dencerelay.com/registration/register2.php?race=tir


RELAY: Coming March 23-24

SEGUIN — Guadalupe County Commissioners Court voted 4-1 Tuesday to adopt a resolution support-ing the acquisition of felony jurisdiction by the county attorneys of Gonzales and Lavaca counties and the creation of single-county felony jurisdiction for the Guadalupe County district attorney.

“This is something that has been talked about for several years,” District At-torney Heather McMinn told the court.

Felony jurisdiction by their county attorneys has been supported in resolu-tions passed Dec. 10 by Gonzales County Commis-sioners Court and Jan. 14 by Lavaca County Com-missioners Court.

Jurisdictional changes require action by the Texas Legislature, and State Rep.

Tim Kleinschmidt, R-Lex-ington, has filed House Bill 696 concerning Gonzales County. State Rep. Lois Kolkhorst, R-Brenham, has filed House Bill 717 con-cerning Lavaca County.

Precinct 2 Commission-er Kyle Kutscher, who voted against the resolution, said he was concerned about the financial impact of the pro-posed changes. Gonzales and Lavaca counties cur-rently provide $280,000 an-nually toward the budget of the district attorney for the 25th Judicial District.

“Right off the bat, I’m going to be able to reduce my budget request by $100,000,” McMinn said.

Kutscher pointed out that her $100,000 budget reduction still would leave $180,000 in funding no longer provided by the out-lying counties.

McMinn indicated there could be additional budget reductions through con-

solidating some of the du-ties of the district attorney’s office and the county attor-ney’s office.

“We do have a good re-lationship,” McMinn said, noting that County Attor-ney David Willborn was an assistant district attorney in her office before resigning to run for county attorney. “We’ll continue to work to-gether to combine our re-sources.”

“If we don’t do the com-bination for two or three years, we’re still going to be short,” Kutscher said.

McMinn said more than $40,000 was saved by mov-ing her offices from the La Plaza Building to the Guadalupe County Court-house. “My staff is stacked on top of each other over there,” she said.

“Most of our budget is personnel. If you want good lawyers, you have to pay good salaries,” Mc-Minn said.

Super drawing winnersBrenda’s Buddies recently held their Super Bowl Opportunity Drawing. First place winner of a cooler package with a $50 H-E-B gift card was Brendon Mercer. Winning second place, a Pizza Hut gift card, was Tina Trejo. (Courtesy photo)

While history is being honored and observed in San Antonio this weekend, history of another sort will also be taking place in Gonza-les and Shiner as the annual live-stock shows in each town are held.

Animals were scheduled to be-gin arriving at the JB Wells com-plex in Gonzales and the Arthur

Kaspar Pavilion at Green Dickson Park in Shiner on Thursday.

The 33rd Annual Shiner Live-stock Show takes place Friday. Weigh-in is scheduled from 7-8 a.m.

Judging begins at 9 a.m. Friday morning and runs through the day, with the premium sale scheduled

for 7:30 p.m.The Shiner Young Farmers will

host two barbecue chicken meals for participants, judges and the public. Lunch will be served from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and dinner from 4-6 p.m. Plates will be $7, and will be available for both dine-in and take-out patrons.

Goats, steers, rabbits and com-mercial heifers are scheduled to arrive for the Gonzales show start-ing at 6 p.m. Thursday, with heifers and lambs arriving after 7:30 p.m. Swine will arrive starting at 7 a.m. on Friday.

Rabbits, steers, heifers, commer-

SHINER — The first of what could be many manufacturers and retailers of firearms and firearms accessories has an-nounced it is leaving California and moving to Texas — and it’s coming to Shiner.

Shield Tactical, a family-owned, California-based fire-arms accessories company, an-nounced Feb. 21 via its Facebook

account it would be moving its retail division to Shiner. Com-pany CEO John W. Harrington said he is fed up with over-reg-ulation and the California Leg-islature’s repeated attempts to trample on Second Amendment rights.

“Who didn’t see THIS coming, honestly?,” Harrington asked in a Facebook post. “Shield Tacti-cal is pleased to announce that we are moving our retail divi-sion to Shiner, Texas. We are

pleased to have neighbors such as TBRC and the Spoetzl Brew-ery (home of Shiner Beer). Ship-ping etc will not be substantially affected. Our training division will remain in CA until the leg-islature outlaws everything.”

The company offers a wide range of firearm accessories, as well as training courses for individual shooters and small groups.

The company’s website can be

SAN ANTONIO — The document which has come to symbolize the un-compromising spirit of Texas is home.

The famous “Victory or Death” let-ter written by 26-year-old Col. Wil-liam Barrett Travis calling for aid for the 150 or so beseiged defenders of The Alamo — the only one of several messages which succeeded in rallying help — returned to the Texas shine Friday afternoon in a somber cer-emony.

“I don’t know about y’all but the hair on the back of my neck is stand-ing up,” Texas Land Commissioner told an audience at Alamo Plaza.

The famous document was carried by Capt. Albert Martin to Gonzales,

70 miles away. Martin returned to The Alamo with 31 other Gonzales volunteers on March 1, 1836, and died along with Travis at The Alamo in a pre-dawn assault by the Mexican army of Santa Anna just five days later on March 6.

The letter, the only one of several messages sent by Travis to have sur-vived the intervening 177 years, has been locked in the Texas State Ar-chives for decades because the poor quality of paper and ink used are

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An honor guard of Texas Rangers, preceded by re-enactors in Texian period costume, carry the container protecting the famous “Victory or Death” letter written by William B. Travis calling for aid to The Alamo Feb. 22. It marked the first time since the letter was written 177 years ago the famed document had been returned to its point of origin. It will be on display in the Chapel at the Texas Shrine through March 7. A delegation from Gonzales — the only town to send men in response to the letter — will honor the memory of the 41 men from the town who died at the Alamo at 5 p.m. Friday, March 1. (Photo by Dave Mundy)

Famed ‘Victory or Death’ letterreturns to Alamo after 177 years

Only one town in Texas responded to Travis’ famous call for help. On Feb. 27, 1836, a group of men left Gonzales, numbering 32 by the time they reached the Alamo on March 1.

At 5 p.m. this Friday, March 1, the City of Gonzales will honor the sacrifice of the “Gonzales Immortals” with ceremonies at The Alamo and the Gonzales Immortals monument there, including a viewing of the historic letter.

Today’s Gonzales Cannon includes a special salute to the Gonzales Immortals who died to win our freedom.

By DAVE MUNDY

[email protected]

LULING —Luling school trustees were told Mon-day the district may be on the verge of moving into “reconstitution” status be-cause of poor student per-formance, depending on where the state sets its new accountability ratings.

“I don’t want to have this conversation with you,” Tex-as Education Agency moni-tor Dr. Jean Bahney said. “If we were to look at last year’s scores ... if we make it, we will make it by the skin of our teeth.”

The question is where the state will set its cutoffs for the ratings, since this was the first administration of the STAAR exams — lead-ing to a lot of confusion in districts around the state.

“There was not a standard to meet, so they set their standards after they got the data?” asked trustee Karen Svoboda.

Assistant Superinten-dent for Currciulum Jason Hewitt, who along with Superintendent Tim Glov-er have implemented the CSCOPE program in LISD this year, said that the dis-trict’s STAAR scores in last spring’s administration were not encouraging.

Hewitt noted the state es-tablished that on most tests, a 50-percent score is needed to achieve Level II (passing), but that only around half of LISD students met that measure. He showed a chart comparing LISD scores to state, region and area dis-tricts’ results, and Luling students were in the 50- to

The Cannon Thursday, February 28, 2013Page A12

One hundred seventy-seven years after it was written, the famous “Victory or Death” let-ter written by William Barret Travis re-entered the Chapel at the Alamo (top photo) Feb. 22. Gonzales residents Charlie Gray, Daisy Scheske and Taylor Gray (left) were on-hand to proudly demonstrate their town’s connection to the historic event for tourists. Denton County Sheriff William B. Travis, right, was on-hand to read the text of the letter during its somber procession into the Chapel. (Photos by Dave Mundy)


LETTER: Famous appeal returns to The Alamo

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easily damaged by light. A joint effort by the General Land Office, Texas State Library and Archives and the Daugh-ters of the Republic of Texas located private funds for use in creating a safe display case for the treasure.

Michael Waters of the Texas State Li-brary and Archives noted the unusual journey of the letter into the state’s hands. Following the Texas Revolution, it was the property for many years of the Travis family, but was first loaned to the state in 1891 and then sold to the state in 1893 -- for a price of $85.

“Many years ago, a young leader put into words his determination to win Texas liberty,” Waters said.

The Alamo is the most fitting place to display the document, said DRT President General Karen Thompson.

“The Alamo is more than a land-mark, it is more than a so-called ‘tour-ist attraction.’” Thompson said. She quoted Amilia de Zavala, who helped found DRT: “... it is sacred ground.”

The letter arrived with a Department of Public Safety escort from Austin, and still boxed in a sealed crate, was escorted by a DPS honor guard, Texas Revolution re-enactors and honor de-tachments from the U.S. Army and the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets into the Chapel. It is on public display from Feb. 23 through March 7 — the length

of the siege of The Alamo.As the case was escorted into the

Chapel, the text of the letter was re-cited by a Texas lawman with a very personal attachment -- Denton County Sheriff William Barrett Travis.

“I’m extremely proud to be asked to be here reading this piece of history,” Travis said before the ceremony be-gan. “There is quite a lot of difference between now and then. As I read and re-read it rehearsing, it struck me how adamant he was. Every time I read this letter it sends chills down my spine. I can’t imagine being that young and be-ing in that position.”

A number of Bexar County and state officials were on-hand for the event, including Bexar County Judge Nelson Wolff and Texas Speaker of the House Joe Straus, by San Antonio Mayor Ju-lian Castro was notably absent.

The connection between The Alamo and Gonzales will be honored during the public display. On March 1, a dele-gation from Gonzales will travel to The Alamo for ceremonies to honor the 41 men from Gonzales who gave their lives for Texas freedom. Following the ceremony, the Gonzales delegation will receive a private viewing of the trea-sured document, which also contains post-scripts from Martin and fellow Gonzales resident Lawrence Smithers.

