--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed…" description: "\"“Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed: either that or McCulloch’s men had found some reason to torture a poor, defenseless donkey.”\" — Harry Turtle..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg" --- # Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed: either that or… ![“Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed: either that or McCulloch’s men had found some reason to torture a poor, defenseless donkey.” quote by Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg) > ““Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed: either that or McCulloch’s men had found some reason to torture a poor, defenseless donkey.”” [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A vivid, absurd image highlights the cruelty of war and the suffering of innocents. **In simple terms:** War brings needless suffering to the helpless. Key Takeaway Recognize and oppose cruelty. Themes war cruelty innocence absurdity Mood darkly humorous critical Type satirical political When to use this quote - battlefields - political propaganda - animal rights activism Key Concepts military conflict human suffering satire Questions to Reflect On - What does the donkey symbolize? - How can we prevent such cruelty? A Different Perspective The humor may downplay the seriousness of real atrocities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Humor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humor/) ## Related quotes > [“What horrifying torture this poor man must have endured. Out of a wise man they have made a miserable bundle of flesh and bones.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rafik-schami/what-horrifying-torture-this-poor-man-must-have-endured-out-of-a-wise/) Rafik Schami > [A man, who can, in cold blood, hunt and torture a poor, innocent animal, cannot feel much compassion for the distress of his own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-the-great/a-man-who-can-in-cold-blood-hunt-and-torture-a-poor-innocent-animal/) [Frederick The Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-the-great/) > [“Regarding incident at Reiden Lake,” Walter read out loud, pausing to exchange a significant glance with Bell. “Meet me at the northwest corner of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/regarding-incident-at-reiden-lake-walter-read-out-loud-pausing-to/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [The author with the greatest influence on me is my friend Stephen Harrigan, who critiques everything I write before I even bother to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-author-with-the-greatest-influence-on-me-is-my-friend-stephen/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [Originally, I thought the story of the Alamo was all these men defending their liberty when they could have left, knowing they were going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/originally-i-thought-the-story-of-the-alamo-was-all-these-men/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [“Alamo has been a strong inspiration for nations striving for freedom all around the globe since 1836. Gvozdansko has not earned public reputation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinko-vrbanic/alamo-has-been-a-strong-inspiration-for-nations-striving-for-freedom/) [Vinko Vrbanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinko-vrbanic/) > [I found this really fantastic used record store in Japan, and I bought all these different records and different 45s, and one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-found-this-really-fantastic-used-record-store-in-japan-and-i-bought/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [Texas is dicktown. No basement in the alamo. I didnt capitalize that on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/texas-is-dicktown-no-basement-in-the-alamo-i-didnt-capitalize-that-on/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [Boys, it is just like the Alamo. Somebody should have by God helped those Texans. I'm going to Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/boys-it-is-just-like-the-alamo-somebody-should-have-by-god-helped/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [I never stopped thinking about the Alamo from that day to this. I'm a huge collector of memorabilia. I've got Davy Crockett's bullet pouch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-never-stopped-thinking-about-the-alamo-from-that-day-to-this-i-m-a/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [“Travis straightened himself into soldierly erectness. The weariness of his countenance melted into chiseled resolve, tightening his chin. “I stay here to defend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-a-willis/travis-straightened-himself-into-soldierly-erectness-the-weariness-of/) [Alicia A. Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-a-willis/) > [I've bought pretty much every book ever written about the Alamo, and I talk to my friends that I've made over the past 15,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-ve-bought-pretty-much-every-book-ever-written-about-the-alamo-and-i/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [I'm a 10th-generation Texan. My ancestor - Andrew Kent - fought at the Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-collins/i-m-a-10th-generation-texan-my-ancestor-andrew-kent-fought-at-the/) Jessica Collins > [not one escaped to tell the fall of Alamo, The hundred & fifty are dumb yet at Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/not-one-escaped-to-tell-the-fall-of-alamo-the-hundred-fifty-are-dumb/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I'd read up on the history of our country and I'd become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-d-read-up-on-the-history-of-our-country-and-i-d-become-fascinated/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) ## More by Harry Turtledove > [“People you don't like are pigheaded. Your friends are stubborn, or hold to their purpose.~Victor Radcliff”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/people-you-don-t-like-are-pigheaded-your-friends-are-stubborn-or-hold/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [Plausible development, building from what we know about what really did go on, and a whacking good story… Surrounded by Enemies delivers on both,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/plausible-development-building-from-what-we-know-about-what-really/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [I learned by reading an awful lot and by writing a half a million words of stuff nobody would do anything with except wrap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/i-learned-by-reading-an-awful-lot-and-by-writing-a-half-a-million/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“They were having a good time, an adventure. That was January’s dominant impression of his companions in the 509th; despite all the bitching and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/they-were-having-a-good-time-an-adventure-that-was-january-s-dominant/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“He gathered enthusiasm when he thought of the goal, and not the means by which he had accomplished it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/he-gathered-enthusiasm-when-he-thought-of-the-goal-and-not-the-means/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“Possum soup, all nice and thick with peanuts,”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/possum-soup-all-nice-and-thick-with-peanuts/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [Fiction has to be plausible. All history has to do is happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/fiction-has-to-be-plausible-all-history-has-to-do-is-happen/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [People were as they were, not not as he wished them to be.