The Goliad Massacre
This Saturday, we found ourselves doing a bit of traveling to Goliad, Texas. It was on March 27th, 1836, that the infamous Goliad Massacre took place at Presidio La Bahia. Everyone knows the story of the Alamo, but few know about Goliad. It was the scene of the worst massacre in Texas history. There were 342 men murdered, with only 28 men escaping, with the help of the Angel of Goliad, and 17 being spared, due to the intervention of a colonel. This barbaric act by General Santa Anna cemented him as a cruel and brutal man, and rallied the people of Texas, along with the U.S., Great Britain and France, into defeating him and establishing the Republic of Texas.
As per Texas law, fields cannot be mowed until wildflowers have gone to seed. We had a spectacular view of Texas wildflowers:
That field of Indian Paintbrush is like the blood spilled that very day. There were Coreopsis, Bluebonnets, Buttercups, and a myriad of butterflies, including Monarchs and Spicebush Swallowtails. But the surprise for me came as we rounded the corner of the monument:
White Poppies everywhere, as if to commemorate those buried there. Remember the Alamo! Remember Goliad!
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One just has to love Texas history, and the spring time down there is just amazing with all the flowers. Good shots, thank you for the pictures.
Those are some awesome pics, Aggie. It must have been really cool really being there.
And I second what Moses said, Texas does have a stirring history.
Reading about the Alamo and other battles in Texas never gets old. And the movie The Alamo, the John Wayne version, will always be one of my top favorites.
Oooooooooooooooo… purty flowers!
Great pictures to go with an inspiring history.
Really? They cannot mow until the flowers have gone to seed? That is too cool (really).
Very pretty area. Perhaps it wouldn’t be respectful but I wouldn’t think any of the victims would mind families remembering them while having a picnic and taking in the beauty around them. I know I wouldn’t as long as Anna was defeated.
Actually, people do come and picnic in the area, LK. It’s a public park right next to a cemetery (macabre, in a way, but rather peaceful IMO). We saw several CSA veterans’ graves there, too.
Thanks to Lady Bird Johnson’s efforts, Texas protects its wildflowers. As a matter of fact, the lawn guy will skip mowing over the bluebonnets in my yard. He knows I would maim him with my machete if he did.
Anyone mowing Bluebonnets in Texas should have their nutsack removed!!
That was a wonderful story, and some beautiful photography.