The many soldaderas – women and children who followed the army – consumed much of the already scarce supplies. For the song, see, "Alamo" redirects here. Seguin's meals had even been delivered by a local, Estaban Pacheco. [27], According to later reports from Santa Anna, the cavalry, under General Joaquín Ramírez y Sesma, were supposed to execute a surprise attack on the morning of February 23. Texian sentries refused to open the gate, but others helped the family climb through the window of the chapel. [80] Most of the Texians in the Alamo believed that Sesma had been leading the Mexican forces during the siege, and they mistakenly attributed the celebration to the arrival of Santa Anna. [139] According to a March 28, 1837, article in the Telegraph and Texas Register,[140] Seguín buried the coffin under a peach tree grove. The story of the battle has become an enduring piece of American folklore. Among these were Almaron Dickinson, who brought his wife Susanna and their infant daughter Angelina; Bowie, who was accompanied by his deceased wife's cousins, Gertrudis Navarro and Juana Navarro Alsbury, and Alsbury's young son;[46] and Gregorio Esparza, whose family climbed through the window of the Alamo chapel after the Mexican army arrived. One of the first to scale the 12-foot (3.7 m) wall was General Juan Amador; at his challenge, his men began swarming up the wall. All of the defenders were killed; the Mexican army had nearly 600 casualties. The Mexican army celebrated loudly throughout the afternoon, both in honor of their reinforcements and at the news that troops under General José de Urrea had soundly defeated Texian Colonel Frank W. Johnson at the Battle of San Patricio on February 27. Although the battle itself lasted only 90 minutes, it was the culmination of a 13-day siege by General Antonio López de Santa Anna's troops against the outnumbered inhabitants of the fort. [31] Historian Lon Tinkle speculated that the combination of the church bell ringing and the sight of the two Texian scouts led Sesma to believe that the Texians were planning an assault on the cavalry. [5] The battle became more widely known after it was featured in the 1950s Disney miniseries Davy Crockett, which was largely based on myth. [86][94] Lindley speculates that Fannin sent an advance relief force under Captain John Chenoweth and Francis de Sauque to scout the area around Bexar. [134] Other estimates of the number of Mexican soldiers killed ranged from 60–200, with an additional 250–300 wounded. Unlike previous bombardments, each shot from this battery impacted the walls, causing them to begin to crumble. ), Although many Alamo historians describe Dr. James Sutherland's participation in the early events of the siege, in his book, Juan Seguin also entered the compound on the 23 bringing 14 of his men and their family members into the Alamo. In 1835, as the Mexican government began to shift away from a federalist model, violence erupted in several Mexican states, including the border region Mexican Texas. Almonte later said that Jameson asked for an honorable surrender, but Bartres replied "I reply to you, according to the order of His Excellency, that the Mexican army cannot come to terms under any conditions with rebellious foreigners to whom there is no recourse left, if they wish to save their lives, than to place themselves immediately at the disposal of the Supreme Government from whom alone they may expect clemency after some considerations. In the early hours of February 23, residents began fleeing Béxar, fearing the Mexican army's imminent arrival. [26] Neill requested additional troops and supplies, stressing that the garrison was likely to be unable to withstand a siege lasting longer than four days. Cos would command the first column, consisting of the Aldama Battlation and three companies of the San Luis Battalion. The Battle of the Alamo was fought during the Texas revolution at a small fort in San Antonio, Texas. [84] In Bastrop, Edward Burleson began organizing a militia, which likely left for Gonzales on February 27,[85] arriving the following day. Location, proximity to settlements, and perhaps even fate. [101] Most of the noncombatants gathered in the church sacristy for safety. [18] Described by Santa Anna as an "irregular fortification hardly worthy of the name",[18] the Alamo had been designed to withstand an attack by native tribes, not an artillery-equipped army. [143] Alsbury and the other Tejano women were allowed