▁leaving ▁Lieutenant ▁colon el ▁Robert ▁E . ▁Lee ▁as ▁the ▁commander . ▁The ▁story ▁itself ▁is ▁set ▁in ▁February ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁- ▁shortly ▁after ▁the ▁state ▁of ▁Texas ▁voted ▁to ▁se ced e ▁from ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁and ▁join ▁the ▁Confeder acy ▁- ▁through ▁March ▁ 1 8 6 1 . ▁L t . ▁Colonel ▁Lee ▁con cludes ▁that ▁it ▁is ▁his ▁duty ▁to ▁defend ▁U . S . ▁Army ▁m un itions ▁and ▁property ▁in ▁San ▁Antonio , ▁Texas , ▁including ▁the ▁f abled ▁Al amo , ▁rather ▁than ▁allow ▁their ▁surrender ▁to ▁the ▁se ced ing ▁Texas ▁government , ▁as ▁Tw ig gs ▁did ▁in ▁real ▁life . ▁This ▁leads ▁to ▁a ▁Second ▁Battle ▁of ▁the ▁Al amo . ▁ ▁While ▁Lee ▁is ▁forced ▁to ▁surrender ▁to ▁Benjamin ▁McC ul lo ch ▁after ▁several ▁weeks ▁of ▁sie ge , ▁he ▁becomes ▁a ▁national ▁hero . ▁When ▁Virginia ▁does ▁eventually ▁se ced e , ▁President ▁Abraham ▁Lincoln ▁is ▁able ▁to ▁conv ince ▁Lee ▁to ▁stay ▁in ▁the ▁Union ' s ▁service ▁by ▁agree ing ▁to ▁send ▁him ▁west , ▁where ▁he ▁will ▁not ▁be ▁fighting ▁against ▁his ▁fellow ▁Vir g ini ans . ▁ ▁Award ▁Nom ination ▁" Le e ▁at ▁the ▁Al amo " ▁was ▁nominated ▁for ▁a ▁Side wise ▁Award ▁for ▁Altern ate ▁History ▁in ▁ 2 0 1 2 . ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁Category : Short ▁stories ▁by ▁Harry ▁T urt led ove ▁Category : 2 0 1 1 ▁short ▁stories ▁Category : C ult ural