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Gonzales Immortals The CannonThursday,

February 28, 2013

D

Since the above was written I heard a very heavyCannonade during the whole day think there musthave been an attack made upon the alamo We wereshort of Ammunition when I left Hurry onall the men you can in haste

When I left there was but 150 determined to do or die tomorrow I leavefor Bejar with what men I canraise and will be there Mondayat an events

Albert MartinGonzalesFeb. 25

Nb...I hope Everyone will Rendevu atgonzales as soon as possible as the Brave Solders are suffering do not deglect thepowder. is very scarceand should not be deladone moment”

L Smither

(front page)Commandancy of the Alamo------

Bejar Fby. 24th 1836

To the People of Texas &all Americans in the world------

Fellow citizens & compatriots------

I am besieged, by a thousandor more of the Mexicans under

Santa Anna ----- I have sustaineda continual Bombardment &

cannonade for 24 hours & havenot lost a man ----- The enemyhas demanded a Surrender at

discretion, otherwise, the garrisonare to be put to the sword, if

the fort is taken ----- I have answeredthe demand with a cannonshot, & our flag still wavesproudly from the wall ----- I

shall never Surrender or retreat

Then, I can on you in thename of Liberty, of patriotism &every thing dear to the American

character, to come to our aid,

(Second Page)with all dispatch ----- The enemy isreceiving reinforcements daily &will no doubt increase to three orfour thousand in four or five days.If this can is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as

possible & die like a soldierwho never forgets what is due to

his own honor & that of hiscountry ----- Victory or Death

William Barret TravisLt. Col. Comdt

P. S. The lord is on our side-

When the enemy appeared in sightwe had not three bushels of corn---

We have since found in desertedhouses 80 or 90 bushels & got into

the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves---

Travis

Martin’sPost-Script

Smithers’Post-Script

Travis’ ‘Victory or Death’ Call for Aid

Salute to the

About 4 PM on 23 Feb 1836, Launcelot Smithers left the Alamo and made the 76-mile ride to Gon-zales where he announced the ar-rival of the Mexican army in San Antonio de Bexar with a note from Alamo Commander, Col. William B. Travis, to alcalde Andrew Pon-ton appealing for reinforcements.

On the same day of arrival of the message, Acting Commis-sioner and Aide-de-Camp to the Provisional President of the Re-public of Texas Byrd Lockhart completed the muster of 23 into the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers. The Gonzales Rangers were officially attached to Col. Travis’ command within the provisional Republican Army. That company, along with several other individuals, joined the Gon-zales Alamo Relief Force on Feb. 24 and thereafter are often listed as members of the company even though no official muster roll is available.

On Feb. 24, Smithers wrote from Gonzales:

Gonzales, Feby, 24 1836, To all the In-habitants of Texas: In a few words there is 2000 Mexican soldiers in Bexar, and 150 Americans in the Alamo. Sesma is at the head of them, and from the best accounts that can be obtained, they intend to show no quarter. If every man cannot turn out to a man every man in the Alamo will be murdered. They have not more than 8 or 10 days provisions. They say they will defend it or die on the gorund. Provisions, ammu-nition and Men, or you suffere your men to be murdered in the Fort. If you do not turn out Texas is gone. I left Bexar on the 23rd. at 4 P.M. By the Order of W.V. Travis. L. Smithers.

Later that day, the passionate and alarming appeal of Colonel Travis in his own handwriting to all people of Texas and all Ameri-cans left the Alamo for Gonzales, carried by Captain Albert Martin, who first delivered it upon his ar-rival on the 25th to Smithers, who carried it on to San Felipe on the 27th. It is believed that Smithers may have left the original copy with Alcalde Ponton while moving on to other sites with extracts or copies.

Ponton distributed copies or the essence of the letter to other mun-cipalities in Texas where broad-sides and flyers were made for dis-tribution as well as printing in the

newspapers The Texas Republican and Telegraph and Register on 2 Mar and 5 Mar, respectively.

On the back of the letter, Capt. Martin penciled in

Since the above was written I heard a very heavy Cannonade during the whole day think there must have been an attack made upon the alamo We were short of ammunition when I left Hurry all the men you can in haste. Albert Martin (signed). When I left there was but 150 determined to do or die tomorrow I leave for Bejar with what men I can raise [illegible] at all events [illegible] Col. Almonte is there the troops are under the Command of Gen. Seisma

An additional note by Smithers was handwritten sideways to the above:

Nb I hope that Every One will Rondevu at gonzales as soon poseble as the Brave Solders are suffering do not neglect this powder is very scarce and should not be delad one moment L. Smither

According to Dr. John Suther-land in his personal memoirs, The Fall of the Alamo, he also left the Alamo under order from Travis between 3 and 4 p.m. on Feb. 23 and arrived in Gonzales at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 24, with cou-rier John W. Smith.

Two earlier appeals from Travis to Col. Fannin at Goliad had re-sulted in an aborted start toward San Antonio with his force of 350 men when Fannin heard of the ap-proach of Gen. Urrea’s army. He opted to plan to oppose Urrea’s force rather than respond to the Alamo.

His delay led to his force being surrounded and taken prisoner on March 20. On direct orders from Santa Anna, Fannin’s surviving force was marched onto the open prairie at La Bahia (Goliad) on March 27 and massacred.

Responding to Col. Travis’ ap-peals, the main contingent of the Gonzales Alamo Relief Force de-parted the town square of Gonza-les at 2 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 27, led by commanding officer Lieutenant

George C. Kimble of the Gonzales Rangers. The senior officer ac-companying the relief force was courier Capt. Albert Martin who had delivered the appeal to both Smithers and Gonzales.

The force was guided by Alamo courier John W. Smith, a resident of San Antonio de Bexar. Accord-ing to Dr. John Sutherland, the group consisted of 25 men who left Gonzales and increased to 32 with those who joined along the way, in particular near Cibola Creek.

On Feb. 29, the group prepared to find a way into the Alamo through the surrounding Mexican forces. Dr. John Sutherland relates the story that

“On reaching the suburbs of the city they were approached by a man on horseback who asked in English, ‘Do you wish to go into the fort, gentlemen?’ ‘Yes’ was the reply. ‘Then follow me,’ said he, at the same time turning his horse into the lead of the company. Smith remarked, ‘Boys, it’s time to be af-ter shooting that fellow,’ when he put spurs to his horse, sprung into the thicket, and was out of sight in a moment, before a gun could be got to bear on him.”

After being shot at by Alamo sentries, the gates swung open and the Gonzales force made their dash into the fort at 3 a.m., Tues-day, March 1, 1836.

The Gonzales Alamo Relief Force was the only organized force in Texas which effectively respond-ed without question to the appeals of Travis to aid their doomed col-leagues in the mission. Some were single men, but most were hus-bands and fathers of large fami-lies.

Concern for families short and long term safety, loyalty to the Constitution of 1824 as Mexican citizens, the hatred precipitated by their betrayal by the central-ista dictatorship of Santa Anna, the committment to Texas Inde-pendence and suspicion that the Alamo might be a lost cause in the larger war of independence caused great personal conflict in making the choice to join the Relief Force.

Fathers and sons, some in their teens, argued over who should go

and who should remain with fam-ily (see King and Kent). Patriotic mothers and impending widows, some pregnant (Kimble) and one blind mother of multiple small children (Millsap), agonized, but consented and encouraged hus-bands to go to the aid of their neighbors.

Of the members of the Gonzales Alamo Relief Force who can be clearly verified as DeWitt Colony residents, the oldest was Andrew Kent at age 44, 4 were over 40, 5 aged 31-40, 14 aged 21-30 and four (Fuqua, Gaston, Kellogg and King) were teenagers, the young-est of which was 16. San Antonio historian Charles Merritt Barnes related that

“....One, a lad of but sixteen, was the bravest of them all, for he fought after his weapo’s were use-less. He died throttling an antago-nist, not relaxing his grip on the latter’s throat even when death seized the boy. He and his foe died together ... they had to tear the boy’s hands from the throat of his assailant” when the bodies of the defenders and Mexican Army ca-sualties were being separated for disposal.

Records show at least 17 had been engaged in prior military en-gagements in service of Texas, pri-marily in the Battles of Gonzales, Concepcion and Bexar.

Several more were couriers not present in the final moments of battle. By any estimate, participa-tion of the DeWitt Colonists in the Battle of Gonzales and the Battles to remove the centralistas from San Antonio de Bexar, the ancient capital of Texas, culminating with the Battle of the Alamo was larger per resident than any other single municipality or district of Texas.

Members of families of the Mu-nicipality of Gonzales, who com-prised only about 4% of the total population of Texas, accounted for 20% of the casualties at the Alamo. Put another way, over 4% of the total population of the De-Witt Colony, among them some of their most productive landholders, ranchers and farmers as well as merchants and civic leaders, died in the Alamo.

The Cannon • Gonzales Immortals Salute Thursday, February 28, 2013Page D2

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Materials used in this special commemorative have been freely borrowed and adapted from several sources with the deepest appreciation, including the Sons of DeWitt Colony archive online at Texas A&M University; the Handbook of Texas online; the Daughters of the Republic of Texas; the Texas State Archives; and the Gonzales Memorial Museum. The Cannon thanks all these organizations for their cooperation and invaluable access.

Marker honoring the “Immortal 32” at the Gonzales Memorial Museum

They fought and died for our freedom.Let us never forget their sacrifice.

Texas NaTioNalisT MoveMeNT

of GoNzales CouNTy

The Cannon • Gonzales Immortals SaluteThursday, February 28, 2013 Page D3

The Gonzales Memorial marker at The Alamo

The following Gonzales men died defending the Alamo, were in the gar-rison when it became under siege, and died there with their colleagues from the Gonzales Alamo Relief Force which forced its way into the garrison through surrounding Mexican lines.

