Thirteen Days of Glory:

Texans fought to the death for liberty over tyranny.

Thirteen days of glory all started 185 years ago on February 23, 1836, when the Mexican dictator, Generalisimo Santa Anna, showed up in a town called San Antonio de Bexar and began the siege against a small outpost called The Alamo. There, inside this small fortified old Spanish mission, were less than 200 men who were determined to make a stand for what would soon be the Republic of Texas. They were led by a young 26-year-old from South Carolina, Lt. Col. William Barret Travis. The small garrison included men whose names will forever be remembered in American folklore: Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett.

It was the following day, February 24, that Col. Travis wrote what would become a rallying cry and historic letter. He gave that letter to a young man for whom a Texas town is named, Juan Seguin, for delivery to Gen. Sam Houston. Last week we issued a press release reminding Texans and all Americans of the 185th anniversary of the Travis letter. His closing words, “Victory or Death” echo throughout the ages, and are pertinent, relevant, for us today. Travis’ line in the sand is a call to action for Texas patriots today.

They stood there on those ramparts, numbering just under 200 men, against some 3,000-4,000. They were committed to not surrendering, nor retreating. They knew their stand would enable something greater: a chance for liberty and freedom from a tyrant. 

This week, on March 2nd, will be the 185th anniversary of the Texas Declaration of Independence. Those men at The Alamo had no knowledge that they were fighting for a newly established Republic of Texas, but they displayed impeccable character, commitment, and courage realizing that they were preserving the essence of individual sovereignty, something we enjoy today and that we must fight to preserve.

They stood there on those ramparts, men of honor, ready to take their place in the annals of glory, when on March 6th, at dawn, the final Mexican assault came. The Alamo fell on that day, but Texas rose. We Texans, today, must make the decision: shall we continue to rise, to live out our days of glory . . . or have those days ended?

When I see bills, legislation, filed in the Texas State House of Representatives — such as HB 3, by a Republican — that expands executive power it should concern us all. This week we remember, 185 years ago, how a few men stood up against dictatorial powers. How is it that we are seeking to expand such powers?

Last week, the Satanic Temple of Texas filed suit against the State of Texas, stating our laws infringe on their religious freedom. They have filed a complaint against Texas laws that restrict the murder of preborn babies. These individuals have billboards that state “abortion saves lives.” I fail to see the glory in murdering, dismembering, unborn babies in the womb.

This week, 185 years ago, the Republic of Texas was established, a sovereign Republic. Nine years later, the Republic of Texas became the 28th sovereign state in these United States of America. 

Now we are facing the scourge of illegal immigration and a federal government that has abdicated its role in protecting our sovereign borders from illegal entry, invasion. There is no glory in the fact that Texas is the number one state in America for human and sex trafficking, Dallas and Houston being the top two cities. There is no glory in exposing our citizens to the dangers of drug trafficking, gangs, illegal immigrant criminality, and a potential resurgence of COVID issues.

The Texas revolution that has gifted us with this incredible land began on October 2, 1835, in a little town called Gonzales. It was there that those Texians refused to be disarmed, and would not surrender their cannon. They spoke those words of glory, “Come and Take It.” However, today, a Texas Democrat member of Congress, Sheila Jackson-Lee, is leading the charge to disarm our country. HR 127 and HR 130 would render us subjects, not citizens, disarming us, and enabling greater totalitarian rule.

This week, all of us in Texas should remember the Thirteen Days of Glory and what this season means for us as Texans. Ask yourselves, how will you be remembered? I will be in San Antonio this Saturday, March 6, 2021, on the 185th remembrance day of the fall of The Alamo. I will stand there before The Cenotaph remembering the honor and glory of those who have enabled us to rise at this moment . . . a season of renewal to our commitment to Liberty.

