Yoakum hosts Alamo cannon replica with Texas Lt. Governor

The Alamo Trust Inc. hosted a cannon-firing gathering in Yoakum on June 9. More than 120 guests witnessed the firing of a replica of the 18-pound cannon similar to the one Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis used during the siege of the Alamo. The event was held on the property of host Edd Hendee. “There was catering, and entertainment and we shot the replica of the cannon 18 times,” Hendee said. “It’s two to three pounds of black powder every time you fire this cannon, so it’s not insignificant. This raised an enormous amount of money for the Alamo. 18 different people fired the cannon from kids to adults for historical purposes and support. It was just a great time.” The real 18-pound cannon is lost to history. On Feb. 23, 1836, Travis ordered his men to fire the real cannon from the southwest corner of the Alamo into the Mexican encampment in response to General Santa Anna’s offer to surrender according to the Alamo Historical Society.

“The 18-pounder refers to the size of the ball which is the caliber of the cannon,” Hendee said. “So the bigger the ball, the bigger the cannon. The 18-pound cannon was the biggest cannon that the Alamo had, they had one of these. The Mexican Army believed they would prevail in the battle. Colonel Travis answered that demand with a cannon shot from the 18-pounder and that was the ‘go to hell’ heard all around the world.” The replica of this cannon was made based on pictures and drawings of the cannon. “The wooden carriage that the cannon is on was hand made to incredible detail,” Hendee said. “It’s a remarkable piece of history.” “(Patrick) thanked everybody for coming and spoke about the historical significance of the cannon,” Hendee said. “The Alamo Historical people did most of the presentation. It was great to have folks come over and showcase Yoakum. This is who we are, we’re the state that was its own republic... we’re the only one that fought for our independence. The Alamo and San Jacinto are a big part of who Texas is and who we are in our hearts.”