New York's Defenders of the Alamo

The Alamo is a powerful place that emits a feeling of veneration even before entering the narrow doors that lead inside the Shrine. A sign reads "No photography allowed. Gentlemen will remove hats before entering!". A shrine is where one worships fallen heroes. The Alamo chapel is such a place.

As you first enter the chapel, a small room on the left contains a semi-circle of State flags standing in silent sentinel. Representing the home state of each Alamo defender, a red battle honor style ribbon with the number of patriots from each state further adorns each standard. The number "six" is affixed to the New York State flag.

Who were these men and what brought them to Texas? What was it that they were fighting for that persuaded them to stay when given the opportunity to escape or surrender?

Many Americans came to the Mexican state of Texas after they had lost everything in the Panic of 1819. The land was cheap and all the Mexican government required was that the settlers, called Texans, support and defend the independence and liberty of the Mexican Nation. Empresarios, or Land Agents like Stephen F. Austin, brought many of the settlers to the western most reaches of Texas at San Antonio de Bexar. Outside the city of Bexar stood the old Spanish mission of San Antonio de Valero, now simply called the Alamo, after the Mexican cavalry company from San Carlos de Alamo de Parras that had once occupied it.

In the beginning, the American settlers seemed content with their new Mexican citizenship. They had a state constitution that gave them representation in the Mexican Government and had elected their own American governor, Henry Smith. The Mexican government soon became uncomfortable with the large influx of American immigrants. To keep them in check, Mexico ratified a new constitution that stripped Texas of her independent status of statehood, took away her right of representation, and combined Texas with the neighboring State of Coahuila. In 1830 the Mexican banned any further U.S. immigration to Texas. This didn't stop the flow of eager settlers, and only transformed the existing settlers into illegals.

The political gap widened when Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became dictator of Mexico in 1833. Military conflicts between the soldiers of Santa Anna and the Texans and Tejanos, now considered rebels by the Mexico, escalated in size and number. By the time of the first shot in the siege of the Alamo on February 23, 1836, it was clearly evident that if Texas was to continue to exist, a stand must be made to halt Santa Anna's advance through their territory.

The defenders of the Alamo were an assemblage of Americans, native Texans called Tejanos, and European immigrants. The diversity of this group brings to light a lesser know but just as important non military fact. The Battle of the Alamo was not only an important historically as a military engagement, but also that it bridged the cultural and political gaps that existed between Old World Mexico and the new Texas. Six Alamo defenders are listed officially as being from New York. Five others had resided in the State before making their way to the Texas frontier. This brings the total number of New York Alamo defenders to eleven.

William Blazeby, 41 years old, was born in England and had moved to New York to make his fortune. At the Alamo, he held the rank of captain and commanded an infantry company. Blazeby was a veteran of the battle of Bexar where he served as lieutenant in the New Orleans Greys, a Texan Volunteer regiment from Louisiana.

Continued on page 2 of "New York's Defenders of the Alamo."

Image of modern Alamo used with permission from Alamo de Parras Web Site. [Link will open new window.] All rights reserved.