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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 new, 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 in-depth coverage reveals the gallantry displayed by individuals on both sides of the conflict, as well as the atrocities of war. Most of all, it provides a balanced view of the Revolution that fairly assesses the conduct of both Texans and Mexicans. Texian Iliad belongs on the bookshelf of everyone interested in Texas or military history, as well as of general readers who want the facts behind the legends.
List of contents
- List of Illustrations
- Preface
- Acknowledgments
- 1. "We Are All Captains and Have Our Views"
- 2. "Not Withstanding Peculiar Circumstances"
- 3. "We Flogged Them Like Hell"
- 4. "The Spectacle Becomes Appalling"
- 5. "Crude Bumpkins. Proud and Overbearing"
- 6. "Scoundrels Abroad and Scoundrels at Home"
- 7. "Determined Valor and Desperate Courage"
- 8. "We Are in a Critical Situation"
- 9. "The Enemy Are Laughing You to Scorn"
- 10. "Nock There Brains Out"
- Photographs and Portraits
- Epilogue
- Notes
- Selected Bibliography
- Index
About the author
By Stephen L. Hardin
Summary
This award-winning book belongs on the bookshelf of everyone interested in Texas or military history
