Echoes from Women of the Alamo

by Gale Hamilton Shiffrin

Many books have been written about the Alamo and the heroes who died there; lore on the battle and the heroes is endless. However, very little has been written, and much of it wrong, about the women who survived that tragic and historic event in 1836 including Susanna Dickinson and her daughter Angelina. Even less has been published about the lives of the two major contestants, Adina De Zavala and Clara Driscoll, in another “battle” from 1905 to 1910, a dispute known as the “Second Battle of the Alamo”, over the convento/”long barracks” building and the Alamo “Chapel” as it was called then. Some say it hasn’t ended yet.

This book is an attempt to correct many myths perpetrated about the survivors and exposes the reader to fascinating material involving the survival of the shrine itself. It is the result of research on the Alamo women and the stories of them shared by the author over many years.

About the Gale Hamilton Shiffrin, a fourth generation Texan, grew up with a life-long love of Texas history. A longtime member of the Bexar County History Commission and the San Antonio Conservation Society, her research of Texas and local San Antonio history spanned a decade. She also published material on the topic and was a popular educational lecturer.

406 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1999

Reviews

[CJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was in San Antonio in February for business. I've never been to Texas and was thrilled to visit someplace new and see the Alamo. Everyone said, "Can you believe it's so small??!?" I couldn't. We toured the place and made our way to the bookstore. I love finding local books about places I've been just to have a flavor of them.

In all the stories I've heard about the Alamo, I never knew there were women and children in it during the siege. It's not surprising that their stories have gone untold for so many years. Ms. Shiffrin gives voice to these people who've been silent and even tells of their lives after they left the Alamo. I found this part of the book fascinating - and wished that there was more of it.

The second half of the book deals with the rift in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and whose ideas for preserving it were correct. Most of it was interesting and it was clear on whose side Ms. Shiffrin came down. In the interest of scholars of the Alamo, it's good to have it all in one place. It just didn't make for the most compelling reading.

[Jeanne Henry · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good information about Susanna Dickinson, Anna Esparza and other women who survived the Alamo. Ms. Shiffrin is determined to get to the bottom of the truth, and to dispell sensational rumors.