to return to their homes in Béxar; Dickinson, her daughter and Joe were sent to Gonzales, escorted by Ben. made the Alamo a crossroads. [43] Angry that Bowie presented himself as Santa Anna's equal,[44] the Mexican general refused to meet with Jameson, but allowed Colonel Juan Almonte and Jose Bartres to parley. [161][162] The first full-length, non-fiction book covering the battle, John Myers Myers' The Alamo, was published in 1948. [142] The day after the battle, he interviewed each noncombatant individually. [30] In a letter to Governor Henry Smith, Bowie argued that "the salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping Béxar out of the hands of the enemy. At first, the Texians matched Mexican artillery fire, often reusing the Mexican cannonballs. [43], In the early hours of February 23, residents began fleeing Béxar, fearing the Mexican army's imminent arrival. During the fighting, many of the Texian soldiers repeatedly cried "Remember the Alamo!" On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas and surrounded the Alamo Mission. [85] That evening, a local woman, likely Bowie's cousin-in-law Juana Navarro Alsbury, approached Santa Anna to negotiate a surrender for the Alamo occupiers. [112] Mexican soldiers turned their attention to a Texian flag waving from the roof of one building. [32], On February 11, Neill left the Alamo, determined to recruit additional reinforcements and gather supplies. The Zapadores, Aldama, and Toluca battalions arrived between 4 and 5 pm, after marching steadily for days. [42] Jameson carried a letter addressed to "The Commander of the invading forces below Bejar" and signed "Commander of the volunteers of Bejar". Although the Rio Grande now marks the border between Texas and Mexico, in this era the, The fiesta was in celebration of the birthday of, Although Santa Anna later reported that Texian cannon fire on February 23 killed two Mexican soldiers and wounded eight others, no other Mexican officer reported fatalities from that day. Five days later, a small group of volunteers arrived, including the famous frontiersman and former U.S. A Mexican patrol attacked, driving off four of the men including Bastian. The Battle of the Alamo was a 13 day siege fought from February 23 1836 and March 6, 1836 between a handful of 180 American rebels, fighting for Texan independence from Mexico, who were in the Alamo against Mexican forces of about 4000, under President General Santa Anna. Throughout the day, the Mexican army reconnoitered the Alamo defenses. The reinforcements brought the number of Mexican soldiers in Bexar to almost 2,400. It was used as such until 1876, and bought by … At approximately 10 a.m. about 200–300 Mexican soldiers, primarily cazadores from the Matamoros Battalion, crossed the San Antonio river and took cover in abandoned shacks approximately 90 yards (82 m) to 100 yards (91 m) from the Alamo walls. [127] However, in 1876, Susannah Dickinson said that Travis sent three men out shortly after dark on March 3, probably in response to the arrival of the Mexican reinforcements. [122][125], By 6:30 a.m. the battle for the Alamo was over. "[100] and, as he passed a group of Tejanos, "¡No rendirse, muchachos!" Each soldier would receive either 4 or 6 rounds of ammunition and would be given 2 flints. "[71] Copies of the letter were distributed across Texas,[72] and eventually reprinted throughout the United States and much of Europe. against marauding Indians, rebels,. The news sparked both a strong rush to join the Texian army and a panic, known as "The Runaway Scrape", in which the Texian army, most settlers, and the new, self-proclaimed but officially unrecognized, Republic of Texas government fled eastward toward the United States ahead of the advancing Mexican Army. and music from the buglers. The triumph of conservative forces in the elections unleashed a series of events that culminated on October 23, 1835, under a new constitution, after the repeal of the federalist Constitution of 1824. [34][35][36], As the Texians struggled to find men and supplies, Santa Anna continued to gather men at San Luis Potosi; by the end of 1835 his army numbered 6,019 soldiers. [83] In Gonzales itself, Robert "Three-Legged Willie" Williamson began a recruitment drive. Travis ordered the Alamo's 18-pounder cannon fired. Travis became one of the first occupiers to die, shot while firing his shotgun into the soldiers below him, though one source says that he drew his sword and