The Battle of the Alamo is one of the most compelling stories from American history. Students of the battle often wonder why William B. Travis and his small garrison were left alone to meet their fate at the hands of General Santa Anna. Author Richard B. Winders; the historian and curator at the Alamo; examines events that led to this epic struggle and concludes that in-fighting among the revolutionary leadership doomed the Alamo garrison.The Texan victories of 1835 created discord among rebel leaders as various factions strove to direct the revolution to meet their own specific goals. That bickering resulted in an almost total breakdown of Texan military forces as individual commands were swept into the political battle. The democratic fervor of the 1830s worked against building a cohesive Texan Army and was largely responsible for the twin tragedies of the Alamo and Goliad.Informative and provocative; Sacrificed at the Alamo will appeal to general readers as well as students of the classic battle and its important place in Texas history.
#3832930 in Books 2007-05-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.45 x 1.57 x 6.30l; 1.70 #File Name: 1862273766416 pages
Review
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful. A balanced viewBy Robert A.; ShoafDespite the title; this book is not a combat history of Napoleon's legendary Imperial Guard; but rather a study of it's raising; expansion; makeup; military and political impact; and whether it's 'invincible" reputation is truly warranted.The Guard's record was actually a mixed bag; especially that of the Young Guard regiments; and not a long string of nothing but victories until Waterloo. An interesting tidbit about the 2nd ( Dutch) Lancers of the Guard's fear of the Cossacks while in Russia in 1812; who called them the red children; and the Old Guard's poor behavior in Moscow and the retreat to the Beresina are balanced by feats of valor and discipline on other fields by the Guard.The book contains numerous maps; including the location of Guard regiments in Paris and environs that I had never seen before. The illustrations; all in black and white; arenothing special. However; a number of appendices on the makeup of the guard; etc.; is quite worthwhile; along with the chapter notes and extensive bibliography.For those; like myself; who have read Lachoque's " The Anatomy of Glory"; this volume should provide a more nuanced; and likely; more accurate record of the Imperial Guard. Highly recommended for anyone with a serious interest in the Napoleonic wars.
