Duel of Eagles: The Mexican and U.S. Fight for the Alamo [Hardcover]

Jeff Long (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: July 1990

The myths began before the first wall crumbled of that fortress ennobled by the rallying call "Remember the Alamo". Duel of Eagles gives us the true story, as dramatic as any legend, of the people and events on both sides of the border that led to the battle for Texas. 28 photographs; 3 maps.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Long states bluntly that the "so-called Texas Revolution was designed only to wrench a huge chunk of Mexican territory free of Mexican control long enough for the United States to annex it." How the Anglo-Americans accomplished it is the subject of this dramatic revisionist look at the 1835-1836 war for Texan independence. The book emphasizes the white revolutionaries' racist contempt for and brutalization of the indigenous population, and the savagery on both sides during the military engagements at Gonzales, the Alamo, Goliad and the decisive victory over Santa Anna's forces at San Jacinto. Sweeping aside stock legends of the war, Long ( Outlaw: The True Story of Claude Dallas ) roasts several famed figures, including Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. The commander of the Alamo garrison, William Travis, is portrayed as a syphilitic satyr unfit to lead men in battle. Sam Houston shows up as both an alcoholic and an opium addict. Texans will be outraged. Others are likely to enjoy this brazen debunking of sacred local myths. History Book Club dual main selection. Photos.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

The perennial story of the fall of the Alamo is about due for a modern retelling, and this popular history will nicely fill the bill. Long makes use of many Mexican accounts which have been long known but often neglected. His work takes in the entire Texan War, but he finds few genuine heroes on either side except for the long-suffering private soldiers and civilians. The book goes far to cut through the jungle of heroic myths which have grown up about the conflict. This is lively and provocative reading which all Southwest buffs will enjoy. Recommended for public libraries.
- Raymond L. Puffer, U.S. Air Force History Prog . , Los Angeles
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 431 pages
• Publisher: William Morrow & Co; 1st edition (July 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0688072526
• ISBN-13: 978-0688072520
• Product Dimensions: 9.3 x 6 x 1.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #935,752 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Not Your High School Texas History Reader, September 14, 2011

By 

D. MCDONALD (Washington, DC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Duel of Eagles (Paperback)

This was one of several books required for my pre-statehood Texas history class at the University of Texas back in the mid '90s. The first day of class, my professor asked, "Who here took a Texas history class while in middle school or high school?" Most of the students' hands went up. He then asked, "Who here referred to your teacher as 'Coach'?" Most of the hands stayed up. His point was pretty clear--most of those that promulgate the watered-down, incomplete version of Texas history to most Texans are not well equipped to question its validity. Long's book paints a more complete, well referenced picture of the motives of the rebels and the factors that led to the rebellion. It also provides a satisfactory summary of the international political context in which the rebellion took place. The book is an interesting, easy read, and quite entertaining...so much so, I had to read it again when I stumbled across it in my library just recently.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A humorous if somewhat biased take on early Texas History, July 29, 2011

By 

Ulfilas (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Duel of Eagles (Paperback)

Although it does seem that Jeff Long comes to the topic of the Alamo and other events treated by traditional Texas Hagiography with certain agenda--boy can he ever tell a good story! I have been fascinated with the Alamo since I first heard of the event 50 years ago as a boy and am happy to consider a different point of view.

The author paints a picture of Texas in the 1830s as a collection of the most degenerate racist white trash bumpkins this side of a tumble down shack. Having left their past lives back east, Anglo-American Texans were seen to start new lives out west that might have been even more deplorable than those from which they sought escape. William Travis, the commander of the Alamo, is presented as the archetype for such men. Travis deserted his family and children in Alabama to become engaged to another woman in Texas. Not limiting himself to a single indiscretion, the syphilitic Travis reserved a diary entry for each woman with whom he consorted--sometimes for the bargain price of a quarter dollar.

It must be said, however, that the author paints the Mexicans--especially in the person of their President, Santa Anna, as well matched to the Texans in myopic judgment. The Mexican Army is seen largely as a mass of conscripted Indians unable to speak Spanish--with the final assault on the Alamo as the first occasion where they were called upon to discharge their muskets. Indeed, the author conjectures that most Mexican casualties in the battle for the Alamo occurred when Mexican troops were caught in their own crossfire.

The principle criticism that I might direct against the author is in his characterization of the motives of Anglo-American Texans. In a letter of one man to his family back east, he speaks mostly of the business opportunities in Texas. The author offers up this letter as evidence that such people cared little for the hope of instilling democracy in Texas, and their only interest was that of commercial opportunity. Really though, what is some guy going to tell his wife to encourage her to bring the rest of the family to Texas? That they will stand and die for Texas Independence and freedom or that he can expect to expand his practice to a much greater extent than back east?

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars A Different Point of View, November 2, 2009

By 

JKHero "JKHero" (Tennessee USA) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Duel of Eagles: The Mexican and U.S. Fight for the Alamo (Hardcover)

Although this book has the battles at San Antonio in 1835 and 1836 as its centerpiece, it covers a time span of roughly 1805 to 1876. The two eagles symbolize Mexico and the U.S., but the eagles seem to shift into the persons of Santa Anna and Houston toward the book's end.

Jeff Long obviously put considerable research and thought into his writing. And he is to be commended for superb depictions of the weather and landscapes involved in the Texas Revoluiton. However, he also had a considerable load of bias to spread.

I believe that he faithfully copied quotes from his sources, and I believe that he included enough conflicting quotes to give a good historical perspective of his subject. My complaint is that his subject isn't really the Alamo or San Antonio or the Texas Revolution, but rather "All the dirt I can find on Mexicans and Americans involved in the Texas Revolution." He mostly ignores the Texans involved in the Texas Revolution.

Most histories written in the U.S. of that war center the discussion on the views and hopes of the English-speaking civilian population of the region known as Tejas, then provide some information about the Spanish-speaking civilian population, then mention the views and goals of the U.S. and Mexican governments. Long chooses to center his discussion on the leaders of the various militias and army units, and he makes sure to highlight every defect that he can find -- even to the point of declaring some wise decisions to be defects. Then he condemns the expansionist efforts of the U.S. in the 19th century.

Please note that all individuals are not condemned in this book. Long actually finds much good in the Mexicans Jose de la Pena and Jose Urrea and the Tejano Juan Seguin. However, on balance, the book is primarily negative and focused on everyone except the lawful residents of the region which became the Republic of Texas.

This book is fun to read. It contains gossip, innuendo, and intrigue. I recommend it to historians who want a very different view of the Texas Revolution. But, I object to the author's opinion that it is the real story of that conflict.