REMEMBER THE ALAMO! REMEMBER GOLIAD!

I love history.  I especially love Texas history.  On our way home from the Valley, we decided to spend the night at Goliad State Park.  Mr. W, nor I had ever been to Goliad and we had never visited the presidio there.  Goliad holds a big part of Texas history.  

In early August 1812, during the Mexican War of Independence, Mexican revolutionary Bernardo Gutiérrez de Lara and his recruits, called the Republican Army of the North, invaded Texas.  In November the invaders captured Presidio La Bahia.  For the next four months, Texas governor Manuel María de Salcedo laid siege to the fort. Unable to win a decisive victory, Salcedo lifted the siege on February 19, 1813, and turned toward San Antonio de Bexar. The rebels controlled the presidio until July or August 1813, when José Joaquín de Arredondo led royalist troops in retaking all of Texas.  Henry Perry, a member of the Republican Army of the North, led forces back to Texas in 1817 and attempted to recapture La Bahia. The Spanish reinforced the presidio with soldiers from San Antonio, and defeated Perry's forces on June 18 near Coleto Creek.

Entering the presidio

Artifacts recovered at the site

More artifacts

The area was invaded again in 1821. The United States and Spain had signed the Adams–Onís Treaty in 1819, which ceded all US territorial claims on the Texas area to Spain. On October 4, the Long Expedition (with 52 members) captured La Bahia. Four days later, Colonel Ignacio Pérez arrived with troops from Bexar, and Long surrendered. By the end of 1821, Mexico had achieved its independence from Spain, and Texas became part of the newly created country.

La Bahia was soon "the only fortress for the entire Gulf Coast from the mouth of the Rio Grande to the Mississippi River". The presidio was at the crossroads of several major trade and military routes. It quickly became one of the three most important areas in Texas, alongside Béxar and Nacogdoches. 

In 1829, the name of the Mexican Texas village of La Bahía was changed to "Goliad", believed to be an anagram of Hidalgo (omitting the silent initial "H"), in honor of the patriot priest Miguel Hidalgo, the father of the Mexican War of Independence.

On October 9, 1835, in the early days of the Texas Revolution, a group of Anglo-American immigrants attacked the presidio in the Battle of Goliad. The Mexican garrison quickly surrendered, leaving the Anglo-Americans in control of the fort. The first declaration of independence of the Republic of Texas was signed here on December 20, 1835. 

Catholic church still in use at the presidio

They have mass every Sunday evening

After Santa Anna learned a force of Texas rebels was heading toward Matamoros, he sent General Urrea to make his way north to Matamoros and then to march north along the coast of Texas to stop them. Urrea arrived in Matamoros and worked to secure cooperation from the local inhabitants on January 31, 1836. Meanwhile, Sam Houston had persuaded all but 70 to 100 men and their leaders, Frank W. Johnson and James Grant, to give up on the expedition and to defend locations in Texas, principally Goliad. On February 12, 1836, Colonel James Fannin took most of the men to defend Presidio La Bahía at Goliad, which he renamed "Fort Defiance".

On February 16, 1836, Urrea crossed the Rio Grande with 188 cavalry and 205 infantry. He recruited about 200 Tejano volunteers from the area, including some previously sympathetic to the Texans, to join him.

At 3:00 a.m. on February 27, 1836, Urrea's advance patrol surprised Johnson and about 45 men, initiating the Battle of San Patricio, where Urrea's force killed 16 and took 24 prisoners. Johnson and four others escaped in the darkness and rejoined Fannin's command at Goliad where they retold a story, which they first told at a ranch where they had taken refuge after the escape, that all the prisoners had been executed. Urrea had sent 18 of the prisoners to Matamoros where they were sentenced to death but were later released. This news persuaded Fannin to abandon any further attempt to send relief to the Alamo or to try to secure badly needed supplies waiting at Matagorda but to prepare Presidio La Bahía at Goliad for defense against the advancing Mexican Army.

On March 2, at the Battle of Agua Dulce, Grant was killed, as were about 20 other men under his command.

On March 6, the Mexican force under Santa Anna stormed the Alamo and killed the garrison.

On March 14, Colonel William Ward and 200 men, who had been sent to help Captain Amon B. King evacuate colonists at Refugio, were surrounded by Urrea's force. Although Ward and his men fled that night during a blinding rainstorm, the Mexicans overtook part of Ward's force, killing 18 and capturing 31.

King and a group were executed on March 16 at Refugio, but some 15 to 18 prisoners were marched to Goliad to serve as blacksmiths or mechanics.

