Remembering Goliad

About the time Mr. Lore finished “Over the Waterfall,” the gates were opened wide again and a procession of Boy Scouts, re-enactors, and some few random civilian flagbearers formed up to head over to the Goliad Cemetery, where the remains of Fannin and his men lie beneath a granite memorial. There were flags for every county, state, or country that one of the fallen had called home (that’s a LOT of flags), plus a piper, a drummer, and an honor guard, and, again, a small company from the 21st Century.

The memorial was very much the standard service – speeches in memory, citations of heroism, a recitation of a commendation penned immediately after the battle.

The honor guard fired three volleys…

Piper Brian Shajari of Beaumont played what sounded suspiciously like a dirge…

Several organizations placed wreaths… (this is Lee Spencer White of the Alamo Descendants)

(and this is Olga Gonzales, a 4th-generation descendant of Francita Alavez (of whom more anon) placing a wreath on behalf of her 350 or so fellow descendants.)

Following all of this, Florencio Torres III of Goliad played Taps and the ceremony ended with most of the participants returning to the Presidio.

(You’re on page 6, and there’s a very little more of this post, plus Coming Attractions – click the next number below to get to it)