stabbed a Mexican officer who had stormed the wall before succumbing to his injury. Travis replied by opening fire on the Mexican forces and, in doing so, effectively sealed their fate. [89] Travis apparently did, at some point prior to the final assault, assemble the men for a conference to inform them of the dire situation and giving them the chance to either escape or stay and die for the cause. Fragments of uniforms were found in the coffin, and it is known that the Alamo occupiers did not wear uniforms. Who won the Battle of the Alamo? This lesson covers the Battle of the Alamo during Texas's war for independence from Mexico. [54] There, Launcelot Smithers took custody of the message and delivered it to San Felipe,[55] where it was read by Governor Henry Smith. The Alamo garrison also had a large supply of captured Mexican muskets, with over 19,000 paper cartridges, but only a limited supply of powder for the artillery. [Note 11][79], On March 3, the Texians watched from the walls as approximately 1,000 Mexicans marched into Béxar. The other was located 1,000 feet (300 m) east of the eastern wall. [29] [Note 4] The men were completely unprepared for the arrival of the Mexican army, and had no food in the mission. [30], At this point there were approximately 156 effective Texian soldiers in the Alamo, with another 14 in the hospital. A third column, commanded by Colonel Jose Maria Romero, comprised the rifle companies from the Matamoros and Jiménez Battalions. Each night the batteries inched closer to the Alamo walls. For the site of this battle, see. [29] A few members of the garrison brought their families into the Alamo to keep them safe. One man was wounded, and his English curses convinced the occupiers to open the gates. He attacked on March 6, 1836, overrunning the approximately 200 defenders in less than two hours. Bowie and Travis then mutually agreed to fire the cannon again. "[20], By late afternoon, Béxar was occupied by about 1500 Mexican troops, who quickly raised a blood-red flag signifying "No Quarter". [37] Officers used the long journey to train the men. 4 in 1955. "[130], Saturday, March 5, marked a brief departure from the frigid temperatures of the preceding days, as the air warmed to between 50 and 68 degrees F. That morning, Santa Anna called another staff meeting and announced that the assault would commence the following day. [107] Unable to reach the barracks, Texians stationed along the west wall headed west for the San Antonio River. Wounded, he crawled towards the powder magazine but was killed by a musket ball with his torch only inches from the powder. [61] Charles Despallier, Robert Brown, James Rose and a few others volunteered for the mission. Extensive use is made of original documents, from both sides of the battle, with legend (the famous line in the sand) presented as legend, and no historical rewriting. [24][Note 1], To compensate for the lack of firing ports, Texian engineer Green B. Jameson constructed catwalks to allow defenders to fire over the walls; this method, however, left the rifleman's upper body exposed. [2], During the siege, newly elected delegates from across Texas met at the Convention of 1836. [20] Seguin had asked Travis to release the men so that they could help evacuate their families, who were in the path Santa Anna would take to reach Bexar. "[132] The decision made, General Juan Valentín Amador drew up detailed battle orders. [141] Despite the orders to forgo overcoats, cloaks, and blankets, the men were instructed to lay on their stomachs on the cold, damp grass. 372. The remaining rifle companies of the San Luis Battalion, as well as the Toluca Battalion, would be under the command of Colonel Francisco Duque. [167] Marty Robbins recorded a version of the song "The Ballad of the Alamo" in 1960 which spent 13 weeks on the pop charts, peaking at No. [138], The Texian bodies were stacked and burned. [11] By this point, the Texian Army was dominated by very recent arrivals to the region, primarily illegal immigrants from the United States. The Alamo was established. [21] A wooden palisade stretched between these two buildings. [41], Bowie believed that Travis had acted hastily and sent Green B. Jameson to meet with Santa Anna. The following day they reached Hondo, less than 50 miles (80 km) away. [33][34] He transferred command to Travis, the highest-ranking regular army officer in the garrison. [108] The Mexican soldiers closest to the north wall realized that