Jefferson High School - Monticello Yearbook (San Antonio, TX)

Page 15 text:

fi 4,2 fi 5 Z The Ancient Well of the Alamo by Sterling Fisher lvfcllhany, '43 All seemed bright for the mission work until suddenly the decline began. By 1761 the sacristy had caved in, by 1762 the sidewalls had collapsed. ln 1785 the mission was abandoned. ln 1793 all of the records were placed in the care of the Villa de San Fernando and the Presidio. The mis- sion era then ended, the buildings remaining unoccupied until 1801. lt was during these years between the mission era and 1836 that the well, dug within the mission grounds in the early days as a precaution in case enemies obstructed the aceguias, fell into disuse. The records show that after long years the old well had been cleaned and water made available only a few days before the fatal siege began in 1836. lt is a beautiful thought that this old Alamo well kept the brave defenders alive long enough for the delay to save Texas. Further records show that on lanuary 24, 1912, state workmen, tearing down the old wooden superstructure from the original convent walls, uncovered an old well within the mission enclosure, disclosing for the first time the source of water for the besieged heroes of the Alamo. This well, of solid masonry, fourteen feet deep, ten feet long, and seven feet wide, had been designed to afford filtration of water. The finding of this old Well drew thousands of sightseers to the ruins of the old fort on Sunday, lanuary 29, 1912. This same old well was again brought to light in 1936 during the beautification of the Alamo park and gardens by the State Board of Control. Today the ancient well under the protective branches of the huge tree above it is still a mecca for sightseers to the Altar of Texas Liberty. fPlease see page 160 for the well as it looks today to reverent visitors from everywhere.

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uw-QW8sw' M, WW xr 'Y' 'g,,,,,,.W 'X The Bulldmg of the Alamo 9 Known today over the ctvtltzed world as the Alamo shrme ts the Mtsston San Antonto de Valero of 1718 The determmatton of Franctscan Father Antonto de San Buenaventura y Oltvares to make Chnsttans and useful c1tt7ens of the lndtan resulted m the mergmg of hts two mtsstons San 17ranc1sco Solano estabhshed on the Rte Grande m 1703 and San Antonto de Padua establ1shed on San Pedro Sprmgs m 1716 then moved to the west bank of the San Antomo Rtver and later to the east s1de of the rtver Here on May l 1718 the lvlarauts de Valero Vtceroy of Mextco gave pos esston to father Oltvares and the mtsston was named Mtsston San Antonto de Valero The new mtsston was destroyed by a hurncane 1n 1724 and a new stte was chosen about two gun shots dtstant Here on May 8 1744 at lts pr sent locatton the cornerstone of the chapel was latd and blessed ln 1757 the chape was fmtshed a stone m the front wall bearmg that date The mtsston was butlt wtth very heavy walls and parttttons between rooms parapeted corntces and graveled roofs lmmedtately to the left of tl e front entrance wo the monastery a long stone structure 185 feet by etghteen feet extendmg to the lme of tlc present Houston Street ln front of the mona tery at d hurch were many domesttc butldmgs m Cludmg a large granary The west stde of the present Alamo Plaza was lmecl wtth butldmgs Surroundmg the mtsston were culttvated gardens and small ftelds of vegetables frutts and gram garden spots green from lrrtgatton by dttches planted wtth frutt trees and wtllow trees These aceautas had been Constructed by the Mextcans and the lndtans, under the guldance of the monks figw M1 ,5 Ax Il J Y, , , -ffm 1 ff ' tl K' V y ' R f I Ju, Mfg,-,4,tr-fr vgsmggflk A ., t't'5ilY1ff ?1 1 it . , 1 ,, 1 K - . W, , , h,f,1,.k,s .- l 2 if ,Q 4 f 1 if It ' A J' I ,. la ' 13 Z fi A 1-, .......lX M - -I ' l,-...,..lY HA- -- - .1 - Y ' gy M445 Q ' A ' A n -- 'Q t I . , - , f we 1' ,, , of , 1 l l ll xx .1 f 'wt E I 1 Q l W K Q V X W 1 1, . V 1 s ,1 -1 ,y , ,M ,WL , N li 1 I . XX. , ,. . .,,,,,,,,,,.,.,. - sq V i ', ' '3,.f. L 1 .L . ,. . , A I ,, , 1 7 1 Zlfffif, if f ' g XR Z A A , 74, . gf ,. . 1 Q, 1 W u ,L f Q j , Q 15-11 f . Q A N 'L Y 1 I f ,M ' r ' 5 Q' '1j q',. . ,K N . ,x wk if 1, j 'fish ' 5 , fit Q ' ? A ' , , f 1 f ' 1 if . gt I lvy derllna Ftsllrer Mclllxany 'flh . . . , . . , 1 , V A Y I ' I ' I I I I' I I f- f ' I - 1 1 1 1 ' e ' , ' Q ' , l , e 4 . . ' t 's , A . I A . . T, , s 1 c , ' ' 1 A , ' f I I lr 77 7 A I

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-rbi 3- The Fatal slege of the Alamo by bte Ing lush Mcllha y A8 ln 1803 the mllltary force ln Texas was lncreased by the Companle del Alamo de San Carlos de Parras from Coahulla MSXICO Thls company was quartered ln the Mlsslon San Antonlo de Valero the entlre mlsslon settlement wlthln ten years belng called the Alamo As a result of the comlng of Moses and Stephen F Austm and the 1200 famllles they lnduced to come to Texas deslrable Amerlcan lmmlgrants now began comlng ln great numbers but the treatment of these Colo nlsts by the Mexlcan government meant that war must come Wlth the capture of San Antonlo by the brave Volunteer Army of Texas and the capture of the Alamo on December 5 1835 by Lt Colonel Nell and hls 300 men from General Cos and hls 1 500 troops there floated over the Alamo the flag of the Texas Provlslonal Government the MGXICGH trl color wlth the numerals 1824 replaclng the eagle lllness causlng Colonel Nell to re llnqulsh hls command the dual responslblllty lor leadershlp fell to Travls and Bowle untll Bowles grave lllness made lt necessary that Travls take full command From a force of 104 men at the tlme Bowle Wrote Governor Smlth that he and Colonel Nell pre ferred to dle ln these dltches rather than to demollsh the Alamo the defendlng force had lncreased to 182 men by the fateful last day of the terrlble thlrteen day SIGQS When the fearful sound of the Deguello, the enemy's bugle sound of No Quarter, was heard, before the dawn of March 6, 1835, there began the actual stormlng of the Alamo, at whlch memorable tlme was shown the most deter mlned, the most splendld, valor the world has ever known, lastlng untll all of the defenders had been ruthlessly slaln, flghtlng to the very end of thelr llves ' . V X . . l , yu ' .X 5 I fi 4' W, gr far T M. I if ' riff . . W , 1.1 A ' ' at A fl 4 , 33 i f f V . I 5 Y 1 at . 'Y wx., , r .. l ' F A 1 e Q l r , 'T V 1 I V s z' k iff 'lf 3 9 A 1 ' l' i A er n , ' l - 1 - 1 I - 1 f I - 1 I I - l . . , . . . .. . . . ,, . . ' .