Day 1 - Tuesday, February 23, 1836
This battle, though neither final or decisive, was the seminal moment in the Texas War of Independence.
Near San Antonio de Béxar (modern-day San Antonio) was an 18th century Spanish Mission. Abandoned at the end of that century, it was briefly turned into a garrison for Spanish troops; who gave it the name, "Alamo". After Mexico gained its independence from Spain, the Alamo was held by a Mexican garrison; till this force was expelled by Texians under the famous knife-fighter James "Jim" Bowie, a land-owning resident of San Antonio, in December of 1835.
Bowie was at first ordered by the new Texian Army commander, Sam Houston, to dismantle the fort and retrieve the 19 cannons of various caliber left behind by the Mexicans. Instead, upon finding he had insufficient transport to effectively evacuate the guns, Bowie decided to improve the defenses (with the aid of engineer Green B. Jameson) and hold the Alamo. Bowie felt strongly that the Alamo could be a bastion defending Texas from Santa Anna's coming attack. In a letter to Henry Smith, a leader of the Texas War or Independence Party, Bowie argued that "the salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping Bexar (San Antonio) out of the hands of the enemy. It serves as the frontier picquet guard, and if it were in the possession of Santa Anna, there is no stronghold from which to repel him in his march towards the Sabine."
Bowie shared command of the mixed "regulars" and "volunteers" with Colonel James C. Neill. Neill sent to Houston and the provisional government for supplies and additional men; but at this stage both the Texas government and Houston's incipient army were in disarray; and no help was sent to the Alamo.
On February 3, 1836 Lt. Colonel William Barret Travis arrived at the Alamo with 18 cavalrymen of the new Texan army; to take over as Neill's second-in-command. Travis was a young lawyer from Alabama, recently come to Texas to build a new life. Five days after Travis' arrival, another group of volunteers, these from Tennessee arrived at the Alamo. They were led the famous frontiersman and former U.S. Congressman, David ("Davy") Crockett; a man who was already a legend in his own time; famous for his abilities as a sharpshooter.
When on February 11th Neill had to absent himself from the Alamo because of family matters, he left Travis, the highest-ranking "Regular" army officer in command of the garrison. Bowie, who led a band of 30 "Volunteers", would act as his co-commander. Bowie and Travis detested each other, and as they prepared the fort against eventual attack, tension between the two men was high. But all supposed that Santa Anna would not attempt a winter campaign, and long before he arrived in the spring Neill would have returned; likely with reinforcements.
However, Santa Anna, who fancied himself as "the Napoleon of the West", was doing what all great generals attempt: the unexpected. In the dead of winter, he was marching north toward Texas, at the head of an army of 6,019 soldiers. This force had set out in December, even as Bowie was capturing the Alamo in the first place. Their progress was slow as the army worked its way over difficult and sometimes frozen terrain; encumbered by artillery, supply wagons, and numerous camp followers. Santa Anna had spent 1835 putting down rebellions and fighting battles in Mexico against well-armed local militias; and the core of his army was comprised of loyal veterans. However, many of the soldiers were newly recruited replacements, and their officers used the march north to train their men. On February 12, Santa Anna crossed the Rio Grande, undetected by the Texian defenders. It was not till the morning of February 23 that Travis' scouts reported the approach of Santa Anna's 1,500 strong advance guard, when it was only 1.5 miles outside of town.
While the surprised and unprepared Texians hurried into the Alamo, the Mexican army occupied San Antonio Bexar. A parlay soon followed, in which Bowie sent his engineer, Green B. Jameson, to ask terms. According to Mexican sources, he was informed by Santa Anna's aid, José Bartres, that El Presidente demanded unconditional surrender ("on discretion"):
... according to the order of His Excellency... 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.
This was in keeping with Santa Anna and the Mexican government's official position toward the Texian rebels: In late December 1835, the Mexican Congress passed the Tornel Decree, declaring foreigners fighting in Texas against Mexico "pirates", to be treated with summary justice. Santa Anna had in the previous year shown no clemency to rebels in Mexico, and his reputation preceded him. Even had the Texian garrison within the Alamo been so inclined, they were under no illusions that they could expect mercy at the hands of Santa Anna.
Not that they were so inclined:
To this demand for unconditional surrender, Travis and Bowie answered with a blast from the fort's 18 pounder cannon; signaling their defiance.
In response, Santa Anna ordered the raising, over the highest tower in the nearby town, of a blood-red flag and the playing of the Degüello; a bugle call used by Spanish armies, signaling "no quarter" to their opponent. The name "Degüello" derives from the Spanish verb for the act of throat-slitting; and so the tune was also known as the "cut throat" song!