Daniel BourneDaniel Bourne, 26, born in 1810 in

England, a resident of Gonzales and Private artilleryman in Capt. Carey’s Company. Bourne and two brothers came to America from England and Daniel went on to the DeWitt Colony. He was in Capt. Parrott’s artillery com-pany and remained in Bexar in service of the company.

George BrownGeorge Brown, 35, born 1801 in Eng-

land, a resident of Gonzales and Pri-vate rifleman in the Alamo garrison. He came to TX from Yazoo, YazooCo, MS.

Jerry C. DayJerry C. Day, 20, born 1816 in Mis-

souri, was a Gonzales resident and Pri-vate rifleman in the Alamo garrison. He was the son of Jeremiah Day, a wag-oner for the Texas army between 1836-1838 who signed the Goliad Declara-tion of Independence 20 Dec 1835. Son Jerry C. Day is referred to as Jeremiah C. Day in some records. Day partici-pated in the Siege and Battle of Bexar in Dec 1835, was discharged from the service on 14 Jan 1836, but re-enlisted and joined the Alamo garrison. Service bounty of 320 acres was approved for his heirs 15 Oct 1845.

Almaron DickinsonAlmaron Dickinson (Dickerson)

came to Texas from Tennessee. His ex-act birthplace and date are uncertain, one source says Pennsylvania, another Tennessee. Some sources list him as 26 when he died in the Alamo, others as 28 and still others as 36. He is said by one source to have been 21 when he married in TN in 1829. He was likely born between 1800 and 1810. Dick-inson was a blacksmith, Mason and resident of Gonzales and artilleryman in the Alamo garrison. He and wife Susannah Wilkerson arrived in the DeWitt Colony in 1831 and received a league of land on the east bank of the San Marcos River below the Old Bexar Road in CaldwellCo on Callihan Creek, east of Plum Creek and current Lock-hart. The Dickinsons are thought to

have arrived with a party which were part of the Tennessee-Texas Land Com-pany contract which included many other prominent DeWitt Colonists, sev-eral of which received neighboring land grants. Dickinson also acquired prop-erty in inner Gonzales town in 1834 where he set up his blacksmith shop and went into partnership with George C. Kimble in a hat factory. Almeron Dickinson was among the 27 Gonzales men under Bart McClure who respond-ed to an attack by Indians on traders at the Castleman place 15 miles west of Gonzales. Dickerson was among the original 18 defenders of the Gonzales cannon and was in charge of the can-non during the confrontation.

Dickinson was an aide to General Edward Burleson during the Siege of Bexar in early Dec 1835. After the battle his family joined him in Bexar where they set up residence in the Mus-quiz house on the southwest corner of Portero Street and the Main Plaza.

When Mexican troops arrived in San Antonio on 23 Feb 1836, Dickin-son moved the family into the Alamo from the Musquiz house. According to his surviving widow Susannah Dickin-son who was present during the siege, near the end, Lt. Dickinson rushed into the chapel where she was hiding saying “Great God, Sue! The Mexicans are in-side our walls! All is lost! If they spare you, love our child,” he kissed Susan-nah and returned to the battle where he died and his body was burned with the rest of the defenders. Some reports suggest that he left his Masonic apron with Susannah and instructed her to display it appropriately if it would aid her survival.

Andrew DuvaultAndrew Duvalt/Duvault, 32, born

1804 in Ireland, was a resident of Gon-zales and Private rifleman in Capt. White’s infantry company. He came to TX from Missouri, joined the service on 28 Oct 1835, participated in the Siege of Bexar and became an infan-tryman in the Bexar Guards. He was in Gonzales after 2 Feb 1836 and en-rolled during the muster of the Gon-zales Rangers in Feb 1836. Whether he returned to the Alamo prior to entry of the Gonzales relief force or accompa-nied them to the Alamo is uncertain. Duvalt is not listed on the Gonzales memorial among the immortal 32, but as a Gonzales resident who died there. In 1854 his heirs received 320 acres bounty land for service.

John HarrisJohn Harris, 23, born 1813 in KY, a

resident of Gonzales and Private rifle-man in the Gonzales Rangers. John participated in the Siege of Bexar, received 640 acre bounty for the ser-vice and was a member of the Bexar Guards. He was at home in Gonzales when the Alamo was surrounded and was mustered into the Rangers on 23 Feb 1836. Similar to Duvalt, it is un-clear whether he entered the Alamo with the Gonzales relief force or re-turned to the Alamo separately. He is listed in Citizens of the Republic of Texas as born 1813 in TN and the son of Sidon J. Harris. In Alamo Legacy, author Ron Jackson relates a family legend from a descendant of Siden B. Harris that says that Sideon B. Harris was an uncle of Alamo Defender John Harris. In this account, Harris was a cousin of Davy Crockett who came to Texas with him as a member of the Tennessee Mounted Volunteers.

William J. LightfootWilliam J. Lightfoot, is most com-

monly listed in Alamo biographies as 25, born 1811 in VA, a resident of Gon-zales and 3rd Corporal in Capt. Carey’s artillery. He participated in the Siege of Bexar in the same unit. A Lightfoot was listed as 3rd Corporal on the ros-ter of the Alamo garrison under Lt. Col. James Clinton Neill before he left the Alamo command on 14 Feb 1836. Some sources erroneously suggest that Lightfoot was the son of Elijah and Re-becca Ligon Lightfoot. According to Joe Lee (HCR 62, Box 14, Evant, TX 76525), Elijah Lightfoot was born 28 Oct 1810, married Rebecca Ligon on 11 Oct 1831 and died in Pittsburg,Tex on 12 July 1891. Lightfoot researchers suspect that William J. Lightfoot and John William Lightfoot are the same person and a brother of brothers Wil-liam Webster, Wilson T. and Henry L. Lightfoot who served in the Texas Revolution including the Battle of San Jacinto. Wilson T. Lightfoot was the executor of Alamo Defender William Lightfoot’s estate. Brothers John Wil-liam and Wilson T. Lightfoot were in Austins second colony in current Bas-trop County in 1830 while their brother Elijah came to Texas much later. Ac-cording to descendant Cynthia Orth, family bible record indicates that John William Lightfoot was born 8 Sep 1805. His parents, father named Henry Tay-lor Lightfoot, were in Washington or MercerCo, KY at the time. Wilson T. Lightfoot married Sara Scott in Ft.

BendCo, TX in 1840. His widow mar-ried David Welch Brydson/Bryson 29 Jan 1852 and eventually moved to WashingtonCo. TX.

Marcus E. SewellMarcus E. Sewell, 31, born in Eng-

land in 1805, a shoemaker, resident of Gonzales and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. It is believed he entered the Alamo on 1 Mar 1836 as part of the relief force, although he may have been in the garrison before the be-ginning of the siege. Sewell is not listed among the original immortal 32 on the memorial to the Gonzales relief force, but is listed among Gonzales residents who died in the Alamo.

William D. SutherlandWilliam DePriest Sutherland, 17,

was born 10 Aug 1818. Some re-cords indicate he was born in Ala-bama where he is thought to have lived with his uncle in Tuscumbia after his parents left for Texas in 1830. However, according to re-searcher Don Ricketts of Danville, VA, he was born in AndersonCo, Tennessee (near Knoxville) where his grandfather John Sutherland op-erated a ferry over the Clinch Riv-er. This John was one of the first Trustees for the Town of Danville, Virginia. During the 1820’s some of the family moved to Alabama and then to Texas. William DePriest Sutherland was named for Mary De-Priest Sutherlin (frequently spelled this way in Virginia).

Sutherland was in Texas by 1835. He was a private in the Alamo gar-rison and died there. Although a resident of the Navidad River in current JacksonCo and not within the DeWitt Colony per se, because of proximity he and the Sutherland family interacted more with DeWitt Colonists and its main settlement Gonzales than the Austin Colony settlements at San Felipe and near the coast. William was the son of George and Frances Menefree Sutherland and nephew of John Sutherland, who was a courier and surgeon for the Alamo garrison. William Sutherland is thought to have joined his relatives in Texas after attending LaGrange College in Tuscumbia, AL where he remained after his parents left for Texas. He and his father attended the meet-ing at Millican’s Gin on 17 Jul 1835 which called for resistance to the dictatorship of Santa Anna.


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“Train a child in the way he should go;and when he is old he will not depart from it.”

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Gonzales Immortals: The Gonzales Rangers“At dawn on the first of March, 1836, Capt. Albert Martin, with 32 men (himself included) from Gonzales and DeWitt’s Colony, passed the lines of Santa Anna and entered the walls of the Alamo, never more to leave them. These men, chiefly husbands and fathers, owning their own homes, voluntarily organized and passed through the lines of an enemy four to six thousand strong, to join 150 of their countrymen and neighbors, in a fortress doomed to destruction. Does American history, or any history, ancient or modern, furnish a parallel to such heroism? ... They willingly entered the beleaguered walls of the Alamo, to swell the little band under Travis, resolved ‘never to surrender or retreat.’ In after many years it was my privilege to personally know and live near many of their widows and little ones and to see the latter grow into sterling manhood and pure womanhood. I never met or passed one without involuntarily asking upon him or her the blessings of that God who gave the final victory to Texas.”

—John Henry Brown in History of Texas

Isaac G. BakerIsaac G. Baker, 21, was born 15

Sep 1814, probably in Lawrence County, Alabama. He was a Private in the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers. According to land records, he arrived single in the DeWitt Colony 13 Aug 1830 and received title to a quarter si-tio of land on the Guadalupe River in northwest Guadalupe County. He also owned 4 lots in the west outer town Gonzales between the Guadalupe and San Marcos Rivers in the outer Gonzales town tract near those owned by his father Mo-ses Baker and brother John Baker. On the Gonzales County Tax rolls of 1839, J.D. Clements (husband of Rachel Baker), brother-in-law and son-in-law, respectively, of Isaac Baker and Moses Baker is listed as administrator of their estates. Various historical entries vary in respect to the age of Isaac Baker. The entry in his brother John Bak-er’s journal giving Isaac Baker’s birthdate as 15 Sep 1814 notes that he fell in the Alamo fighting in the cause of Texas 6 Mar 1836 at “age 20 years, 6 months and sev-en days.” If the birthdate is cor-rect, the calculation should have been “21 years, 6 months, 22 days.” If birthdates and land records con-cerning Isaac Baker’s arrival are correct, he would have been under 16 years old at the time of his ar-rival prior to that of his parents. This date would place him at age 17 when he received title to his land grant in 1832. Heirs of Isaac Baker received bounty warrant 4038 for 1920 acres in DeWittCo for service 24 Feb to his death on 6 Mar 1836 and donation certificate 451 for 640 acres in GonzalesCo for having fallen in the Alamo.

