THE ALAMO
THE ALAMO, TEXAS' MOST FAMOUS SHRINE, IN SAN ANTONIO
Mission San Antonio de Valero, later became famous as the Alamo, was established in 1718, the
first of five Spanish missions founded in San Antonio to Christianize and educate resident
Indians. The church structure that stands today in midtown was begun about
1755. Its mission role completed, the old buildings were abandoned by 1836 when the site, by
then known as the Alamo, became the "cradle of Texas Liberty." Rebelling against repressions of
Mexico's self-proclaimed dictator, Santa Anna, a band of 189 Texas volunteers defied a Mexican
army of thousands for 13 days of siege (from Feb. 23 to Mar. 6). The Alamo defenders died to the
last man, among them such storied names as William Travis, Davy Crockett, and Jim Bowie.
Cost to Mexican forces was dreadful. While Santa Anna dictated an announcement of glorious
victory, his aide, Col. Juan Almonte, privately noted: "One more such glorious victory and we
are finished". The finish came April 21 when Sam Houston's Texans routed the Mexican army at the
Battle of San Jacinto near Houston, and captured "the Napoleon of the West," as Santa Anna billed
himself.
1996 Copyrights and All Rights Reserved. Courtesy Texas State Travel Office.
In a recent e-mail a visitor writes:
In doing research in the April, 1836, Woodville, Mississippi, newspapers I
came across several stories about the Alamo. One states that a "little man
named Warner" hid under the bodies of other defenders of the Alamo, was
discovered when the bodies were being removed, and asked quarter, which was
denied. He was shot and burned with the others. One article states that Lt.
Dickinson "tied his child to his back, and leaped from the top of a two story
building -- both were killed." It also states that "Gen. Cos on entering the
Fort, ordered the servant of Col. Travis, to point out the body of his master;
he did so, when Cos drew his sword and mangled the face and limbs with the
malignant feelings of a comanche savage."
A letter from one A. Bynum of Woodville, written from Goliad on March 9th,
1836, discusses the Alamo as well. It appeared in the April 30, 1836, edition
of the Woodville Republican and Wilkinson County Advertiser. Interestingly
enough, Bynum states, "The Texians are remiss and loath to come into the
field: what is done now, is wholly by the volunteers from home, but we hope
that since Santa Anna himself is at the head of his Myrmidons, and has
promised them by a rape and spoilation, the Texians will defend the virtue of
their wives and freedom of their soil." Bynum was with Col. Fannin.
I thought this might be of interest -- R. Hofmann
Very much so! Thank you, Ms. Hofmann
More information at the following Links:
1. List of Defenders
2. Battle of the Alamo by Lone Star
Junction
3. The Alamo, Five Hours that Changed History...by
the Discovery Channel
4. Texas Timeline (Key events in early
Texas, up to 1901).
5. 13 Days of Glory
(HistoryNet) - From Wild West magazine.
Biographies as presented by THE WEST TV Series:
6. Sam Houston (1793 -
1863)
7. Sam Houston's Final Resting
Place
8. Santa Anna (1794 -
1876)
9. Juan Sequin (1806 -
1890)
Other biographies:
10. William B. Travis (1809 - 1836)
11. James Bowie (1795 - 1836)
12. Listing of notable Texans before 1900
Movies made on the subject (Hollywood style):
The Alamo (1960), John Wayne, Richard Widmark
Last
Night at the Alamo (1983)
Alamo: The Price of Freedom (1988)
The Battle of the Alamo (1996) (Television)
The Alamo: Thirteen Days to Glory (1997) (Television), James Arness