The Flight of the Saltire

[BoldHighlander]

Wonderful!

You know the only time I was near Washington On The Brazos was late one night as we were traveling w/ in-laws the night before Thanksgiving. Unfortunately another site I missed & never got to return to visit!

Thanks for sharing.

[Zardoz]

On May 9th, Mrs.Z and I took the Saltire on a trip to visit the San Jacinto Battleground and Monument, and the Battleship Texas, just east of Houston. Unlike my last couple of outings, the weather was blustery and cloudy, so I'm sorry some of the photos are a bit dark.


The Monument as seen from the park entrance road.

The world’s tallest war memorial stands at San Jacinto. It was finished in 1939 and at 570 feet, is 15 feet taller than the Washington monument. It honors all those who fought for Texas independence.
A museum is located in the base of the monument, greeting visitors with bronze doors emblazoned with the six flags of Texas. The base is 125 feet square, with text panels highlighting significant events in history leading up to and resulting from the Texas Revolution.
The shaft itself is octagonal, 48 feet at its base, 30 feet at the observation level and 19 feet square at the base of its crowning jewel—a 220-ton star made from stone, steel and concrete. Despite the scale, danger and novelty of the project, not a single life was lost during its construction.


Mrs.Z and I by the reflecting pool.


Me by the base of the monument. you can see one text panels highlighting events in Texas history behind me.


We took the 500 foot elevator trip to the observation deck and took a look around.

In this shot you can see the battleship Texas, and get a close look at the fossil outlines in the cordova shell stone that the moument is clad with. This shell stone is over 100 million years old and was quarried from Burnet County north of Austin.


This is the original battlefield obelisk, erected near the site of the Texian camp.

The Battle of San Jacinto was fought on April 21, 1836. It was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution, following defeats at Goliad and the Alamo. About 900 men of the Texas Army led by General Sam Houston engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican force of 1200 in a fight that lasted just eighteen minutes.
The Texans achieved complete surprise. It was a bold attack in broad daylight but its success can be attributed in good part to Santa Anna's failure to post guards during the army's siesta. Santa Anna's army primarily consisted of professional soldiers, but they were trained to fight in ranks, exchanging volleys with their opponents. The Mexicans were ill-prepared for brawling of frontiersmen with long knives, clenched fists, and cries of "Remember the Alamo!" and "Remember Goliad!"

About 700 of the Mexican soldiers were killed and 730 captured, while only nine Texans died. Santa Anna was found the next day hiding in the grass and dressed as a common foot soldier. He was identified after other Mexican prisoners called him "El Presidente", and surrendered personally to Sam Houston.





Among the battlefield graves, are a few graves of people who survived the battle, but still wished to be buried among their fallen comrads. the state has replaced many of the markers that have not servived the years and weather.

For Mexico, the defeat at San Jacinto was the beginning of a downhill political spiral that would result into the loss of nearly a million square miles in territory. For the Texans, their victory led to a new republic, and later annexation into the United States, and the United States' war with Mexico. In the end, the United States would gain not only Texas but also New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Utah and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Wyoming.

As a result of the Battle of San Jacinto, almost a third of what is now the United States of America changed ownership.

[Zardoz]

Since Sam Houston is buried near his last home in Huntsville, Texas, this Pecan tree from his property was re-planted at San Jacinto.





Also that day, we visited the Battleship Texas, BB35, which is moored nearby the San Jacinto Monument.



The TEXAS was authorized on 24 June 1910, and launched in 1912.
She is 573 feet long, and armed with 10 14-inch guns, 21 5-inch guns, 4 3-pounders, and 4 21-inch torpedo tubes (submerged)

As a US Navy ship from 1914 to 1948, BB35 sailed 728,000 miles ranging north to Iceland, south to Chile, east to Italy and west to the Philippines. She crossed the Panama Canal 16 times.

The ship's longevity gives BB35 an extensive and diverse operational history. Her first mission was in May 1914 off Veracruz Mexico, supporting the American forces ashore. The Texas is the only surviving USN vessel that fought in WWI and WWII. In WWII, Texas was the only US battleship to see combat in Europe, Africa and the Pacific. The ship's last operational mission returned 4,267 troops from the Pacific to California in time for Christmas in 1945.



The Texas was decommissioned on 21 April 1948 at San Jacinto State Park and turned over to the state of Texas to serve as a permanent memorial. Her name was struck from the Navy list on 30 April 1948.

[Jock Scot]

Wow, what a history lesson! Well done Mr and Mrs Z!

[macwilkin]

I was last on Texas back in 1982 when my grandparents took me to Houston. As Jock says, thanks for the history lesson Mark!

T.

[BoldHighlander]

Indeed! Thank you!

[cessna152towser]

Fabulous history lesson and wonderful pics, you have really done the Saltire proud, many thanks.

[Zardoz]

Well, tonight we braved some hefty thunderstorms and took the Saltire to the Houston Highland Games warm-up party at the Tilted Kilt....

We had a few of the usual diehards show up in spite of the weather!


What's wrong with this picture..........

Oh yeah, needs more girls!

X-Markers; TriolaMJ, Trifin, Jack Daw, Medic78, Zardoz, and a guy I think just lined up cause everybody else did!

See you all after the games!

.

[MacMillans son]

As others have said, much thanks Zardoz!

Any ideas as to why I can't see any photos, or links to photos?

[Jock Scot]

No pictures for me either. Oh well, I will pop back later and see what happens then. Yes! Here we go. I, er, well, am very impressed in how Mr J D, ever the gentleman, is "helping" that young lady to hold up that oh so heavy Saltire!