John CainJohn Cain/Cane/Kane, 34, was

born in PA. He was a Private and artilleryman in Captain Carey’s Company. He also owned 2 or 3 lots in inner Gonzales town. He took part in the Battle of Bexar and received a land certificate for 640 acres. John Kane was a voter in Gonzales for delegates to the in-dependence consultation of 1835 in San Felipe. He was a part of the Alamo garrison, was at his home in Gonzales when the Alamo was surrounded and returned to his post with the Gonzales Rangers.

George W. CottleGeorge Washington Cottle, 25,

was born in 1811 (some records say 1798) in Hurricane Twp, Lin-colnCo, MO and a member of the Gonzales Rangers. He was grant-ed a league of land on Tejocotes Creek and the La Vaca River 28 miles from Gonzales in Fayette County near where current Gon-zales, Lavaca and Fayette County lines come together (near David Burket’s League). On his league are some of the headwaters of the Lavaca River. The Cottle family owned multiple properties in the inner and outer Gonzales town tract. They had a home at the

corner of St. Louis and St. John Streets. He came to the DeWitt Colony with parents Jonathan and Margaret Cottle from MO on 6 Jul 1829 together with sister and brother Louisa and Almond. His uncle Isaac Cottle (m. Mary Ann Williams) and family also emi-grated to the DeWitt Colony where they received a league of land east of Gonzales in Mary Ann Williams name just north of the land grant-ed to Mary Ann’s brother, Allam B. Williams. George Washington Cottle married their daughter, his cousin, Eliza, on 7 Nov 1830. They had a daughter Melzina and four months later the marriage was an-nulled by bond signed by George Washington, Eliza and Eliza’s next husband, James Gibson. George Washington married second Nancy Curtis Oliver on 21 Jun 1835 ac-cording to GonzalesCo marriage records. They had twin boys born after his death at the Alamo.

David P. CummingsDavid P. Cummings, 27, was a

surveyor by trade born in Lewis-ton, MifflinCo PA. Not a perma-nent resident of Gonzales, he came to TX by boat from New Orleans in Dec 1835 and went by foot to San Felipe where he sold a rifle for $30. He was the son of David and Elizabeth Cathers Cummings of Harrisburg, PA who claimed to be friends of Sam Houston. David Cummings, a Harrisburg canalman sent a case of rifles with his son to the TX cause. He traveled to Gonzales and then Bexar where he joined the Alamo garrison in Jan or Feb 1836. While surveying land on the Cibolo Creek, he was met by the Gonzales Ranger force and entered the Alamo with them. He was cousin to John Purdy Reyn-olds who died in the Alamo with him.

Squire DamonSquire Damon (Daymon), 28, was

from Tennessee and a Private ar-tilleryman in Captain Carey’s Com-pany. He took part in the Battle of Bexar and remained there under Carey. After 2 Feb 1836, he went to his home in Gonzales where he joined the relief force.

Jacob C. DarstJacob C. Darst, 42, was a farmer

born 22 Dec 1793 in WoodfordCo,

KY, a Private in the Gonzales Rangers and son of David and Ro-setta Holman Darst. David Darst was born in ShenandoahCo, VA 18 Dec 1757 and died in St. Charles Co, MO on 2 Dec 1826. Darst married Rosetta Holman, who was born in Maryland about 1763 on 4 Jan 1784. Rosetta Holman was the daughter of Henry Hol-man who was killed in Woodford-Co, KY by indians in 1789. They had 7 children, one of whom was Jacob Darst. Darst’s Bottom in St. CharlesCo, MO was named for the family. Jacob Darst left Mont-gomeryCo, MO with two of their nine children Jacob and Abraham in 1830 and according to land re-cords arrived in the DeWitt Colo-ny 10 Jan 1831. Jacob Darst first married Elizabeth Bryan (1796-1820) on 25 Mar 1813 in Charle-sCo, MO. Elizabeth Bryan’s father David Bryan (1757-1837) was a first cousin of Rebecca Bryan Boone (1739-1813), wife of Daniel Boone. Jacob and Elizabeth Bry-an Darst had a daughter Nancy Darst. Nancy married Cyrus Cros-by and they had a daughter Mary. Nancy and an infant child were captured by Comanches in their raid on the coast in 1840 and her baby’s brains dashed out because it refused to stop crying. Nancy Darst Crosby was later killed by her captors during their defeat at the Battle of Plum Creek.

John DavisJohn Davis was a Private and

rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. A John Davis who arrived in the DeWitt Colony in 1830 received ti-tle to one quarter sitio as a single men on the west bank of the Lava-ca River between subsequent towns of Hallettsville and Petersburg on 28 Oct 1831. Lack of clarity and controversy surrounds the identity of John Davis in DeWitt Colony records of which there were clearly more than one individual. A John Davis was described by author A.J. Sowell in Indian Fighters of Texas as an Indian fighter who left Kentucky and a twin brother as a teen. Alamo defender John Davis has been confused with Alamo de-fender, John Gaston, whose stepfa-ther was George Washington Davis of Cuero Creek and who may have used the surname Davis at some time. Most researchers believe that the John Davis who died in the Al-

amo is distinct. A John Davis was a voter in the election for delegates from Gonzales to the Texas Con-sultation of 1835 and also in Capt. Gibson Kuykendall’s Company in the rear guard of Houston’s Army camped at Harrisburg during the Battle of San Jacinto.

The heirs of the John Davis who was killed in the Alamo received tracts of 1920 and 640 acres in Er-ath County for his service.

William DearduffWilliam Dearduff, b. about 1811,

25 or older, arrived single from Tennessee 20 Mar 1830 and re-ceived title for one fourth sitio in the DeWitt Colony on 5 Nov 1831 with arrival date on 20 Mar 1830. His grant was on Sandies Creek north of current Cuero. He owned four lots, a block, in the northwest outer Gonzales tract near the San Marcos River. Dearduff was a private in Robert McAlpin Wil-liamson’s Rangers at one time and joined the Gonzales Rangers on 24 Feb 1836. He was the son of Hen-ry and Edna Thornhill Dearduff of GreeneCo, OH. Edna Thorn-hill was the daughter of William Thornhill, an officer in the Revo-lutionary War from Virginia. His sister Elizabeth Dearduff George Rowe petitioned the probate court of Gonzales on 25 Jun 1838 for ad-ministration of the estate of her late former husband James George and brother William Dearduff. She collected $12.50 backpay for ser-vice.

Charles DespallierCharles Despallier, 24, born 1812

in LA with residence in Rapides Parish, was a Private rifleman, raider and courier. Charles was the second son of Frenchman from Natchitoches, Bernardo Mar-tin Despallier and his wife Maria Candida Grande. His older brother, Blaz P. Despallier fought in the Siege of Bexar, was wounded and died of cholera shortly after. Ber-nardo Despallier received a mili-tary appointment from Louisiana Governor Carondelet in 1794 and moved from New Orleans to Na-cogdoches where he met and mar-ried wife Candida Grande. They were betrayed by representatives posing as deserters of Spanish Governer Salcedo on the road out-side San Antonio, captured and executed.

He was a companion of James Bowie mentioned in a letter to James B. Miller in Nacogdoches from Bowie on 22 Jun 1835 at La-baca Rutches Plantation,

In a letter from Sam Houston from Gonzales 13 Mar 1836 to H. Raguet in Nacogdoches reporting on the Alamo defeat, Houston men-tions the now controversial intelli-gence that “our friend Bowie, as is now understood, unable to get out of bed, shot himself as the soldiers approached it. Despalier, Parker, and others, when all hope was lost followed his example. Travis, ‘tis said, rather than fall into the hands of the enemy, stabbed himself.”

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William FishbaughWilliam Fishbaugh/Fitzbaugh/Fishbach/Fish-

baigh was a rifleman in the Gonzales Ranging Company listed from AL on the Alamo Memori-als. He was a member of Major Robert McAl-pin (“Three-legged Willie”) Williamson’s Rang-ing Company while stationed in Gonzales and volunteered to join Travis’ command on 24 Feb 1836. A William Fishbaugh was listed as a de-serter as of 23 Nov 1834 from Co B, 3rd US Army Infantry. He was a frequent customer of Joseph Martin’s store between 19 Mar and 1 Oct 1835. Items purchased on credit and for which his estate paid off with interest in 1841 from the ledgers of Joseph Martin give a glimpse into his lifestyle. In March for $11.75, he bought a pair of pantaloons, roundabout coat, shoes, shirt, hat, two handkerchiefs, suspenders and a pound of tobacco. Early April he bought shoes and a vest for $1.12 and early May another pound of tobacco, 2 pairs of shoes, socks, side combs and four scains of thread for $5.37. Fish-baugh was a voter for the representative from Gonzales to the Consultation of 1835.

John FlandersJohn Flanders/Flandres, 36, was born 1800

in NH (memorials say MA), arrived in Texas in 1832 and at one time a resident of the Austin Colony. He was a Private in the Gonzales Rang-ers. In 1839 his estate was certified to receive one third league in Harrisburg County on Car-penter’s Bayou, a branch of Buffalo Bayou as bounty for service by the Republic of Texas, the tract was bought for $120 by a W.D.C. Harris of Houston from administrator of the Flanders estate, Allen Vince. In 1851, Flanders heirs re-ceived an additional 1920 acres of land “for hav-ing fallen with Travis in the Alamo.”