After capturing one of Fannin's messengers with dispatches that told of his plan to wait at Goliad then retreat after King and Ward returned, Urrea ordered the execution of 30 prisoners he decided were mercenaries, but freed over 20 others he determined to be Mexicans or colonists so he would not be hindered by taking prisoners along on his advance on Fannin's force.

On March 19, Urrea had quickly advanced and surrounded 300 men of the Texan Army on the open prairie, near La Bahia (Goliad). The two-day Battle of Coleto ensued, with the Texans holding their own on the first day. However, the Mexicans received overwhelming reinforcements and heavy artillery. In this critical predicament, Fannin and the majority of the men voted to surrender the Texan forces on March 20. Led to believe that they would be paroled and released into the United States, they were returned to the fort at Goliad, now their prison.

The Mexicans took the Texans back to Goliad, where they were held as prisoners at Fort Defiance (Presidio La Bahia). The Texans thought they would likely be set free in a few weeks. Urrea departed Goliad, leaving Colonel José Nicolás de la Portilla in command. Urrea wrote to Santa Anna to ask for clemency for the Texans. Santa Anna refused and ordered their immediate execution.

Palm Sunday, March 27, 1836, Portilla had between 425 and 445 Texans marched out of Fort Defiance in three columns on the Bexar Road, San Patricio Road, and the Victoria Road, between two rows of Mexican soldiers; they were shot point blank, wounded survivors were clubbed and knifed to death.

Forty Texans were unable to walk. Thirty-nine were killed inside the fort under the direction of Captain Carolino Huerta of the Tres Villas battalion, with Colonel Garay saving one, Jack Shackelford. Fannin was the last to be executed, after seeing his men killed. Aged 32, he was taken by Mexican soldiers to the courtyard in front of the chapel, blindfolded, and seated in a chair (due to his leg wound from the battle). He made three requests: that his personal possessions be sent to his family, to be shot in the heart and not the face, and to be given a Christian burial. The soldiers took his belongings, shot him in the face, and burned his body along with those of the other Texans who died that day. 

Owing to the intervention of Francita Alavez (the "Angel of Goliad") 20  men were spared to act as doctors, interpreters, or workers. The massive number of Texan prisoner-of-war casualties throughout the Goliad Campaign led to Goliad being called a "massacre" by Texan forces.

After the executions, the Texans' bodies were piled and burned. Their charred remains were left in the open, unburied, and exposed to vultures and coyotes. Nearly one month later, word reached La Bahia (Goliad) that Santa Anna had been defeated and surrendered while trying to flee at the Battle of San Jacinto.

On April 21, 1836, Sam Houston and some 800 Texans defeated Santa Anna’s Mexican force of approximately 1,500 men at the Battle of San Jacinto, shouting “Remember the Alamo!” and "Remember Goliad!" as they attacked. The victory ensured the success of Texan independence: In mid-May, Santa Anna, who had been taken prisoner during the battle, signed a peace treaty at Velasco, Texas, in which he recognized Texas’ independence in exchange for his freedom. 

General Thomas J. Rusk found the remains of the massacre victims in June 1836 and gave orders for a formal military funeral. The remains were interred at the location southeast of the Presidio la Bahia where the Fannin Memorial Monument now stands. The whereabouts of the gravesite was forgotten until years later when human bone fragments were discovered by a group of boys.

In 1939, the Fannin Memorial Monument was erected at the gravesite. It features an art deco relief sculpture and the names of the men who were slain.

Goliad State Park is a nice park.  They have a loop that has full hook-ups for $25 a night plus some other daily fees unless you have a state park pass.  We are staying in the loop that is water/electricity. It is $20 a night.  They will also do monthly rentals during the winter months that range from $450-$600 monthly. They are level sites and the full hook-up sites are all pull-ins.  Mr. W says the bathrooms are old but clean and very functional.  

Goliad is short on restaurants.  We arrived at 1:30 and were set up by 2:00 and set out to have lunch.  Dairy Queen and Whataburger were our choices.  We decided to drive 9 miles to Fannin, TX to eat barbecue.  Big mistake.  McMillan Barbecue was H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E.  It was so bad that I had to ask for different meat because the brisket they originally served me could not be cut with a knife and I could not bite through it with my teeth.  The next batch of meat was not any better.  There was one slice that I could eat in the first batch and one slice I could eat in the second batch.  Mr. W ordered a sliced brisket sandwich and his was almost as bad. It was also very expensive.  HOWEVER, the people there were very nice and ended up telling us that they weren't going to charge us. They said they had been very busy and were sorry. They asked us to please come back and give them another try.  As I said, they were very nice, but I won't be going back. 

