The Battle of the The Battle of the AlamoAlamo

Chapter 10 Section 1Chapter 10 Section 1

The Alamo DefendersThe Alamo Defenders

James BowieJames Bowie Famous frontier knife Famous frontier knife

fighter, gambler, fighter, gambler, smuggler, land speculatorsmuggler, land speculator

Arrived at Alamo Jan 19, Arrived at Alamo Jan 19, 1836 with volunteers1836 with volunteers Shared command with TravisShared command with Travis Became deathly sick Feb 24Became deathly sick Feb 24

The Alamo DefendersThe Alamo Defenders

William B TravisWilliam B Travis Outspoken member of the Outspoken member of the

War PartyWar Party Arrived at the Alamo Feb 3, Arrived at the Alamo Feb 3,

18361836 Shared command with Bowie Shared command with Bowie

until he became illuntil he became ill Wrote many important Wrote many important

letters from the Alamo letters from the Alamo including the “Victory or including the “Victory or Death” letterDeath” letter

The Alamo DefendersThe Alamo Defenders

David CrockettDavid Crockett Famous frontiersman, Famous frontiersman,

storyteller, sharpshooter, storyteller, sharpshooter, and US Congressman and US Congressman from Tennesseefrom Tennessee

Arrived at the Alamo Feb Arrived at the Alamo Feb 8, 18368, 1836

Offered a command but Offered a command but chose to serve as a chose to serve as a privateprivate

The Alamo DefendersThe Alamo Defenders Totaled Totaled

189 men 189 men including including 9 Tejanos9 Tejanos

20 20 cannonscannons

Plenty of Plenty of gun gun powder powder and and suppliessupplies

The Mexican ArmyThe Mexican Army

Commanded by Commanded by Antonio Lopez de Antonio Lopez de Santa AnnaSanta Anna

6000 Mexican Soldiers 6000 Mexican Soldiers including cavalry and including cavalry and artilleryartillery Army marches several Army marches several

hundred miles, during the hundred miles, during the winter, arriving in San winter, arriving in San Antonio on Feb 23, 1836Antonio on Feb 23, 1836

The Battle of the AlamoThe Battle of the Alamo Santa Anna’s army took Santa Anna’s army took

over San Antonio over San Antonio without firing a shot on without firing a shot on Feb 23, 1836Feb 23, 1836

Santa Anna ordered a Santa Anna ordered a “blood red” flag raised “blood red” flag raised (no mercy or no (no mercy or no prisoners)prisoners)

Travis answers with a Travis answers with a cannon shotcannon shot

Santa Anna begins Santa Anna begins cannon bombardment cannon bombardment of the Alamoof the Alamo

The Battle of the AlamoThe Battle of the AlamoFeb 23 – Beginning of 13 day siegeFeb 23 – Beginning of 13 day siegeFeb 24 – Bowie becomes illFeb 24 – Bowie becomes ill

Travis writes “Victory or Death” Travis writes “Victory or Death” letter asking for help letter asking for help

Mar 1 – 32 volunteers arrive from GonzalesMar 1 – 32 volunteers arrive from Gonzales they will be the only help to comethey will be the only help to come

to the Alamoto the AlamoMar 5 – That evening the cannon bombardmentMar 5 – That evening the cannon bombardment stopsstopsMar 6 – At 5:30 in the morning the attack began Mar 6 – At 5:30 in the morning the attack began “ “El Deguello” is playedEl Deguello” is played

The Final AttackThe Final Attack

Morning of March 6, 1836Morning of March 6, 1836 About 1800 Mexican Soldiers attack at four pointsAbout 1800 Mexican Soldiers attack at four points Travis is one of the first defenders killedTravis is one of the first defenders killed

TravisTravis

The Mexican soldiers are beaten back by the Texans cannon and The Mexican soldiers are beaten back by the Texans cannon and rifle firerifle fire

The Final AttackThe Final Attack

The Mexican soldiers regroup and concentrate their attack on The Mexican soldiers regroup and concentrate their attack on the North wallthe North wall

The Mexican soldiers begin to get the upper handThe Mexican soldiers begin to get the upper hand Using ladder's the Mexican soldiers begin to get over the wallsUsing ladder's the Mexican soldiers begin to get over the walls

The Final AttackThe Final Attack

CrockettCrockettBowieBowie

With the Mexican soldiers inside the walls the Texans fall With the Mexican soldiers inside the walls the Texans fall back to the long barracks where most fight to the deathback to the long barracks where most fight to the death

By 7:00 AM the battle was overBy 7:00 AM the battle was over A small group of Texans were captured and executed on A small group of Texans were captured and executed on

Santa Anna’s orders (David Crockett)Santa Anna’s orders (David Crockett)

The AftermathThe Aftermath

All 189 defenders were killedAll 189 defenders were killed Santa Anna ordered their bodies to be Santa Anna ordered their bodies to be

burnedburned Only Only Gregorio EsparzaGregorio Esparza is buried is buried

because his brother (a Mexican soldier) because his brother (a Mexican soldier) received special permission from Santa received special permission from Santa AnnaAnna

About 600 Mexican soldiers were killedAbout 600 Mexican soldiers were killed

The SurvivorsThe Survivors There were women and There were women and

children who survived the children who survived the Battle of the AlamoBattle of the Alamo

Suzanna DickinsonSuzanna Dickinson (wife (wife of an Alamo defender), her of an Alamo defender), her child Angelina, and Travis’s child Angelina, and Travis’s slave Joe were not killedslave Joe were not killed They were sent to spread the They were sent to spread the

word that Santa Anna is word that Santa Anna is coming to drive the Anglos coming to drive the Anglos out of Texasout of Texas

What is so important about What is so important about the Battle of the Alamo?the Battle of the Alamo?

Texans lost but their bravery inspired Texans lost but their bravery inspired others others

Santa Anna lost some of his best Santa Anna lost some of his best soldierssoldiers

Delayed Santa Anna’s advance across Delayed Santa Anna’s advance across Texas giving the Texas government Texas giving the Texas government time to declare independence and time to declare independence and write a constitutionwrite a constitution

Allowed Sam Houston time to begin Allowed Sam Houston time to begin forming an armyforming an army