Texas Revolution - The Battle of the Alamo - Part Two

The Texas Revolution was haphazard at best. The Battle of the Alamo is probably the most famous of the battles in the Revolution. Men from various states in the United States arrived to assist in the liberation of Texas from Mexico. The men arrived in groups of 12 to 20, a mere handful in comparison to the 5,000 soldier army of General Santa Anna. Few of these men were familiar with military knowledge or experience.

Governor Smith sent Lt. Colonel William Barret Travis to San Antonio. At the same time General Sam Houston detached Colonel James Bowie from his command directed him to march with a handful of men from Goliad to San Antonio on January 17. Col. Bowie was to inspect the Alamo and it was left to his discretion whether to stay or withdraw from San Antonio.

At the Alamo, Bowie found that only 104 men were holding the mission. None of the men were Texan except nine ethnic Mexicans who had joined the Revolution. Two-thirds of the men were from the South (below the Mason-Dixon Line) with the largest group from Tennessee. There were men from almost every state, a good-sized group from the British Isles, and another from Continental Europe. Travis & Bowie brought about 50 more men who were mostly "Texians". Shortly afterward David Bowie arrived with an entourage of 12 men with rifles. So, by the time of the battle, there were about 150 men at the Alamo determined to hold off 1,500 soldiers of the Mexican army. (Santa Anna had divided his army and sent groups to other areas of Texas.)

February 2, 1836 James Bowie dispatched a letter to Governor Smith:

"The salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping Bexar out of the hands of the enemy. It stands on the frontier picquet guard, and if it was in the possession of Santa Anna, there is no stronghold from which t repel him in his march to the Sabine (River). Colonel Neill and myself have come to the solemn resolution that we will rather die in these ditches than give them up..."

When Santa Anna arrived at San Antonio he was surprised to find men defending the Alamo. Although there were a dozen cannon inside the walls of the Alamo there was very little powder for their use. Dispatches were sent to & from the Alamo so there is little doubt that the men inside could have escaped.

Bowie and Travis were co-commanders of the Alamo although Travis' desire was to be totally in charge. He was loyal, brash, young (about 25 to 27 years of age), a rebel, and wanted very much to be in command. Bowie became ill with pneumonia and in front of the men turned the command over to Travis. The most famous letter of the Alamo was dispatched by Travis. It epitomizes determination, defiance, and bravery to a fault.

Commandancy of the Alamo
Bexar, Feby 24, 1836

To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World--
Fellow Citizens and Compatriots:
I am besieged with a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual Bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours and have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison is to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the wall. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, and everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due his honor and that of his country.
VICTORY OR DEATH.

William Barret Travis
LT. COL. COMD'T

The Alamo was under siege for 10 days. Mexican gunners had been picked off by riflemen inside the Alamo walls. On March 5 Santa Anna gave orders and a breach was battered in the Alamo wall. Orders for an assault were issued on the evening of March 5.

Five battalions, about 4,000 men, were committed to the assault. The soldiers assembled on the morning of March 6 were veteran soldiers who were good at their jobs. As the soldiers stormed the Alamo the Texians were intent on killing as many Mexicans as possible knowing that victory was not possible.

The Mexicans who broke into the courtyard held a furious hatred for those inside. They killed every man and after killing them they bayoneted the corpses with a hundred wounds. The bodies were burned and the charred remains were buried in a common grave and its location has never been found.

The lone survivors of the Battle of the Alamo gave the only eye witness accounts. One was a Negro slave who was spared expressly by Santa Anna and another was the wife of a Texan lieutenant. Her name was Susannah Dickenson. Several Mexican women and children were among the survivors. There were no white survivors. Those who attempted to surrender were shot.

The loss of the Alamo would inflame the Texans and put indescribable fear into their lives.

Resource: Lone Star, A History of Texas and the Texans by T. R. Fehrenbach

Next: Texas Revolution - Massacre at Goliad - Part Three