So, there you go.  Goliad is full of Texas history.  Go visit.  

DAINGERFIELD STATE PARK

We are headed back to Texas.  Actually, we are already in Texas.  However, on our way back, we discovered a GEM of a state park that we have never been to before.  We stayed there for one night on our way home.

When you drive in, it is typical east Texas piney woods foliage.  Each camping loop is very wooded with all of the natural vegetation left in place.  There was only one loop that they consider the sites big enough for us.  We have a 38 ft. fifth wheel.  All of the sites in that loop (10 of them) are the arced shaped pads. Sites 6-10 are on the side with the lake. However, almost all of the park has full hook-ups!  There was only one loop that was for tents only and that loop only had water,  no electric or sewer.  All of the sites are pretty small.  You can tell it was built by the CCC many years ago when campers were little. The bath houses were really nice according to Mr. W.  He thinks they have been updated since they were built.  He said they were one of the nicest bath houses in any Texas state park he has been in. He is pretty particular about bath houses.

The roads are very wooded.

Our site

The site across from us looking at the lake.

We went around to where the day use of the park was located.  They had 2 sets of swings, a meeting building, a store, volleyball net, canoes, paddle boats, and a fishing pier. They also have a swimming area in the lake with a swim platform. There are many hiking trails.  A fish cleaning station at the pier.  There is an amphitheater. Plenty of picnic tables, a couple of cabins, and this part of the park is well manicured.

One of the cabins

See how manicured?

The group meeting area and the store.  There is also a seating area under the opening with a big fireplace.  In the cool weather, you can sit by the fireplace and look at the lake.

This is a "deck" area on the back of the group meeting area.  That is the swim platform in the lake.

There is the volleyball net.  There are also picnic tables down by the lake.

The swings

Paddle boats and the fishing pier

They have T-shirts in their store and they are $10.50.  I went to buy one before we left and they only had size small.  The girl said they had ordered more shirts 2 days ago.  Oh well.  Maybe next time.  I would like to come back and swim in the lake.  Mr. W wants to come back and fish.  What a jewel!  It's not close to anything.  But, it is well worth a visit if you are travelling through.

CHATTANOOGA, TENNESSEE AND HARRISON BAY STATE PARK

Our last day in Chattanooga was spent going downtown to see and walk on the world's longest pedestrian bridge. Now, that is according to Chattanooga.com. But, I read a review that said this bridge is 1/2 mile across and there is one in New York that is 1.3 miles across.  So, who knows.

Built in 1890, the 2,376 feet Walnut Street Bridge was the first to connect Chattanooga, Tennessee's downtown with the North Shore. According to a plaque on the bridge, Edwin Thacher was the chief engineer for the bridge. The bridge's superstructure was assembled by the Smith Bridge Company of Toledo, Ohio, which was a prolific late 19th-century bridge builder.

The bridge was closed to motor vehicles in 1978 and sat in disuse and disrepair for nearly a decade. Repairs and structural modifications have been made to turn the bridge into what is now a pedestrian walkway. The Walnut Street Bridge was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 23, 1990. The 2,376 foot pedestrian bridge sits near the heart of a massive and recently completed urban renewal project.

The Tennessee Aquarium, Creative Discovery Museum, Hunter Museum of Art, Bluff View Art District, Coolidge and Renaissance Parks, Tivoli Theater, and the newly revitalized waterfront are all within close walking distance of either side of the bridge. Also accessible are several hotels, over 50 restaurants and bars, and several shopping areas. The free electric shuttle can connect you to the Choo-Choo and other Southside attractions.

We walked across the bridge and back.  We went over to the Hunter Museum of Art but didn't go in.  We walked to where the Aquarium was and ate lunch on some tiered concrete seats by the river.  It was a great day with some beautiful sights. They do have 20 miles of hike/bike trail long the river.  The next time we come to Chattanooga, we will do some of the hike/bike trail.  It looked pretty level and you can even ride your bike across the bridge.

Walkway to the bridge

The bridge

Looking at the Tennessee River from the bridge

Some Stand Up Paddleboarders

One of the park areas by the bridge

Fun splash pad for kids and kids at heart

The paddleboat passengers waving at us.

The first structure of the art museum

This statue grouping was named Full Count.  Being a baseball fan, I had to take a picture.

