Memorial Day is the federal holiday that was designated after the Civil War in 1867 to honor and remember the personal sacrifices of our brave American soldiers who fought and died for this great country, but Texas history has long forgotten Lt. Col. Juan Seguin and his Tejanos who conducted the military burial for the burnt ashes of the defenders of the Alamo, on Feb. 25, 1837, 30 years earlier.
After fighting for Texas independence in 5 different battles, including the Battle of San Jacinto, Capt. Seguin was promoted to Lt. Col. and commander of the Western frontier (San Antonio). Upon entering the city to pay his respects for his fallen comrades of the Alamo, Seguin discovered one large pile of ashes inside the Alamo and two smaller piles outside the Alamo, close to the Alameda, the cottonwood trees at the eastern entrance of the city.
A coffin was quickly made and neatly covered in black with the names of Travis, Bowie, and Crockett inscribed inside the coffin lid. The Texas flag was draped over the coffin with a sword and musket laid on top.
The church bells of San Fernando ranged all day long until internment around 4 p.m. Most or all the ashes from the two smaller piles were laid inside the coffin,with Seguin’s Tejanos firing three volleys of musket fire at each site. Then Lt. Col. Seguin led the funeral procession to the burial site where the large pile of ashes was placed in a peach orchard, close to the Alamo.
Seguin gave the eulogy in Spanish that included,” I invite you to declare to the entire world, that Texas will be free and independent or we shall perish in glorius combat.”
According to Seguins memoirs, a coffin with some of the ashes was also buried in front of the altar of San Fernando Church close to the steps out of respect for the fallen Catholic defenders of the Alamo. In 1936, construction crews discovered remains of a coffin, bones, skulls, and ashes in front of San Fernando altar, but the exact location of the peach orchard was lost forever.
Lt. Col. Seguin and his Tejanos would be happy and honored to know that their tradition of honoring and remembering the personal sacrifices of our country’s soldiers is still being celebrated; a Tejano tradition that they started since the Republic of Texas.some 30yrs before the end of the Civil War.
Viva Tejas y Vivian los Tejanos
Jack Ayoub, Harlingen