Dolphin Ward FloydDolphin Ward Floyd, 32, born 6 Mar 1804

(some records say 1807) in NashCo NC, a farmer and resident of Gonzales, member of the Gonza-les Rangers who came to the DeWitt Colony in 1832 or 1833 from Alabama. Floyd purchased lots 3 and 4 in block 16 of inner Gonzales town on St. Michael St. and four lots south of East Avenue in outer town east of Water St. on 24 Dec 1833. He was the son of Thomas Penuel and Mary Sarah Beckwith Floyd. He had a sister Sarah and brothers John, Penuel and Thomas B. in AL who had lost contact until a letter from Thomas B. reached Dolphin Floyd’s remar-ried widow, Esther Berry House Floyd Clark in 1855. Floyd married widow Esther Berry House (1808-1870) in Gonzales on 26 Apr 1832. She was the daughter of one of the earliest residents of DeWitt Colony, Francis Berry (1760-1853) who came with a family of six from MO in 1825. They had children John W. Floyd and Elizabeth Whitfield Floyd (m. William Kilpatrick Hargis), the latter born on 16 Apr after Dolphin Floyd’s death while the family was fleeing east on the Runaway Scrape. Widow Esther Berry House Floyd later married Capt. John Clark of Ken-tucky in 1838 who was listed as agent for Dol-phin Floyd and Isaac House, both deceased hus-bands of his wife Esther on the Gonzales Tax Rolls of 1838. Floyd County, Texas was named in honor of Dolphin Floyd.

Floyd’s horse was commandeered to carry messages and requests for reinforcements from the Alamo on to San Felipe de Austin from Gonzales.

Galba FuquaGalba Fuqua, 16, was born in Alabama, a

Gonzales resident and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. The Fuqua family are said to have originated with French immigrant William Fuqua (Farqua) (married Jane) to the American colony of Virginia as early as 1685. According to descendant Gerald Duvall, William Farqua came to America fleeing Catholic persecution, had a son Ralph Fuqua who had a son Joseph, the father of Silas, Benjamin and Ephraim Fuqua. Both Ralph and Joseph served in the American Revolution against the British. Gal-ba Fuqua was the son of Silas and Sally Taney Fuqua. After wife Sally’s death between 1825 and 1828, Silas went to Texas with his children where he died in 1834.

John E. GarvinJohn E. Garvin, probably born sometime be-

tween 1794 and 1806 in Abbeville, AbbevilleCo, South Carolina or ElbertCo, Georgia. He was a Gonzales resident and Private artilleryman in Capt. Carey’s Company. He received one fourth sitio on the Guadalupe River southeast of Gon-zales as single settler in the DeWitt Colony ar-riving 20 Feb 1831. Dates on his land grant records including arrival in the colony coincide with those who arrived with the Tennessee-Texas Land Company which included colonists Mathew Caldwell, Silas and Spencer Morris, Mi-chael Gillen and Almeron and Susannah Dickin-son. Garvin enlisted in the artillery unit of Col. Neill in Bexar 14 Feb 1835. A series of promis-sory notes written while on duty in Bexar indi-cate that Gavin was conscientous about paying off obligations back home in Gonzales.

John E. GastonJohn E. Gaston, 17, born about 1819 in KY,

resident of Gonzales and Private in the Gonza-les Rangers. He was the son of Rebecca Warf-ield Gaston (1796 WashingtonCo, PA-1846) and

G.P.B. Gaston who were married in Lexing-ton, KY in 1814. John Gaston’s stepfather was George Washington Davis (1797-1853) who mar-ried widow Rebecca 8 Oct 1820 in Cincinatti, OH. John Gaston was said to have served as lookout on the Guadalupe River for movement of the Mexican force under Lt. Francisco Cas-teneda who demanded delivery of the Gonzales cannon from the settlers. The family moved to TX from JeffersonCo, KY in 1831 and received a league of land on the east bank of the Gua-dalupe River north of Cuero in the DeWitt Col-ony. John’s stepfather, G.W. Davis was one of the original 18 in the Gonzales cannon confronta-tion, a delegate to the TX Consultation of 1835 and holder of multiple public service positions in Gonzales.

James GeorgeJames George was a resident of Gonzales and

rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. According to Adina de Zavala in History & Legends of the Alamo & Other Missions in & Around San An-tonio, James George was Sargent under Lieu-tenant George Kimble of the Gonzales Rangers as they left Gonzales in relief of the Alamo. According to some records James George was born in 1802 in VA and was the son of Wil-liam and Elizabeth Bland George, descendants of Henry George, one of the founders of the Jamestown Colony of VA. The research of other descendants contend that James was not from the line of Henry George of Jamestown. It is thought that James George may have been born in Pennsylvania, but the exact site has not been located. James George’s father was Robert George, thought to be an Irish immigrant in the period 1794-1796 who was naturalized in 1805 and died in 1806. He was at one time a resident of CumberlandCo, PA. James George’s mother is thought to have been named Mary. He had an older sister named Jane, a younger one named Elizabeth and a younger brother named John.

Thomas J. JacksonThomas J. Jackson was born in Ireland, a resi-

dent of Gonzales and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. DeWitt Colony land grant records show he entered the colony 6 Jul 1829 with a family of four and received a sitio of land. His league was southeast of Gonzales next to his father-in-law Jonathan Cottle’s league on the west bank of the Guadalupe River. On 18 Sep 1830, he registered his mark and cattle brand in Gonzales witnessed by Gonzales District (San Felipe Ayuntamiento) Comisario James B. Patrick “....his ear mark a swallow fork in the right ear, and a half cross in the left ear and his brand the letter T and J united which he says is his true mark and brand and that he has no other.”

John B. Kellogg IIJohn Benjamin Kellogg II, 19, born 1817 in

KY and a resident of Gonzales. He was a Pri-vate rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. His father, John Benjamin Kellogg I (d. Oct 1836), received Lots 4 and 5, Block 10 in inner Gonza-les town on 25 Sep 1834. In 1835 John B. Kel-logg II married Sidney Gaston (1816-1836) in Gonzales, the former wife of Alamo defender Thomas R. Miller and sister of John E. Gaston

who also died in the Alamo. Sidney Gaston was the daughter of Rebecca Warfield Gaston Davis and stepdaughter of George Washington Davis of Gonzales. Pregnant Sidney Gaston Kellogg is thought to have left Gonzales in the Run Away Scrape with her in-laws, John B. Kellogg I and family. She lived with them in WashingtonCo, TX where she died six months later. Six days after John Kellogg II’s death in the Alamo, they had a son, John B. Kellogg III.

George C. KimbleGeorge C. Kimble (Kimbell, Kimball), 33, born

1803 (some records say abt 1810) in PA, a resi-dent of Gonzales and Lieutenant and a com-manding officer of the Gonzales Rangers. He came to the DeWitt Colony in 1825 from NY where as a single man he received one fourth sitio of land which was on the east bank of the San Marcos River in CaldwellCo. He owned a hat factory on Water Street south of the Fort in inner Gonzales town together with Almeron Dickerson. On 26 Jun 1832, he married widow Prudence Nash. They had a son Charles Chester (b. 1834) (photo below from Alamo Legacy by Ron Jackson, original from Linda Halliburton, Luling, TX, 4th greatgranddaughter of George C. Kimble) and twin girls Jane and Amanda born in June after the death of their father in the Alamo. Twice widowed, Prudence Nash Kimble also had three children from her first marriage. Family legend says that the Kimbles lived on property in Gonzales town owned by Prudence’s former husband Nash who had died from an accidental shooting in Gonzales. Ac-cording to family historians, pregnant Pru-dence was washing clothes in icy creek water with 2-year old Charles Chester nearby when husband George announced the plans of the Gonzales Rangers to answer Travis’ appeal for aid to the surrounded Alamo garrison in San Antonio. Among them were business partner Almeron Dickinson and his wife and child. His parting words indicated that he felt he probably would not return.

William P. KingWilliam Phillip King, 16, born 8 Oct 1819, a

resident of Gonzales and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. He was the son of John Gladden King (1790-1856) and Parmelia (Milly) Parchman who married abt 1818 in GilesCo, TN. John King received a league of land arriving on 15 May 1830 with a family of nine. His league was on the east bank of the Guadalupe River in GuadalupeCo northwest of Gonzales and south-east of Seguin. John G. King is also listed in the Gonzales relief force in older records. Son Wil-liam King is said to have joined the force so that his father could look after the family, some of which were ill, during the emergent crisis. Ac-cording to Lord’s A Time To Stand, young Wil-liam King approached the Gonzales relief force among which was his father John King as they passed by the King place north of Gonzales on the way to San Antonio. After some emotional discussion, father John agreed to allow son Wil-liam to take his place in the force to which Capt. Kimble agreed. Father John King remained with the family on the homeplace. William King was the youngest member of the Alamo defenders. King County on the lower plains of west TX was named in his honor.


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Jonathan L. LindleyJonathan L. Lindley, 22, born 12

Feb 1814 in SangamonCo, IL was a surveyor for early Texas colonists and resident of Gonzales. He was a Private artilleryman in Capt. Car-ey’s artillery company of the Ala-mo garrison. He was the third child and oldest son of Samuel Washing-ton Lindley (b. 1788 NC). Lindley is said to have come to the DeWitt Colony from IL in 1833. According to descendants, after the death of his first wife Mary (Polly) Elizabeth Hall abt 1809 shortly after the birth of first child Sarah, he married Eliz-abeth Whitley with whom he had his remaining children except Amanda. On 3 May 1835 single Jonathan was granted a quarter league of land in the William Pace survey in PolkCo, TX. He participated in the Battle of Bexar on 14 Dec 1835 after which he as many others returned home for Christmas hoping that the Revo-lution was over. Lindley joined Capt. Carey’s Company in the regular Tex-as Army in the fall of 1835. Lindley was at home in Gonzales when he joined the Gonzales Relief Force to return to his post at the Alamo. His heirs received 1280 acres bounty for service in PanolaCo, TX near Car-thage.