the makeshift wall contained many gaps and toeholds. Texian sharpshooters remained on alert, and on the evening of February 29 killed Private First Class Secundino Alvarez, who had been ordered to ride near the Alamo to reconnoiter the defenses. [53] Over the next few days, Mexican soldiers established artillery batteries, initially about 1,000 feet (300 m) from the south and east walls of the Alamo. [100] At this point, the silence was broken by shouts of "¡Viva Santa Anna!" [8] Already suspicious after previous American attempts to purchase Mexican Texas,[9] Mexican authorities blamed much of the Texian unrest on American immigrants, most of whom had entered illegally and made little effort to adapt to the Mexican culture and who continued to hold people in slavery when slavery had been abolished in Mexico. [96] Unaware of Fannin's attempted relief mission, Travis sent James Bonham to Goliad to persuade him. Just before daylight on March 4, part of the Texian force managed to break through the Mexican lines and enter the Alamo. [135] Some historians believe that at least one Texian, Henry Warnell, successfully escaped from the battle. As news of the siege spread throughout Texas, potential reinforcements gathered in Gonzales. [141] Seguín later claimed that he had placed the coffin in front of the altar at the San Fernando Cathedral. The cavalry would guard the camp and patrol the area around the battlefield to stop any soldier, Texian or Mexican, who attempted to desert. [45], By the time the parleys were over it was nightfall, and the firing ceased. Several hours later, Texian scouts reported seeing Mexican troops 1.5 miles (2.4 km) outside the town. [102] Travis rushed to his post yelling, "Come on boys, the Mexicans are upon us and we'll give them hell! VICTORY OR DEATH. [54] Travis sent the letter with courier Albert Martin, who delivered it to Gonzales. School and NHD project, 2005. [107] When Santa Anna saw that the bulk of his army was massed against the north wall, he feared a rout; "panicked", he sent the reserves into the same area. According to historian J.R. Edmondson, "The flag was a variation of the Mexican tricolor with two stars, representing the separated states of Texas and Coahuila, gleaming from the white center bar. The others had left Gonzales several days earlier. Several noncombatants were sent to Gonzales to spread word of the Texian defeat. The siege of the Alamo began with an artillery bombardment, while the Mexican infantry slowly encircled the old mission. The cold front reached Goliad that evening, and the poorly-dressed soldiers were "quickly chilled and miserable" in the driving rain. [130] Again, officers advocated waiting for the arrival of the heavy artillery. There were not enough mules to transport all of the supplies, and many of the teamsters, all civilians, quit when their pay was delayed. [61][62] After a two-hour skirmish, the Mexican troops retreated to Béxar. [33] Several members of the garrison dismantled the blacksmith shop of Antonio Saez and moved much of the material into the Alamo. To mitigate the resulting ill feelings, Bowie agreed to share command with Travis. The Battle of the Alamo is considered a pivota… [52][Note 9], The first night of the siege was relatively quiet. About 100 Texians were then garrisoned at the Alamo. [87] The group then took six hours to cross the waist-deep water of the San Antonio River. [21] At the northern corner of the east wall stood a cattle pen and horse corral. Mexican soldiers turned the cannon towards the barracks. The younger you are, the wronger you are, at least when it comes to the Alamo. ), A week after Neill sent his letter, the Texian provisional legislature impeached, Houston's orders to Bowie were vague, and historians disagree on their intent. [129] Weeks after the battle, stories circulated that Crockett was among those who surrendered. Focus has centered primarily on the Texian occupiers, with little emphasis given to the role of the Tejano soldiers who served in the Texian army or the actions of the Mexican army. Santa Anna posted one company east of the Alamo, on the road to Gonzales. Send them to us. The church became. Congressman David Crockett of Tennessee. [104] The tight concentration of troops also offered an excellent target for the Texian artillery. [56][57] On February 26 Travis ordered the artillery to conserve powder and shot. As Mexican soldiers scaled the walls, most of the Texian fighters withdrew into