fandomhigh | History in Action, Wednesday, 3rd Period

Students arrived today to find themselves standing just outside a structure of white stone, adobe and wood. Walls stretched to either side, one side stone held together with mortar, the other sharpened wood spikes. As their gazes traveled upward, they would have noted the ceiling on this particular part of the structure didn't exist. One door stood open, a silent invitation.

Filtering through the arched doorway of the old church, Professor Roslin was standing in the interior, just before the interior courtyard. Beyond her, random people scuttled back and forth, burdened with various items. They moved with purpose, as though preparing for an approaching storm. Despite their somber mood, Roslin offered a smile. "Good morning and welcome to the Alamo, on March 5, 1836. An historic battle will take place here in the next few hours, one that you may observe or take part in...your choice, of course.

"Up to this point, the territory you have been standing in has been part of Mexico, controlled by Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna. American settlers, however, have been edging their way in. Just last year, in December, a local settler led a revolt against Mexican soldiers quartered in nearby San Antonio. The Mexican soldiers eventually surrendered the city; the Texans immediately began fortifying the Alamo for the battle they were sure would follow.

"On February 23, 1836, the arrival of Santa Anna's army outside San Antonio nearly caught them by surprise. Undaunted, the volunteers prepared to defend the Alamo together. The defenders held out for 13 days against Santa Anna's army. William B. Travis, the commander of the Alamo sent forth couriers carrying pleas for help to communities in Texas.

"On the eighth day of the siege, a band of 32 volunteers from Gonzales arrived, bringing the number of defenders to nearly two hundred. Legend holds that with the possibility of additional help fading, Colonel Travis drew a line on the ground and asked any man willing to stay and fight to step over — all except one did. As the defenders saw it, the Alamo was the key to the defense of Texas, and they were ready to give their lives rather than surrender their position to General Santa Anna. Among the Alamo's garrison were Jim Bowie, a renowned knife fighter, and famous frontiers man Davy Crockett, a former congressman from Tennessee.[1]

"What you see now is what is left after those long days. There are injured, starving people in here; they need hope and they need help. Feel free to contribute in the manner you're best comfortable with.

"Sometime tomorrow morning, the Mexican troops will begin scaling the walls. Most of the people you see here tonight won't survive the day." She gave a slight smile. "Talk to them, hear their stories, and remember them."

With that, she stepped aside and allowed clear entry into the larger fort beyond. She then made her way to check on the Tennessee volunteers before moving on.

[OCD threads ~~coming~~ are up! Tag me if you need anything. I'll be back and forth between boxes and the PC.

[1] Snipped from The Alamo website.]

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Rather than try to set up her sign-in sheet, Laura took roll visually.

Adam Park

Yasutora Sado

Evie Carnahan

Ronan Nolan, Jr

Buffy Summers

Naomi Wildman

Annette Hargrove

Warren Cheswick

Gwynn Hood

Wandering around the fort herself, Laura was more than willing to stop and answer what questions she could.

Discussion was definitely permitted this time, allowing the students to extrapolate on their thoughts as they wandered through what was, essentially, a living exhibit.

Chad was checking things out, being disappointed that he had to fight for the American side and secretly hoping someone would mistake him for a spy and kick him out so he could go fight for, y'know, the good side.

Adam couldn't believe what he was seeing. Sure, he'd learned a bit about the Alamo in history class back in Angel Grove, but it wasn't an experience like this.

He was in awe.

Gwynn was just staring at everything in sort of awe. She had never seen anything like this before.

There were many walking wounded who needed treatment, but refused to settle long enough; more were wounded well beyond the point of further fighting. Compassion and hope was needed more than anything.

And then Chad decided he'd probably spend most of his time here. While he didn't consider this his 'side,' he was intrigued about the possible stories here, the possible opinions, the possible ideals, and felt compassion for anyone willing to suffer through this for something bigger than himself.

Evie was actually carrying on an animated conversation with James Gwynne, a Briton who'd moved to Texas, and trying very hard not to think of Jonathan being in a similar situation, somewhere in Jerusalem.

Adam was willing to help out people who were hurt, in any way that he could. He didn't like seeing people suffer, so he tried to do everything he could to ease their pain.

Ronan made his way among the wounded, tending to their injuries; subtly, he wove a few healing spells, but hesitated to do anything overt, as much as he might wish that someone at the battle could have.

Though Gwynn was usually more of a fighter than a healer, she was trying to tend to the injured and just talk to them.

...

It was possible, for the moment, to join the Tennessee volunteers as they recuperated and did their best to taunt the waiting Mexican army.

Davy Crockett and a colonel by the name of Juan Seguin stood near a break in the wall, observing the Mexican troops beyond. "Davy," Seguin said, "you said you wanted to see him."

Crockett raised his brows and looked to Seguin. "Where?"

"There."

The sharp-shooter noted a shorter man, clad in a bright blue uniform, styled not unlike the one Napoleon was fabled to wear. "That's Santa Anna?"

"Yes, the 'Napoleon of the West.'"

As they stood watching, the Mexican leader puffed out his chest, ordering cannon into place. Crockett snorted. "Quite the peacock, ain't he?" With a lopsided grin, he brought the rifle up to sight. Firing off a shot, Santa Anna jumped a bit in the distance. Small bits of gold braid could be seen as he jumped.

The frontiersman chuckled. "Wind kicked in."

[Above taken from The Alamo. Fun movie. Not entirely accurate, but fun.]

There wasn't much in the way of supplies, so anything possible was used in fortifying the walls. To quote Jonathan Carnahan, "Come on! Put your backs into it!"

After tending some of the wounded, Evie needed to do something less interactive. It was all very upsetting, but the wall was going up pretty well.

Adam was all for fortifying the wall, after aiding people who were injured.

After the class ended, Laura cancelled the human additions to the scene and took a few minutes to look around. She felt a strange kinship to this place and the people who died in its defense.

She was available to meet with students, however, should the need arise.

...because no post is complete without one.

History in Action, Wednesday, 3rd Period

Sign In

Re: Sign In

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Re: Sign In

Re: Sign In

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Re: Sign In

Questions

Asides

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Tending the Wounded

Re: Tending the Wounded

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Re: Tending the Wounded

Joining the Fight

Taunting the Enemy

Fortifying the Walls

Re: Fortifying the Walls

Re: Fortifying the Walls

After Class

OOC