This battle would be to the knives.
This battle, though neither final or decisive, was the seminal moment in the Texas War of Independence.
Near San Antonio de Béxar (modern-day San Antonio) was an 18th century Spanish Mission. Abandoned at the end of that century, it was briefly turned into a garrison for Spanish troops; who gave it the name, "Alamo". After Mexico gained its independence from Spain, the Alamo was held by a Mexican garrison; till this force was expelled by Texians under the famous knife-fighter James "Jim" Bowie, a land-owning resident of San Antonio, in December of 1835.
Bowie was at first ordered by the new Texian Army commander, Sam Houston, to dismantle the fort and retrieve the 19 cannons of various caliber left behind by the Mexicans. Instead, upon finding he had insufficient transport to effectively evacuate the guns, Bowie decided to improve the defenses (with the aid of engineer Green B. Jameson) and hold the Alamo. Bowie felt strongly that the Alamo could be a bastion defending Texas from Santa Anna's coming attack. In a letter to Henry Smith, a leader of the Texas War or Independence Party, Bowie argued that "the salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping Bexar (San Antonio) out of the hands of the enemy. It serves as the frontier picquet guard, and if it were in the possession of Santa Anna, there is no stronghold from which to repel him in his march towards the Sabine."
Bowie shared command of the mixed "regulars" and "volunteers" with Colonel James C. Neill. Neill sent to Houston and the provisional government for supplies and additional men; but at this stage both the Texas government and Houston's incipient army were in disarray; and no help was sent to the Alamo.
On February 3, 1836 Lt. Colonel William Barret Travis arrived at the Alamo with 18 cavalrymen of the new Texan army; to take over as Neill's second-in-command. Travis was a young lawyer from Alabama, recently come to Texas to build a new life. Five days after Travis' arrival, another group of volunteers, these from Tennessee arrived at the Alamo. They were led the famous frontiersman and former U.S. Congressman, David ("Davy") Crockett; a man who was already a legend in his own time; famous for his abilities as a sharpshooter.
When on February 11th Neill had to absent himself from the Alamo because of family matters, he left Travis, the highest-ranking "Regular" army officer in command of the garrison. Bowie, who led a band of 30 "Volunteers", would act as his co-commander. Bowie and Travis detested each other, and as they prepared the fort against eventual attack, tension between the two men was high. But all supposed that Santa Anna would not attempt a winter campaign, and long before he arrived in the spring Neill would have returned; likely with reinforcements.
However, Santa Anna, who fancied himself as "the Napoleon of the West", was doing what all great generals attempt: the unexpected. In the dead of winter, he was marching north toward Texas, at the head of an army of 6,019 soldiers. This force had set out in December, even as Bowie was capturing the Alamo in the first place. Their progress was slow as the army worked its way over difficult and sometimes frozen terrain; encumbered by artillery, supply wagons, and numerous camp followers. Santa Anna had spent 1835 putting down rebellions and fighting battles in Mexico against well-armed local militias; and the core of his army was comprised of loyal veterans. However, many of the soldiers were newly recruited replacements, and their officers used the march north to train their men. On February 12, Santa Anna crossed the Rio Grande, undetected by the Texian defenders. It was not till the morning of February 23 that Travis' scouts reported the approach of Santa Anna's 1,500 strong advance guard, when it was only 1.5 miles outside of town.
While the surprised and unprepared Texians hurried into the Alamo, the Mexican army occupied San Antonio Bexar. A parlay soon followed, in which Bowie sent his engineer, Green B. Jameson, to ask terms. According to Mexican sources, he was informed by Santa Anna's aid, José Bartres, that El Presidente demanded unconditional surrender ("on discretion"):
... according to the order of His Excellency... 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.
This was in keeping with Santa Anna and the Mexican government's official position toward the Texian rebels: In late December 1835, the Mexican Congress passed the Tornel Decree, declaring foreigners fighting in Texas against Mexico "pirates", to be treated with summary justice. Santa Anna had in the previous year shown no clemency to rebels in Mexico, and his reputation preceded him. Even had the Texian garrison within the Alamo been so inclined, they were under no illusions that they could expect mercy at the hands of Santa Anna.
Not that they were so inclined:
To this demand for unconditional surrender, Travis and Bowie answered with a blast from the fort's 18 pounder cannon; signaling their defiance.
In response, Santa Anna ordered the raising, over the highest tower in the nearby town, of a blood-red flag and the playing of the Degüello; a bugle call used by Spanish armies, signaling "no quarter" to their opponent. The name "Degüello" derives from the Spanish verb for the act of throat-slitting; and so the tune was also known as the "cut throat" song!
This battle would be to the knives.
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