Daniel Brannigan/The Community News: Willow Park resident Bill Bradle in his study following the completion of his first book, "Goliad: The Other Alamo"
Willow Park author’s first book focuses on Texas Revolution massacre
By Daniel Brannigan
The Community News

It took 25 years, but Willow Park resident Bill Bradle finally followed his passion for history, leaving a career behind in finance to focus on being an author.
“Goliad: The Other Alamo,” a non-fiction narrative that chronicles the struggles of Texans and Mexicans in the Texas Revolution, represents the first offering of Bradle’s new endeavor.
The book, published March 23, explores the egos and planning on both sides of the war, focusing on a massacre that receives much less attention than the Alamo despite the result.
After a surrender as prisoners of war following the Battle of Coleto, 342 Texans were executed on March 27, 1836 near Goliad.
Bradle recalls the events through hours of research based on actual documents from that time and several other books written on the Texas Revolution.
Bradle said his goal was to make something that happened more than 150 years ago as fresh as he could.
“If people read a good history, they learn something. These people weren’t cardboard individuals,” Bradle said.
During the writing process, he asked himself what it was like to be there.
“These are basically normal people that get stuck in a situation that makes history,” he said. “These people did some incredible things under adverse circumstances.”
“Goliad: The Other Alamo” can be found online at Amazon, Borders and Barnes & Noble, as well as in bookstores throughout the Metroplex and at other locations, including museums in Austin and San Antonio.
For more on this story, see the May 25 issue of The Community News.