interior buildings. "[33] Within an hour the first of the Mexican cavalry, commanded by Colonel Jose Vicente Minon, entered Béxar. Crockett and his men fired rifles, while other Texians reloaded extra weapons for them. ), The identity of this officer is disputed. As Santa Anna had planned, the exhausted Texians soon fell into a deep sleep, the first uninterrupted sleep many had gotten since the siege began. [28], In the early hours of February 23, residents began fleeing Béxar, fearing the Mexican army's imminent arrival. [51] Believing that Travis had acted hastily, Bowie sent Jameson to meet with Santa Anna. [95] The noise woke the Texians. [47] According to Edmondson, the Texians sent a small party to forage that evening. [116], During this time period, the Mexican army continued to venture nearer the Alamo. [Note 18][133] Shortly after the battle, Colonel José Juan Sanchez Navarro proposed that a monument should be erected to the fallen Mexican soldiers. [79] A blue norther blew in that evening and dropped the temperature to 39 degrees F.[78] Neither army was prepared for the cold temperatures. The aim of the previous constitution was to create a political system that would emulate the success of the United States, but after a decade of political turmoil, economic stagnation, and threats and actual foreign invasion, conservatives concluded that a better path for Mexico was centralized power. Siege of the Alamo Santa Anna marched through the winter to get revenge for the battle of Gonzales and surrounded Texans at an old mission. According to Almonte, the Texians asked for an honorable surrender but were informed that any surrender must be unconditional. As the Texians discharged their previously loaded rifles, they found it increasingly difficult to reload while attempting to keep Mexican soldiers from scaling the walls. The men from Bastrop and some of the others from Gonzales decided to wait, including Edwin T. Mitchell, Fannin's courier. [128] Lindley stated that just before midnight, Crockett and one of the other men found the force of Texians waiting along Cibolo Creek, who had advanced to within 20 miles (32 km) of the Alamo. At roughly the same time, he ordered a Mexican artillery battery consisting of two 8-lb cannon and a mortar located 350 yards (320 m) from th… Four of the men, including Bastian, became separated from the larger group and were forced to hide. Waiting there were dragoons under Colonel Ramirez y Sesma, who had arrived the previous evening. A small group of men fought to the death to maintain control of the San Antonio fortress. [91], At 10 p.m. on March 5, the Mexican artillery ceased their bombardment. [22] The two-story Long Barracks extended north from the chapel. [118] According to later reports by Filisola, on the evening of March 4, a woman from Bexar informed Santa Anna that Travis and his men were planning to either surrender or escape if reinforcements did not arrive quickly. In Victoria, Colonel Wharton was preparing to cross the Guadalupe River, while in San Felipe, Captain Mosely Baker ordered the local militia to prepare to march on February 29. The volunteers were afraid they had been discovered and galloped towards the Alamo. However, Juan Almonte's journal did not mention any firing by Mexican soldiers that evening. A re-enactment of the 13-day siege of the Alamo, the defining moment of the Texas revolution. In his absence, the garrison was jointly commanded by newcomers William B. Travis—a regular army officer— and James Bowie, who had commanded a volunteer company. And now it remains for him to be generous to the vanquished." [109], Edmondson relates a different version of the campaign. One group of Texians scrambled to herd cattle into the Alamo, while others scrounged for food in the recently abandoned houses. Wednesday February 24 marked the first full day of siege. 