Alamo comes to San Benito in re-enactment

SAN BENITO — Muskets fired, a blasting cannon shook the ground and soldiers fell to their death in a re-enactment of the Battle of the Alamo as the Texas Independence Day celebration came to a close Saturday afternoon.

For the third year in a row, San Benito hosted the celebration of Texas independence, which honored those who sacrificed their lives in the battle that led to the creation of the Republic of Texas, Fred Garza, one of the event organizers, said.

The two-day event, which culminated at Plaza San Benito, featured a Texas History Symposium, which was free to the public Friday, and an outdoor viewing of “The Alamo,” a 2004 film starring Dennis Quaid and Billy Bob Thornton.

Saturday’s events included a parade of horseback riders and re-enactors, Texas historians speaking about the Texas Revolution, Native American history demonstrations, battle skirmishes and the re-enactment of the Battle of the Alamo, Garza said.

Sean Carney, a re-enactor at the event, said he has participated all three years and enjoys acting out a pivotal moment in history.

“I get to play with explosives,” the Harlingen High School teacher said. “I love history. Sometimes in order to understand it, you have to relive it.”

Carney was dressed head to toe in a period uniform, as he ate pan de campo and chili before one of the skirmishes.

Carney said he was dressed in attire that reflected the clothing of the period in which the war was fought, and he was eating a meal that soldiers ate during the war.

“The idea is to show people — it helps carry the audience back in time,” Carney said.

Juan Gomez, 12, from San Benito, said he was familiar with the history of Texas independence, but seeing it happen was more educational.

“When the cannon went off and the smoke filled the field, I felt like I was there — it felt real,” Juan said.

Garza said the event was a great opportunity for people to experience real history.

Texas observes the holiday March 2.