Steadfast and Loyal,

Mr. POE of Texas. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the unique history of the great state of Texas.
  Today, March 2, marks Texas Independence Day.
  On this day, 175 years ago, Texas declared its independence from Mexico and its dictator, Santa Anna, the 19th century Muammar Gadhafi.
  In 1836, in the small farm village of Washington-on-the-Brazos, 54  Texians, as they called themselves in those days, gathered to do something bold and courageous: Sign the Texas Declaration of Independence and once and for all ``declare that the people of Texas do 
now constitute a free, sovereign, and independent republic.''
  As these determined delegates met to declare independence, Santa Anna and 6,000 enemy troops were marching on an old beat-up Spanish mission 
that we now call the Alamo, where Texas defenders stood defiant, stood determined.
  They were led by a 27-year-old lawyer by the name of William Barrett Travis.
  The Alamo and its 186 Texans were all that stood between the invaders and the people of Texas.
  And behind the cold, dark, damp walls of that Alamo, Commander William Barrett Travis sent the following letter to Texas requesting aid.
  Here is what this appeal said in part: ``To all the people of Texas and Americans throughout the world, I am besieged by a thousand or more 
of the enemy under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual bombardment and cannon fire for over 24 hours, but I have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at its discretion; otherwise the fort will be put to the sword. I have answered that demand with a cannon shot, and 
the flag still waves proudly over the wall. I shall never surrender or retreat. I call upon you in the name of liberty and patriotism and everything dear to our character to come to our aid with all dispatch. 
If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself for as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due his honor and that of his country. Victory or death.''--William Barrett 
Travis, Colonel, Texas Army.
  After 13 days of glory at the Alamo, Commander Travis and his men sacrificed their lives on the altar of freedom March 6, 1836.
  However, those lives would not be lost in vain. Their determination did pay off, and because heroes like Travis, Davy Crockett and Jim 
Bowie held out so long, Santa Anna's forces took such great losses they 
became battered and demoralized.
  As Travis said, ``Victory will cost them more dearly than defeat.''
  The Alamo defenders were from every State and 13 foreign countries.
  They were black, brown, and white. Their ages were 16 through 67, and 
they were all volunteers.
  They were mavericks, revolutionaries, farmers, shopkeepers, and freedom fighters; and they came together to fight for something they 
believed in: freedom and independence.
  General Sam Houston, in turn, had the time he needed to devise a strategy to rally other Texas volunteers to ultimately defeat Santa Anna in the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836.
  The rest is Texas history.
  The war was over, and the Lone Star flag was visible all across the broad, bold, brazen plains of Texas.
  Texas remained a nation for 9 years and claimed land that now includes part of New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Wyoming, even up to the Canadian border.
  In 1845, Texas was admitted to the Union by only one vote when a Louisiana Senator changed his mind.
  By Treaty with the United States, Texas may divide into five States, and the Texas flag is to fly even with the U.S. flag and not below it.
  Freedom has a cost. It always does. It always will.
  And as we pause to remember those who lost their lives so that Texas could be a free Nation, we cannot forget those Americans that are currently fighting in lands across the seas for the United States' 
continued freedom and liberty today.
  Texas Independence Day is a day of pride and reflection in the Lone Star State.
  It is a day we remember to pay tribute to heroes like William Barrett Travis, Jim Bowie, Davy Crockett, Jim Bonham, Sam Houston, and the rest 
of the volunteers who fought the evil tyrant and terrorist Saint Anna. 
It was an effort to make Texas free, and that effort was successful.
  My first grandson is named Barrett Houston in honor of William Barrett Travis and General Sam Houston.
  So, today, we remember that Texas was a glorious nation once and won 
freedom and independence because some fierce volunteers fought to the death for liberty over tyranny.
  On this Texas Independence Day, let us not forget those brave men and 
women in our military that are fighting to preserve and uphold our freedom from a new world threat of terrorism.
  Mr. Speaker, I hope that the Congress and the country will join in celebrating this Texas Independence Day.
  In Colonel Travis' final letter and appeal for aid, he signed off 
with three words that I leave with you now: ``God and Texas.'' ``God 
and Texas'' and the rest, as they say, is Texas history.