180–81. Alamo Commander William Barrett Travis’ original letter, penned during the siege, was displayed at the Alamo recently. [Note 6] The men instead elected Bowie, who had a reputation as a fierce fighter, as their commander. [66], Santa Anna sent a messenger to tell Gaona to hurry to Bexar with his three best companies. There had been many rumors of Santa Anna's imminent arrival, but Travis ignored them. It shows the "terrain comprised in the zone of fire of the Mexican batteries toward the fortress of the Alamo, with their locations, and the radius of fire of the batteries within the works, during the bombardment, until the final assault, March 6, 1836." Andrew Jackson Sowell and Byrd Lockhart had been out that morning looking for provisions; on hearing that the Alamo was surrounded they left for their homes in Gonzales. [58], The Mexican bombardment continued through the morning of February 25. [90], The last Texian verified to have left the Alamo was James Allen, a courier who carried personal messages from Travis and several of the other men on March 5. [5] The siege ended when the Mexican Army launched an early-morning assault on March 6. The Battle of the Alamo was won by the Mexican Army. [2][3][4] This would represent about one-third of the Mexican soldiers involved in the final assault, which Todish remarks is "a tremendous casualty rate by any standards". [50] When the Mexican troops raised a blood-red flag signifying no quarter, Travis responded with a blast from the Alamo's largest cannon. [117] Most of the Texians in the Alamo had believed that Ramirez y Sesma had been leading the Mexican forces during the siege, and they mistakenly attributed the celebration to the arrival of Santa Anna. Edmondson notes that Alsbury returned to the Alamo, and he speculates that Travis sent her to try to negotiate an honorable surrender for the Texian troops. [24] Texians had previously burned the bridge over the Nueces, forcing the Mexicans to build a makeshift structure of branches and dirt in the pouring rain. The river, creek, streets and buildings are identified. I tell you, the Alamo must fall, and my orders must be obeyed at all hazards. "[42] Travis was angered that Bowie had acted unilaterally and sent his own emissary to the Mexican army; he received the same response. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas and surrounded the Alamo Mission. The first consisted of four men who gained the fort one night, and the second was a party of twenty-five". [76] Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Siege of the Alamo: 13 Days to Glory~Easton Press at the best online prices at eBay! [60], That afternoon Mexican soldiers were posted east of the Alamo, on the road to Gonzales. Mexican generals were unable to stop the bloodlust and appealed to Santa Anna for help. The famed Alamo battle was fought more than 200 miles away from where President Donald Trump is expected to give a defiant speech on Tuesday, but historians say that by speaking in Alamo, Texas, Trump is bringing to mind a piece of history that is fraught with racist myths.. Alamo is a small town on the Texas-Mexico border named after the 19th-century mission and fortress in San … [154], Following the battle, Santa Anna was alternately viewed as a national hero or a pariah. [28][Note 4] Bowie was unable to transport the artillery since the Alamo garrison lacked the necessary draft animals. In the complex was a seminary for the priests, a chapel, barracks for missionaries and their families and a textile workshop. [55][62] Six Mexican soldiers were killed and four others were wounded. [63] To provide cover, Dickinson and his men fired their 8-lb cannons, filled with grapeshot and canister, at the Mexican soldiers in the huts. [5] Within several years, John Wayne directed and starred in one of the best-known, but questionably accurate, film versions, 1960's The Alamo. [37] Rather than advance along the coast, where supplies and reinforcements could be easily delivered by sea, Santa Anna ordered his army inland to Béxar, the political center of Texas and the site of Cos's defeat. These Texian reinforcements were later dubbed the Immortal 32. excerpt from William B. Travis's letter To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World.[67]. [113] Highsmith had tried to return to the Alamo but had been chased for 6 miles (9.7 km) by Mexican cavalry; he told Bonham that no one could get through the Mexican lines. In 1835, there was a drastic shift in the Mexican nation. Smith told the colonists at San Felipe "to fly to the aid of your besieged countrymen and not permit them to be massacred by a mercenary foe. [68] Santa Anna sent Colonel Juan Bringas to engage the Texians, and according to Edmondson, one Texian was killed. Within two hours the battle was over. [132] Another officer then remarked that "with another such victory as this, we'll go to the devil". [25][26] With no idea that the Mexican army was so close, all but 10 members of the Alamo garrison joined about 2000 Bexar residents at a fiesta to celebrate George Washington's birthday.