Albert MartinAlbert Martin, 28, born 6 Jan

1808 in Rhode Island, a resident of Gonzales and storeowner. He was the son of Joseph S. and Abbey B. Martin. He came to the DeWitt Col-ony in 1835 from Tennessee via New Orleans after his parents and older brothers, one of whom has been sug-gested to be Gonzales merchant and mill owner, Joseph M. Martin. He and his father are referred to in a letter of 18 Sep 1835 from Edward Gritten in San Antonio to political chief of the Brazos Wyley Martin concerning the “action between the Steamboat and the Mexican Schoo-ner here on the 16th.” Capt. Albert Martin was a leader in the confron-tation in Gonzales over the Gonzales cannon in Sep 1835 and participat-ed in the Battle of Bexar. Due to a minor injury, he was in Gonzales in

Dec 1835 and returned to the Ala-mo sometime after that. On 23 Feb 1836, he served as emissary from the Alamo to meet with Mexican Gen. Almonte who rejected the sugges-tion that he meet Col. Travis in the Alamo for negotiations. On 24 Feb 1836, Col. Martin was the courier who carried Travis’ appeal to Texans and the world for aid and delivered it to Launcelot Smither. He joined the Gonzales relief force to the Alamo.

Jesse McCoyJesse McCoy, 32, born 1804 in Gy-

rosburg, Tennessee, a resident of Gonzales and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. He was son of John and Martha Dunbar McCoy who were among the first settlers of the DeWitt Colony at Old Station on the Lavaca. Jesse McCoy arrived with his parents in the DeWitt Col-ony on 9 Mar 1827 from MO where he received one fourth league. His tract on which he paid his first in-stallment “At Gonzales, this 4th of July 1835, we having been appointed by the Ayto of Gonzales as Commis-sioners of the State for collecting the State dues for lands under the 25 art of the law of the 24th of March, 1825 certify that we have been paid the sum of three Dollars and ninety cents and 5/6 in full of first install-ments in Jesse McCoy’s Quarter of a league of land deeded to him by the Commissioner Jose Antonio Na-varro.”

Thomas R. MillerThomas R. Miller, 40, born in

Prince EdwardCo, VA (some records say TN) in 1796, a resident of Gonza-les where he was a merchant, farmer and town clerk (sindico procura-dor). He was a Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. He was old-est of seven children of Armistead and Susannah Redd Miller of Prince EdwardCo, VA. He sold his holdings in VA (some records suggest Tennes-see) and came to the DeWitt Colony as a single man in 1830 where he re-ceived one fourth league on the east bank of the Guadalupe in northern DeWittCo. He obtained additional properties in Gonzales town. His

store and home were on block 3, lot 3 in the inner town facing Water Street south of the Fort. He also owned a large piece of land on the San Mar-cos River in the west outer town. In 1834, Town Council meetings were held in Miller’s house in Gonzales and he was a road surveyor for the town. He was sindico procurador of the Gonzales Ayuntamiento of 1834. On 3 to 14 Nov 1835, he was a member of the Texas Consultation, a group of Texan delegates to decide on the course of action in response to the Santa Anna dictatorship in 1835. Miller was among the Old Original Eighteen defenders of the Gonzales cannon.

Isaac Millsaps Isaac Millsaps (also spelled Mil-

saps in some records), 41, was a resident of Gonzales and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. The record below from CockeCo, TN archives indicated that Isaac was a native of Tennessee and the son of Thomas and Bathsheba Millsaps. Isaac and wife Mary Blackburn Mill-saps arrived in Texas 10 Mar 1835. On 1 Feb 1836, he and fellow Alamo defender Andrew Kent were elec-tion judges for the “Precinct of Up-per Lavaca,” which was designated for the purpose of electing two del-egates to the Texas Independence Convention which convened on 1 Mar at Washington-on-the-Brazos. Alamo defender William E. Summers was also among the eight voters. An-drew Kent and Isaac Millsaps were neighbors in Lavaca County. Mary Millsaps was blind. In the confusion following the Alamo defeat, she and their seven small children were left on the homestead on the lower Lava-ca River as the area was evacuated and settlers took flight along with Houston’s army toward East Texas on the Runaway Scrape. David Boyd Kent from the neighboring Andrew Kent family noted their absence and informed General Houston who sent a squad of men which found blind Mrs. Millsaps and the children hid-ing in the brush near their home.

George NegganGeorge Neggan, 28, born 1808 in

SC, a resident of Gonzales and Pri-vate rifleman in the Gonzales Rang-ers.

From Bounty and Donation Land Grants of Texas 1835-1888, pg. 497: NEGGIN, GEORGE (HEIRS) Re-ceived Bty Wnt 790 for 1920 acres from AG on 25 Mar 1851 for “his having fallen at the Alamo.” 288 acres in Hopkins Cty were ptd to the heirs on 23 Mar 1875. Pat 99 Vol 15 Abst 715 GLO File Lamar Bty 133. Upon UB Wnt 29/390, two surveys, 149.6 acres and 151 acres in Hopkins Cty were ptd to the heirs on 25 Mar 1873. Pats 259-60 Vol 14 Absts 716-17 GLO File Nac Bty 653, and 121.16 acres in Hopkins Cty were ptd to them on 24 Sept 1889. Pat 466 Vol 16 Abst 1176 GLO File Lamar Bty 133, and 134.5 acres in Smith Cty were ptd to them on 25 June 1918. Pat 18 Vol 17 Abst 752 GLO File Nac Bty 653. Two surveys, 88 acres and 367

acres in Hopkins Cty were ptd to the heirs on 23 March 1875. Pats 100 and 101 Vol 15 GLO File Lamar Bty 133, but these Pats were canceled. Several other surveys on this wnt were made but not ptd. See GLO Files Nac Bty 427, 715, 717 and Rob Bty 1217.

William E. SummersWilliam E. (F.) Summers, 24, born

1812 in TN, a resident of current LavacaCo south of current Hal-lettsville and Private rifleman in the Gonzales Rangers. Land grant records indicate he received a labor of land on 1 May 1835 (vol. 67, pg. 512) just south of the Andrew Kent league on the Lavaca River. Henry C.G. Summers received the league of land next and south of William’s tract on the same date (vol. 67, pg. 600). On 26 Feb 1836, Summers and Isaac Millsaps, neighbors of An-drew Kent, came to the Kent home south of Hallettsville and the three departed for Gonzales. Summers, along with fellow Alamo defenders Kent and Millsaps, was among the eight voters in the “Precinct of Up-per Lavaca,” which was designated for the purpose of electing two del-egates to the Texas Independence Convention which convened on 1 Mar at Washington-on-the-Brazos.

George W. TumlinsonGeorge W. Tumlinson, 22, born

1814 in MO, a resident of Gonzales and Private artilleryman in Capt. Carey’s Company. He was the son of James and Elizabeth Tumlinson. He joined the Texas artillery under Capt. Almeron Dickinson on 20 Sep 1835. He was in the Siege of Bexar, dis-charged and re-enlisted on 14 Dec 1835 into Capt. Carey’s Company. Tumlinson was at home in Gonza-les when the Alamo was surrounded and joined the Gonzales relief force to return to his post.

Robert WhiteRobert White, 30, born 1806, was

considered a resident of Gonzales and was Captain of an infantry com-pany in the Bexar Guards. He along with Capt. Almeron Dickinson and other members of the Alamo gar-rison considered themselves suf-ficiently established as residents of San Antonio de Bexar to petition the provisional government of Texas to elect two delegates to the Conven-tion of 1 Mar 1836 in addition to the Bexar delegates Ruiz and Navarro. He was a Lieutenant in the Siege of Bexar and promoted to Captain 4 Feb 1836. It is unclear whether White was in the Alamo from the beginning of the siege or was at home in Gonzales and returned with the relief force.

Claiborne WrightClaiborne Wright, 26, born 1810 in

NC, a resident of Gonzales and Pri-vate in the Gonzales Rangers. He was the son of James and Patsy Sti-gall Wright. He enlisted in the Texas army 10 Nov 1835, was in the Siege of Bexar and discharged on 13 Dec 1835.


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Gonzales Immortals: The Gonzales Rangers

They Answered Travis’s Call

William P. KingJohn Gaston

Descendants of

John Gladden and Parmelia Kingfather and mother of William King

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We learn by the passengers of the schr. Cumanche eight days from Texas that the War has assumed a serious character—on the 25th Feb. the Texan Garrison in Bexar of 150 men, commanded by Lt. Col. B. Travis was attacked by the advance division of Gen. Santa Anna’s army consisting of 2000 men who were repulsed with the loss of many killed, (between 500 to 800 men,) without the loss of one man of the Texans—about the same time Col. Johnson with a party of 70 men while reconnoitering the

westward of San Patricio was surrounded in the night by a large body of Mexican Troops—in the morning the demand of a surrender was made by the Mexican Commander unconditionally, which was refused; but an offer of surrender was made as prisoners of war, which was acceded to by the Mexicans— But no sooner had the Texans marched out of their quarters and stacked their arms, that a general fire was opened upon them by the whole Mexican force—the Texans attempted to escape but only three of them succeeded; one of whom was Col. Johnson.

Between the 25th of February and 2d March the Mexicans were employed in forming entrenchments around the Alamo and bombarding the place; on the 2d March, Col. Travis wrote that 200 shells had been thrown into the Alamo without injuring a man - on the 1st March the Garrison of Alamo received a reinforcement of 32 Texans from Gonzales, having forced their way through the enemy’s lines, making the number in the Alamo consist of 182 men. On the 6th March about midnight the Alamo was assaulted by the whole force of the Mexican army commanded by Santa Anna in person, the battle was desperate

until day light when only 7 men belonging to the Texan Garrison were found alive who cried for quarters, but were told that there was no mercy for them—they then continued fighting until the whole were butchered. One woman, Mrs., Dickson, and a negro of Col. Travis were the only persons whose lives were spared. We regret to say that Col. David Crockett and companion, Mr.Berton and Col. Bonhan, of SC, were among the number slain— Gen. Bowie was murdered in his bed sick and helpless. Gen. Cos on entering the Fort ordered the servant of Col. Travis, to point out the body of his master; he did so, when Cos drew his sword and mangled the face and limbs with the malignant feeling of a Cumanche savage. The bodies of the slain were thrown into a mass in the centre of the Alamo and burned—the loss of the Mexicans in storming the place was not less than 1000 killed and mortally wounded, and as many wounded, making with their loss in the first assault between 2 and 3000 men.