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/people-were-as-they-were-not-not-as-he-wished-them-to-be/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [I'm a social caterpillar. I am not a social butterfly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/i-m-a-social-caterpillar-i-am-not-a-social-butterfly/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“You know what Forrest had the nerve to do?” “Son of a bitch has the nerve to do damn near anything. That's what makes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/you-know-what-forrest-had-the-nerve-to-do-son-of-a-bitch-has-the/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [I first tried a novel when I was 14. First finished one when I was 16. First started working on stuff that had a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/i-first-tried-a-novel-when-i-was-14-first-finished-one-when-i-was-16/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“He said, “You misunderstand. We did not kill the nuggies and the other folk hereabouts. They see us, and then they commonly die.” “Of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/he-said-you-misunderstand-we-did-not-kill-the-nuggies-and-the-other/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“Caudell hadn't touched a firearm since he left the army. His hands, he discovered, still knew what to do. The smell of oil and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/caudell-hadn-t-touched-a-firearm-since-he-left-the-army-his-hands-he/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“That anyone would want to be famous still mystified Colin. As TV had trained him to do, he associated the word with divorces and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/that-anyone-would-want-to-be-famous-still-mystified-colin-as-tv-had/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) > [“...all the pools are going batshit like you wouldn't believe… Batshit... It's a technical term... Fleidermausscheisse, okay?" Fleidermausscheisse? Kelly silently mouthed the word, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/all-the-pools-are-going-batshit-like-you-wouldn-t-believe-batshit-it/) [Harry Turtledove](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) [Explore all 31 Harry Turtledove quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/) ## More Alamo quotes > [I'd read up on the history of our country and I'd become fascinated with the story of the Alamo. To me it represented the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-wayne/i-d-read-up-on-the-history-of-our-country-and-i-d-become-fascinated/) [John Wayne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-wayne/) > [not one escaped to tell the fall of Alamo, The hundred & fifty are dumb yet at Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-whitman/not-one-escaped-to-tell-the-fall-of-alamo-the-hundred-fifty-are-dumb/) [Walt Whitman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-whitman/) > [I'm a 10th-generation Texan. My ancestor - Andrew Kent - fought at the Alamo.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-collins/i-m-a-10th-generation-texan-my-ancestor-andrew-kent-fought-at-the/) Jessica Collins > [I've bought pretty much every book ever written about the Alamo, and I talk to my friends that I've made over the past 15,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-ve-bought-pretty-much-every-book-ever-written-about-the-alamo-and-i/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [“Travis straightened himself into soldierly erectness. The weariness of his countenance melted into chiseled resolve, tightening his chin. “I stay here to defend the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alicia-a-willis/travis-straightened-himself-into-soldierly-erectness-the-weariness-of/) [Alicia A. Willis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alicia-a-willis/) > [I never stopped thinking about the Alamo from that day to this. I'm a huge collector of memorabilia. I've got Davy Crockett's bullet pouch.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/i-never-stopped-thinking-about-the-alamo-from-that-day-to-this-i-m-a/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [Boys, it is just like the Alamo. Somebody should have by God helped those Texans. I'm going to Vietnam.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/boys-it-is-just-like-the-alamo-somebody-should-have-by-god-helped/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) > [Texas is dicktown. No basement in the alamo. I didnt capitalize that on purpose.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cm-punk/texas-is-dicktown-no-basement-in-the-alamo-i-didnt-capitalize-that-on/) [CM Punk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cm-punk/) > [I found this really fantastic used record store in Japan, and I bought all these different records and different 45s, and one of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-tarantino/i-found-this-really-fantastic-used-record-store-in-japan-and-i-bought/) [Quentin Tarantino](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-tarantino/) > [“Alamo has been a strong inspiration for nations striving for freedom all around the globe since 1836. Gvozdansko has not earned public reputation, but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vinko-vrbanic/alamo-has-been-a-strong-inspiration-for-nations-striving-for-freedom/) [Vinko Vrbanic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vinko-vrbanic/) > [Originally, I thought the story of the Alamo was all these men defending their liberty when they could have left, knowing they were going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phil-collins/originally-i-thought-the-story-of-the-alamo-was-all-these-men/) [Phil Collins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phil-collins/) > [The author with the greatest influence on me is my friend Stephen Harrigan, who critiques everything I write before I even bother to show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-crook/the-author-with-the-greatest-influence-on-me-is-my-friend-stephen/) [Elizabeth Crook](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-crook/) > [“Regarding incident at Reiden Lake,” Walter read out loud, pausing to exchange a significant glance with Bell. “Meet me at the northwest corner of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christa-faust/regarding-incident-at-reiden-lake-walter-read-out-loud-pausing-to/) [Christa Faust](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christa-faust/) > [I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his honour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-b-travis/i-am-determined-to-sustain-myself-as-long-as-possible-and-die-like-a/) [William B. Travis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-b-travis/) > [Just like the Alamo, somebody damn well needed to go to their aid. Well, by God, I'm going to Viet Nam's aid!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lyndon-b-johnson/just-like-the-alamo-somebody-damn-well-needed-to-go-to-their-aid-well/) [Lyndon B. Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lyndon-b-johnson/) Browse all 48 Alamo quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed: either that or McCulloch’s men had found some reason to torture a poor, defenseless donkey.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Harry Turtledove" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed-either-that-or-mcculloch-s/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Alamo" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed-either-that-or-mcculloch-s/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/faa/harry-turtledove-19723_alamo_somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed_3094431.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle brayed: either that or McCulloch’s men had found some reason to torture a…” — Harry Turtledove", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Harry Turtledove", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-turtledove/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Somewhere near the Alamo, a bugle...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed-either-that-or-mcculloch-s/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-turtledove/somewhere-near-the-alamo-a-bugle-brayed-either-that-or-mcculloch-s/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```