“Remember the Alamo:” The Texas Independence Trail
Recommended reading (assembled by Mike Koury)
Eighteen Minutes by Stephen L. Moore
"Measured by its results, San Jacinto was one of the decisive battles of the world. The freedom of Texas from Mexico won here led to annexation and to the Mexican War, resulting in the acquisition by the United States of the states of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, California, Utah and parts of Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas and Oklahoma. Almost one-third of the present area of the American nation, nearly a million square miles, changed sovereignty.
Even allowing for Texas Bravado, that's an amazing statement. And absolutely true. It is inscribed on the base of the stunning San Jacinto Monument. Stephen Moore's Eighteen Minutes does a wonderful job of telling how this was accomplished. ABEbooks has copies starting at under $9.
The Blood of Heroes by James Donovan:
If asked to recommend one book on the fall of the alamo I would not hesitate for one second - this is the book. I can say the same for another of my favorite topics - James' A Terrible Glory is the best single book on the Battle of the Little Bighorn. All questions on the events of the fall of the alamo will never be resolved, but The Blood of Heros comes the closest to that task. Copies are available for under $15.
Time to Stand by Walter Lord
Though published in 1961, this book remains the best to place the Alamo in its proper place in history. Lord's work has yet to become outdated. As with all of his works, he reads well. Start here. I found multiple copies on ABEbooks for $5 to $10.
Texian Iliad: A Military History of the Texas Revolution by Stephen L. Miller
Hardly were the last shots fired at the Alamo before the Texas Revolution entered the realm of myth and controversy. French visitor Frederic Gaillardet called it a "Texian Iliad" in 1839, while American Theodore Sedgwick pronounced the war and its resulting legends "almost burlesque."
In this highly readable history, Stephen L. Hardin discovers more than a little truth in both of those views. Drawing on many original Texan and Mexican sources and on-site inspections of almost every battlefield, he offers the first complete military history of the Revolution. From the war's opening in the "Come and Take It" incident at Gonzales to the capture of General Santa Anna at San Jacinto, Hardin clearly describes the strategy and tactics of each side. His research yields new knowledge of the actions of famous Texan and Mexican leaders, as well as fascinating descriptions of battle and camp life from the ordinary soldier's point of view.
This award-winning book belongs on the bookshelf of everyone interested in Texas or military history.