The children in the Navarro School of San Antonio often express some
original and interesting ideas in their Texas history classes. They do
not know such a thing as the Alamo; to them it is “La Casa del Santa
Anna” (Santa Anna’s house), and they have many interesting stories of
what “mi padre grande” said about this old landmark in Texas history
and the remarkable things that have happened there.
A very interesting story that seems to be known and believed by nearly
all the pupils is that of the old cave, or underground passage, that
formerly connected the Alamo with the San Pedro Springs. The entrance
to this cave was covered with a big round stone in the very middle of
the Alamo. By lifting the stone and going down the steps and following
the dark, crooked path, first down, then up, through some water and
some mud, one finally came out in a clump of bushes near the big spring
in what is now the San Pedro Park. The priests often used this passage
to communicate with their friends when the Indians made it unsafe to
leave the Alamo by any other way.
Santa Anna learned about it from an old priest, and by this means was
able to get his men inside of the Alamo on the last, fatal day of the
siege. Since that time the cave has been partly filled and cannot be
used any more, but the place where it formerly opened in the park is
still pointed out by the old people, and the children are strong in
their belief of its existence.