"To Whom Was This Sacrifice Useful?"The diary of José Enrique de la Peña has been a controversial element of the history of the Alamo since it was first translated into English in 1975. The Center for American History’s exhibition entitled "'To Whom Was This Sacrifice Useful?': The Texas Revolution and the Narrative of José Enrique de la Peña" was on view at the Center from April 29, 2000 until October 14, 2000. In this online commemoration of that exhibit, excerpts from Peña’s diary are supplemented by objects from the Center’s archives. The exhibit credits page provides curator and exhibit credit information. Among the items in this collection are an 1849 daguerreotype, a drawing of the Mexican battle map of the Alamo, Santa Anna's written order to retreat from Texas, and the “Secret” Treaty of Velasco.
Collection Principles
This online exhibit was created in 2000 to supplement an exhibition concurrently on view. At that time, there was much public interest in the diaries because of some of the claims they contained, such as the assertion that Davy Crockett died at the hands of the Mexican Army rather than in battle. The only image I could find of the diaries themselves is found on the main page of the exhibit. However, when you click on the image, you are taken to a slightly larger image of the diaries that is extremely fuzzy and pixilated. If you click again to attempt an enlargement, a popup is launched stating that the image cannot be reproduced without permission from the Center. To enter the exhibition, you must first click the link “Exhibit Catalog Online” where you are taken to another exhibition title page and must click again to actually enter the exhibit. On the exhibition title page, there is a link on the bottom entitled “Introduction” which gives some provenance information for the diaries.
Object Characteristics
Since the Center for American History is so particular about their images, I was not able to ascertain the type of images contained in the exhibit. Each of the images could be enlarged to one click. Anymore clicking elicited the warning popup. Most of the objects could be seen clearly or read at that level. However, some were totally useless for research or further reading, such as Helen Chapman’s handwritten letter to her mother or the map of Texas illustrating the beginnings of immigration into Texas.
In addition, some of the documents contained obvious writing on the back but few images of the reverse sides of the documents were shown, such as on the first printing of the Texas Declaration of Independence.
Metadata
The exhibit provides good metadata for the images. Underneath each image in the collection, information specifying what the image is, name of the creator, date of creation, department where it is housed, and a unique number are provided. The exhibit also provides an image index containing this information that can be accessed from the bottom of each page. However, once the image is enlarged, no metadata or identifying information is provided.
Intended Audience
This exhibit was first probably intended to satiate the need for information on the diaries back at the height of their mystique and popularity. Currently the exhibit would be useful for students, history buffs, and connoisseurs of Texas folklore, Texas heroes, and Alamo history. The illustrated items, while not being particularly useful in their illegible or incomplete state in this online exhibit, can easily found in the Center by using the metadata provided.
Photo: National Geographic, 1921.
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