The flag used by the Mexicans was a blood-red one, in place of the constitutional one. Immed-iately after the capture, Gen. Santa Anna sent Mrs. Dickson and the servant

to General Houston’s camp, accompanied by a Mexican with a flag, who was bearer of a note from St. Anna, offering the Texans peace and general amnesty, if they would lay down their arms and submit to his government. Gen. Houston’s reply was, ‘’true sir, you have succeeded in killing some of our brave men, but the Texans are not yet cornered.” The effect of the fall of Bexar throughout Texas was electrical. Every man who could use the rifle and was in a condition to lake field, marched forthwith to the seat of war. It is believed that not less than 4000 riflemen were on their

way to the army when the Cumanche sailed, determined to wreak their revenge on the Mexicans

Gen. Houston had burnt Gonzales, and fallen back on the Colorado with about 1000 men. Col. Fanning was in the Fort at Goliad, a very strong position, well supplied with ammunitions and provision, with 4 or 500 men.

The general deter-mination of the people of Texas is to abandon all their occupations and pursuits of peace, and continue in arms until every Mexican east of the Rio del Norte shall be exterminated.

From the New Orleans True American, March 29, 1836, Courtesy of Genealogy Trails:

HigHly important from texas!

Tragedy turns to Triumph at San JacintoThe fall of the Alamo precipi-

tated the Runaway Scrape, as the Texian colonists fled east-ward toward the Sabine River. Sam Houston and his rag-tag army used their knowledge of the terrain to successfully evade Santa Anna’s advancing columns before turning to fight April 21, 1836, on the banks of the San Jacinto River near what is now Deer Park. The results of that battle were reported in a letter written by Colonel Hock-ley of the Texas army, pub-lished by the National Banner and Nashville Whig (Nashville, Tennessee) on May 20, 1836:

Thursday Night, 10 O’clock

Important from TexasNew Orleans, May 9.

By the arrival of the steamer Swiss Boy, yes-terday, we received the annexed, for which we are indebted to the kind-ness of Capt. Walker, who came passenger by the above boat. It was written by Col. Hockley, of the Texian army, to a friend in Natchitoches—

Sir: I have but a mo-ment to give you an ac-count of our victory. Our spies having taken a courier and officer on the 19th, who informed us that Gen. Santa Anna and his army were across the San Jacinto,

at this point. We imme-diately took up our line of march, and reached that place on the morn-ing of the 20th; the day was passed in reconnoi-tering the enemy. Some few shots during the time having been exchanged between the artillery without much effect on either side—on the morn-ing of the 21st, the enemy commenced maneuver-ing, and we expected to be attacked in our camp, as they had received a re-inforcement of 500 men, which made them 1200

[i.e., 1,360] strong; but they settled down and continued throwing up a breastwork, that they commenced at the first news of our approach.

We commenced the at-tack upon them at half past 4 o’clock P.M. by a hot fire from our artil-lery, consisting of two ordinary 4 pounders. The enemy returned our fire with a long brass 9 pounder. Our first fire having carried away their powder box, caused their loud shouting to cease. We marched up within

175 yards, limbered our pieces and gave them the grape and canister, while our brave riflemen poured in their deadly fire. In fifteen minutes the enemy were flying in every direction, and hot-ly pursued by us. They left 500 [i.e., 700] of their slain behind them. Never was there a victory more complete. Gen. Cos was taken, and killed by a pistol ball from one of our men, who instantly recognized him.

Gen. Santa Anna was taken the next day about ten miles from the place of action, by some of our spies, who, on be-ing brought forward, immediately requested to see Gen. Houston. I happened to be passing at the time he was con-veyed to Gen. Houston, who was laying on his bed in his tent, having been wounded in the ac-tion, and heard them say “we surrender into your hands Gen. Santa Anna, Governor of the Repub-lic of Mexico.” He was then ordered to call in his aids, who were nearly all taken, amongst whom was Allmontie [i.e., Al-monte]. There was then propositions made, of which you will have the details by express.

Houston was wounded in the ankle by a musket ball in the early part of the engagement, but re-mained on his horse un-til it terminated. There is a list of the names of the Mexican prisoners, which shall be transmit-ted to you by express; they amount nearly to 600, among whom are six women.

—Advertiser

Col. A. Houston of the Texas army has arrived in the steamboat Cas-pian, and confirms the news of the glorious vic-tory of Gen. Houston…Gen. Santa Anna made the following proposition: that his army should lay down their arms, Texas independence acknowl-edged, the expense of the war to be paid by Mexico, Santa Anna to remain as a hostage. Gen. Houston had issued orders that a further advance of the Mexican army should be the signal for the slaugh-ter of Santa Anna, and all the prisoners. The reports of the terms of peace were not official but supported by a great number of letters from officers of the army.

—Bulletin

The most painful excitement was occasioned in this place on Wednesday by a rumor that the fort at St. Antonio, in possession of the Texans, had been stormed by the Mexican army and the garrison put to the sword. Yesterday the news, even in its most revolting features, was fully confirmed. They were all slaughtered!

Our late fellow-citizen, Col David Crockett, it will be seen, was among the slain. Subjoined are all the particulars that have come to hand of this melancholy affair.

The CannonThursday, March 7, 2013 Page A3

Ceremonies honor41 men of Gonzaleswho died at AlamoBy DAVE MUNDY

[email protected]

Gonzales Immortals Day

A group of more than 100 Gonzales residents were on-hand Friday for ceremonies honoring the sacrifice of 41 men from Gonzales defending Texas freedom at the Ala-mo.

Many of those attending are distant relatives of the nine garrison members and the “Immortal 32” who rode into the old mission on March 1, 1836 to join the besieged gar-rison, facing certain death at the hands of a thousands-strong Mexican army.

Texas folk musician K.R. Woods entertained the gath-ering and a large number of Alamo visitors with several musical selections honoring the “Come and Take It” spirit of Gonzales and The Alamo’s 182 defenders, including a reading of a letter sent from the Alamo by Gonzales’ Isaac Millsaps. He then read the text of the famous “Victory or Death” letter written by William Barrett Travis, which re-turned to the Texas shrine last week for the first time in 177 years.

Karen Thompson, president general of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, saluted the “Immortal 32,” who rode through the Mexican lines in answer to Travis’ appeal for aid to arrive at The Alamo at 3 a.m. on March 1, 1836.

“They saw what the odds were,” she said. “They could have gone back home, but they didn’t ... they stayed.”

Gonzales Mayor Bobby Logan presented the DRT and the Sons of the Republic of Texas with the city’s “Come and Take It” flag.

City Manager Allen Barnes told the story of the Battle of Gonzales which began the Texas Revolution, then read the roll of the nine Gonzales men who were part of the gar-rison of The Alamo when the siege began.

Jim Massengill of the SRT and Jason Chall then read the roll of the 32 men who rode from Gonzales in response to Travis’ call. As each name was read, relatives in the Gon-zales delegation visiting answered “Here!” to signify their connection.

As tourists lined up at the door of the Chapel to view Travis’ Letter, ceremonies on the plaza at The Alamo Friday honored the 41 men from Gonzales who died defending the old mission in 1836. Folk songman K.R. Woods (left) entertained a group of more than 100 residents from Gonzales with several songs about the valor of The Alamo’s defenders.

Gonzales Mayor Bobby Logan exchanges one of the city’s “Come and Take It” flags with Karen Thompson, president general of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, who in turn presented Logan with a flag which has flown over The Alamo.

Photos byDave Mundy

The highlight of the ceremony was the somber roll call of the names of the 41 men from Gonzales who fell at The Alamo. City Manager Allen Barnes (top) read the names of the nine Gonzales men who were part of the original garrison, while Jim Massengill (center) and Jason Chall (bottom) called the names of the “Immortal 32” who formed the only relief force to answer the call for aid made in Travis’ Letter. As each name was read, descendants of those men answered “Here!” in response.

SAN ANTONIO — To Texans, this is holy ground.

I arrived at The Alamo a couple of hours before the scheduled 5 p.m. ceremony honoring the “Gonzales Immortals” on Friday, primarily to drop off a couple hundred copies of our special commemorative to pass out to visitors, but also because I wanted some time to fully explore the site myself.

Much like the historic sites here in Gonzales, I learn more every trip I make to The Alamo.

Most folks, for example, see the profile of the chapel in photos and artwork and assume that is “The Alamo.” The reality is that the cha-pel was only a small part of the larger mission, and in fact most of what now comprises the park actu-ally sat outside the main walls that 186 defenders held against Santa Anna’s army.

That famed arching front of the chapel? That was actually built by engineers from the U.S. Army in the late 1840s during the war be-tween the U.S. and Mexico, when the site was turned into a store-house.

I took the time to view most of the exhibits housed in the Long

Barracks, to track down and view each marker and plaque, to com-mit those facts to memory as my way of honoring the fallen.

Most of the fighting and dying actually took place in an area now covered by high-rise shops and a courthouse. It is believed that the ashes of the Alamo’s defenders were likely excavated as part of the construction of those buildings de-cades ago.

The main courtyard of the origi-nal site is now called “Alamo Plaza.” The San Antonio city government wants to defile that sacred ground by turning it into a circus.

Visitors to the site and the Plaza who wander the area hoping to glimpse something of historical significance are just as likely to wander into wax figures, bearded

ladies, vegetarian protesters or car-nival barkers. They have to be care-ful to avoid the Yuppies cruising around on Segways who dominate the public sidewalks.

In particular, developers want to turn what was the West Wall into a hideous commercial enterprise complete with a trolley system — as if the booming of video games from an arcade across Alamo Street and from passing vehicles of irreverent punks were not blas-phemy enough.

