Texas Pride has Deep Roots

People learn quickly when someone is from Texas, usually right after they learn that person’s name. We’re proud to introduce ourselves as Texans. It is a badge of honor we wear with pride, and it is as much a part of our identity as any other element of our background. I meet a lot of non-Texans who just do not fully appreciate what it means to be a Texan. I explain to them that Texas Pride is more than just a phrase. We are proud of our heritage because it reveals a lot about our character and vision. Our early fight for independence says something important about who we are today. Texas’s march toward freedom became an all-out stampede on March 2, 1836, with a declaration of independence from Mexico. Texas residents were no longer willing to live under Mexican rule, and they were determined to do whatever it took to establish self-governance. A 54-member delegation signed the original declaration, including my great-great-grandfather – Charles S. Taylor. The signers of the Texas declaration, like those who signed the American Declaration of Independence in 1776, risked their lives and families when they took that bold step. Since Texas was Mexican territory, they were considered traitors, but the threat of death did not stop them because they were willing to pay any price for the freedom of Texas. In the battle for independence, General Sam Houston and the Texas Revolutionary Army defeated Santa Anna and his Mexican forces in less than two months. While victory was achieved at the battle of San Jacinto, the siege of the Alamo was a defining moment for the spirit of Texas. Though the Texas army suffered a defeat in San Antonio, their courageous stand gave General Houston valuable time to marshal his forces at San Jacinto. Colonel William Barret Travis commanded the badly outnumbered Texas forces, who fought valiantly until the bitter end against a Mexican army that outnumbered them at least 10-to-1. Despite overwhelming odds, Colonel Travis swore in a letter to the “People of Texas and All Americans in the World” that “I shall never surrender or retreat.” He closed the letter with the promise, “I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country – victory or death.” In the end, this heroic group of 189 Texans inflicted nearly 600 casualties on Santa Anna’s Mexican forces. To this day, their valiant stand is a model for schoolchildren of how to remain brave in the face of adversity. Word of the Alamo spread quickly throughout the state, rallying Texans behind the fight for independence. Just over six weeks later, the war was over, with Texas standing tall and victorious at the battle of San Jacinto — but not before another group of brave Texans gave their lives for the cause. At the battle of Coleto, a group of Texas soldiers led by James W. Fannin were overwhelmed, and he surrendered his command to Mexican forces according to the customs of war. After his troops were disarmed and had peacefully entered Mexican custody, Santa Anna gave an order to execute them, and all 342 men were lost at Goliad. This massacre only cemented the determination of Texans to not rest until victory was achieved. Anything less would dishonor the memory of the men who had already paid the ultimate price fighting for Texas. When General Houston’s 900-member force overpowered Santa Anna and his 1,300-man army to end the war at San Jacinto, the soldiers cried "Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!" in the name of those who had fallen. Today, Texans are still aware of the debt we owe to those who died in the fight for independence. Because of our gratitude for their sacrifice, we guard our freedoms fiercely. Santa Anna’s capture was met with calls for his execution in retribution for his heinous actions during the war. However, General Houston did not extract vengeance on his Mexican counterpart; instead he showed generosity after his great victory. Such magnanimity is also a trait that defines the Texan character. For his leadership during the revolution, Sam Houston was elected as the first president of the Republic of Texas, and he established March 2 as Texas Independence Day in 1842 during his second term as president. As we celebrate our past, the legacies of revolutionaries such as Sam Houston and William Barret Travis continue to inspire Texans today, just as they did many years ago in the fight for Texas’ independence. Amy Bradshaw Assistant Press Secretary Office of Senator Kay Bailey Hutchison 284 Russell Senate Office Building Washington, DC 20150 (202) 224-9767 phone (202) 224-0776 fax Please visit hutchison.senate.gov for information on the Senator's work in the U.S. Senate and to signup for her e-mail newsletter.