We stayed at a state park, Harrison Bay State Park.  You can pick your site when you make your reservation.  Mr. W has gotten really good at using Google Earth to check out the sites before he books.  This state park was awesome.  It had a marina, restaurant, huge swimming pool, playground, and fishing piers galore.  When we are in the area, we will definitely stay here again.  The site we were in was pretty awesome.  But, we did find another site that we checked out.  We will pick that site next time.  I'm not telling you what site it is either.  You might try to book it when I want it! :) They have water and electricity but no sewer.  They have 2 dump stations that I saw.  The restaurant had a good menu.  The sites are not very level except in one of the loops and that loop costs more than the others.  It was very reasonably priced.  You need to check it out.

Looking from our patio

Looking out from the side of the patio

MYRTLE BEACH STATE PARK

The last time we were in Myrtle Beach we stayed in a Coast to Coast park in North Myrtle Beach.  It was really nice. However, since it was spring break around here and we did not plan this as far in advance as we normally do, that park was full.  Also, SIL had asked for and received a tent for a Christmas present and he and Daughter wanted to use the tent.  The C2C park did not allow tents. There were openings at Myrtle Beach State Park and they allowed tents on your site.  So there you go, we booked at Myrtle Beach State Park.

As you drive down the highway that runs close to the shoreline in Myrtle Beach, you pass MANY RV parks.  Each of these parks have "catchy" names like "Myrtle Beach Fun 'n Sun RV Park - The place with more fun things for kids and family to do in the sun" or "Family Paradise Island RV Park- Stay with us and see our pirates, pool, and playground".  I was surprised at how many there were and how big they were.

The state park is very beautiful as you drive in.  I didn't expect it to look like it did.  It was very wooded and still in its natural state.

The park has 336 sites and around 66 of those sites have full hook-ups.  There are around 50 sites that have 50 amp and most of the 50 amp are not the full hook-up sites.   Only about 15 of the sites have 50 amp and sewer.  I would imagine, if you wanted one of those sites, you better book way in advance.  We had a 50 amp site with water and electricity.  We have figured out how long we can go without having a sewer connection so we were good.  They also have cabins you can rent.

Mr. W and I set out to explore and look the park over.  They have a really nice hike/bike path throughout the park.  It even continues out of the park, along the road, and over to a shopping center that has a grocery store and some other stores.  Convenient if you want to ride over to the store instead of having to drive.  All of the bike trail is either paved or on a boardwalk.

Mr. W on the hike/bike trail

The park has over a mile of beach front and many, many boardwalk crossovers to reach the beach.  There is a nature center and an activity center.  The rangers were doing 3 activities a day with kids at the activity center.  There are 2 small stores (basic necessities) and one served ice cream.  They have a fishing pier at one of the stores.  There were 2 playgrounds and 2 laundromats.  The laundromats were not as nice as what a review said they were.  Only half the machines were working and the facility was not very clean.  For this size of park, they needed all the machines working. Also, there is only one dump station.

Looking out at part of the shoreline where the fishing pier is.

Looking down the beach from on the fishing pier.

On the fishing pier (Do I remind you of Edith Ann? Some of you probably don't know who Edith Ann is!)

Also on the fishing pier

As soon as we were all set up, the kids (and I'm referring to the "adult" kids and the "kid" kids) wanted to hurry to the beach for some sun and water.  The "adult" kids soon found out that the water was still FREEZING.  That did not stop the "kid" kids.

Since the "adult" kids still wanted to be kids, they decided to take pictures of themselves doing handstands.  Supposedly, all the college kids in South Carolina took pictures of themselves doing handstands while they were on spring break.  So, being college kids at heart, why not follow the trend?  As you will see in the pics below, Daughter smoked SIL in the handstand contest. :)

OK, now wait, hold it......

No, no, wait.......I don't have the pic yet.....

Girls rule.......

One of the playgrounds was in a really big picnic area with many picnic tables and grills.  The sites did not have their own grill.  We decided to take the girls to the playground one evening and grill hamburgers for dinner.  That turned out to a great idea.  The girls were entertained while the adults sat around and visited while grilling.  We had taken the iPod player with us and a song came on that Mr. W likes, so we got up and started dancing.  Hey, life is short.  Dance like no one is looking.

The state park wasn't cheap.  With 6 people on our site, 1 RV and 1 tent, and 2 vehicles, it was $44 a night.  Remember, that is not a full hook-up site.  So, I would definitely go back because it is so pretty and the sites are close but not on top of each other.  But, I might check into some of the other parks too.  It was a great time together and that's what really counts.