The Alamo is under siege again, it would seem. And, as in 1836, small bands of Texans have heard the call to defend it.

One such group is the Alamo Plaza Restoration Project/The Tex-as History Center at Alamo Plaza, Inc. at www.alamoplazaproject.com. They’re engaged in fighting to retain the dignity and reverence which should surround the site.

There’s also Friends of the Ala-mo at www.friendsofthealamo.org, a slightly newer organization with many of the same goals of oppos-ing the crass commercialism.

Even the Texas Nationalists host a monthly vigil at the site to mark their protest against the city’s plans.

What we know was The Alamo today, of course, couldn’t be there had it not been for the DeZavala Chapter of the Daughters of the Republic of Texas, and the daugh-ter of a veteran of the Battle of San Jacinto by the name of Clara Driscoll. Driscoll led the fight start-ing in 1903 to raise funds needed for the purchase of the site and res-toration of as much of the property as could be claimed, and her check-book filled in the coffers whenever the DRT’s efforts came up short until the Texas Legislature in 1905 approved $65,000 to purchase the site.

It took another seven years of legal wrangling before Driscoll’s vi-sion of a site that properly honored the sacrifice made there began to take its final shape.

Perhaps most interesting is that, even with management and funding shortcomings over the years, the Daughters of the Republic of Texas have never al-lowed the lure of commercialism to deter them from the path of dignity and reverence. No one, neither Texan nor tourist, has ever been charged a single cent to walk through the most sanctified

grounds in Texas. I grew up in the shadows of the

San Jacinto Monument in Deer Park. Sadly, you could poll every person in that town and I’d haz-ard a guess that fewer than half could tell you what that monu-ment represents; most assume it has something to do with the Battleship Texas.

One of the things which has always impressed me most about Gonzales is about how history and heritage permeates everything here. Almost every building and house in town has a story. People revere their heritage here.

A big pat on the back needs to go out to Nathan Neuse, president of the GEDC, for coming up with the idea for the “Gonzales Immor-tals Day” as part of the return of Travis’ Letter — and to the City of Gonzales for embracing it so en-thusiastically. A great many peo-ple who’d never heard of Gonzales learned a lot about it on Friday.

The Travis Letter is scheduled to return to the State Archives today, perhaps for decades. But I think that perhaps we in Gon-zales should make a March 1 pil-grimmage an annual thing.

Some guys have it, and some don’t. I’m referring to that special quality that makes powerful institutions want to throw fistfuls of dollars at them in senseless acts of high-priced benefi-cence.

Jack Lew has it like nobody’s busi-ness. You might think the bespectacled treasury secretary nominee is just an-other brainy budget wonk and miss the animal magnetism that makes his employers lose all sense of financial proportion around him, paying him astronomical sums, forgiving his loans and granting him generous golden parachutes.

Yes, Jack Lew is a rare talent -- at the art of getting paid.

He left the Clinton administration, where he served as director of the Of-fice of Management and Budget, for what turned out to be the extremely lucrative field of nonprofit education. At New York University, he made more than $800,000 in 2002. According to his W-2, examined by staff on Capi-tol Hill, he made $1.2 million in total compensation in 2006.

Even for Jack Lew, housing in New York City can be expensive. Not to worry. New York University provided him a loan for housing. The trouble with loans is that they have to be paid back. Not to worry. All is forgiven if you are Jack Lew, especially your loans. According to Lew, the university for-gave the loan of some $1.4 million “in equal installments over five years.”

Upon leaving NYU, Lew received what he describes as “a one-time sever-ance payment upon my departure.” He wasn’t fired, usually the occasion for severances. He simply left and got paid for the act of leaving. Hey, that’s Jack Lew -- he gets paid when he stays and gets paid when he goes.

He went to Citigroup, which NYU had made its primary private lender for student loans in exchange for a cut of

those loans. (Coincidences happen to everyone, including Jack Lew.) In 2008, as the bank nearly blew up and laid off one-seventh of its employees, Lew ran its disastrous Alternative Investments unit -- and got paid $1.1 million.

The bank had to be bailed out by the federal government, but it couldn’t stop paying Jack Lew. The journalist Jonathan Weil of Bloomberg has un-earthed Lew’s contract at Citi. It said, reasonably enough, that he wouldn’t get his “guaranteed incentive and re-tention award” if he left the company. It made an exception, though, if Lew left to get “a full-time high level posi-tion with the United States government or regulatory body.”

Jack Lew being Jack Lew, he left Citi to become deputy secretary of state, on his way to resuming his duties at OMB, then becoming the chief of staff to the president, and now secretary of the treasury. And, of course, he got paid.

The cynics talk of crony capitalism. The scoffers hint of special favors for the politically connected. The good-government types worry about the unseemliness of a too-big-to-fail Wall Street bank giving one of its executives an incentive to become a high-rank-ing government official. Maybe they should give it a rest and simply stand back and marvel at the moneymaking machine that is Jack Lew. Lesser mor-tals criticize and cavil. He gets paid.

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review.

While President Obama is lobbying the public to stop the Sequestration, he forgets that it is his law. It was passed by Congress and he signed it in 2011 at the height of the “raising the debt limit” de-bates.

Sequestration was Obama’s idea and recommendation because he was not willing to honor any of the “reduced spending” recommendations from Simpson-Bowles committee. He con-vinced certain Republican House mem-bers to raise the debt ceiling in exchange for more time to debate on how to reduce spending and what should be cut.

However, in this law there are specific items like a $500 billion reduction in the Defense Department budget which is a “Republican sacred budget cow” in addition to others. Apparently, Obama felt safe that the Sequester would never happen and he played political “chicken” with House Republicans.

Since 2011, Obama has continued to show his bad faith by not proposing meaningful spending cuts, and we have had one legislative crisis after another including “the fiscal cliff” drama last December. In the meantime, some GOP House members have caved to Obama by raising taxes and getting very little in spending cuts, by agreeing to avoid the Fiscal cliff, and by deferring to March 1st 2013 the issue of Sequestration.

Now, Obama is again playing “chicken” and he does not want to reduce spending unless House Republicans raise taxes or eliminate more deductions on the “rich” which will ultimately affect the middle class.

Obama never expected the House Re-publicans to play poker with him, as they are now forcing him to come up with

“meaningful spending cuts” or let the Sequester Law become effective March 1.

We support the Tea Party legislators that have held the line and said “let the Sequester happen”. Unfortunately, this is the only way Obama will be forced to make the spending cuts that are the law, and which are needed to avoid another down grade in the government debt rat-ing.

If the Sequester does happen, and if Obama does NOT start making the spending cuts called for in the law, then he will be breaking his own law. Obama and his supporters are trying to scare the American public, specifically the unin-formed voters, in hopes that they will panic and put pressure on the House Re-publicans to cave again to Obama.

The Sequestration is Obama’s law and he should deal with it. He can give gov-ernment agencies authority to move money around for priorities. But appar-ently he prefers to play politics and scare people instead governing.

George Rodriguez is president of the South Texas Political Alliance and can be followed on Facebook at “El Conserva-dor”.

The talented Mr. Lew

The Cannon Thursday, March 7, 2013Page A4

In Our ViewA place of reverence and dignity amid cultural depravity

House Republicans callObama’s Sequester bluff

El Conservador

George Rodriguez is a San Antonio resident. He is the former President of the San Antonio Tea Party, and is now Executive Director of the South Texas Politi-cal Alliance.

GeorgeRodriguez

RichLowry

Rich Lowry is editor of the National Review and a syndicated columnist for King Fea-tures Syndicate.

Dances withChihuahuas

Dave Mundy

General Manager

THE GONZALES CANNON (USPS 001-390) is published weekly each Thursday by Gonzales Cannon Inc., 618 St. Paul Street, Gonzales, TX 78629. Periodicals Postage Paid at Gonzales, TX 78629. A one year subscrip-tion costs $22 in Gonzales County, $24 for out-of-county, and $30 for out-of-state.

POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Gonza-les Cannon, PO Box E, Gonzales, TX 78629.

An erroneous reflection upon the charactor, standing or reputation of any firm, person or corporation, which appears in the columns of this newspaper will be cor-rected upon due notice given to the publication at The Gonzales Cannon office. Office hours are 8:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m. Phone: (830) 672-7100. Fax: (830) 672-7111. Website:www.gonzalescannon.com.

The Gonzales CannonBOARD OF DIRECTORSBilly Bob Low • Chairman

Dave Mundy - Editor & General Manager

[email protected]

Cedric Iglehart - News [email protected]

[email protected]

Debbie Toliver - Advertising Director [email protected]

Dorothy Gast - Business [email protected]

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Letters to the [email protected]

Randy Robinson, Vice ChairmanMary Lou Philippus, Secretary

Myrna McLeroyAlice Hermann

2013

The Cannon Thursday, March 7, 2013Page A12

Honoring the spirit ofTexas independence

2013 Easter Bunny

“Baby Contest”Newborn-3 yrs. of age

$10.00 - 1 picture $15.00 - 2 picturesWinners & entries announced in

March 28 Easter EditionDeadline - March 21, 2013

Bring in or mail to:

The Gonzales Cannon618 St. Paul

Gonzales, TX 78629

830-672-7100www.gonzalescannon.com

Entry Form:

Child’s Name:

Age: $

Parent/Grandparent:Office Use Only

Name:

Address:Phone No.

Show off your baby’s cutest expression in the

Cannon’s Easter Baby Contest!

Seventh-grade students from Gonzales Junior High joined community members on Feb. 28 in ceremonies at Texas Heroes’ Square in Gonzales saluting Texas Independence Day. Hannah Rowland and Adrian James (top left) led the Pledge to the Texas Flag, then Lauren Strickland and Corey Anzaldua presented a wreath at the base of the monument honoring Gonzales’ heroes of the Texas Revolution. Sheriff Glenn Sachtleben read the names of the “Gonzales Immortals” (top) before finishing the event by firing the replica Gonzales cannon. (Photos by Dave Mundy)

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