THE BATTLE OF THE ALAMO

INTRODUCTION

• The siege lasted 13 days• February 23-March 6, 1836• Most celebrated military engagement in Texas

History• Many important figures-Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna-David Crockett-James Bowie-William Barret Travis

Abandon The Alamo

• James Clinton Neil- Command of the Alamo(Bexar garrison)

• Neil had artillery experience and a regular army commission

• 21 artillery pieces• Maj. Green B. Jameson-chief engineer • Little provisions• Neil needed and asked for reinforcements

Abandon The Alamo

• Houston questioned the holding down of the garrison at Bexar.

• Wanted garrison destroyed, proved this in letter to Governor Henry Smith

• Smith refused proposal

Arrival at the Alamo

• January 19- James Bowie and his company of volunteers arrive.

• Impressed with what he saw• Mission looked like a fort• Neil encourages Bowie to stay and fight• Feb. 2 Bowie writes Smith, says he and Neil

will stay and fight to the death.• Smith prepares to send reinforcements

James Bowie• Known for his famous “Bowie

Knife”• Reckless adventurer• Born in Kentucky, 1796• Bloody Brawl in Natchez,

Mississippi, left him wounded.• After recovering moved to Texas. • Spent considerable time with

Indians in search of silver and gold in Texas

• Leading participant at the Battle of Concepcion and in the Grass Fight near San Antonio

Staying to Fight

• Smith was fully committed to aiding the garrison.• Sends Lt. Col. William B. Travis and legion of Cavalry to

report to Neil.• 30 horsemen respond• Travis threatens to resign-reputation and hopeless.• Reinforcements begin to arrive• Feb. 3- Travis arrives at the Alamo and commits to it.

Calls it the “key to Texas.”• Feb. 8- Davey Crockett and American volunteers show

up.

William B. Travis• Born in South Carolina, 1809• Studied law and became a

practicing attorney for a little while before marrying Rosanna Cato.

• After having a son, he remained in SC, began publication of a newspaper, became a Mason, and joined the militia.

• Marriage failed, abandoned family and headed to Texas.

• 1831 obtained land and set up to practice law.

• Was one of the first to join the Texas forces when friction developed.

Davey Crockett• Best known in Tennessee as a noted hunter

and for his unique style of backwoods oratory.

• Born in northeastern Tennessee in 1786.• Did not learn to read and write until he was

18• Same time got married and started a

family.• Became involved in politics as magistrate of

his local community.• 1821- elected to the State Legislature and

reelected in 1823• 1827-1833- served in the Congress of the

United States.• In run for his fourth term in Congress he

was defeated by a narrow margin• Disgusted with politics, left Tennessee and

headed to Texas in fall of 1835.

Trouble in the garrison

• Feb. 14- Neil leaves due to family illness and raises funds for the garrison.

• Said would return in no more than twenty days.• Travis left in charge.• Volunteer’s wanted to elect officer.• Volunteer’s voted Bowie and regulars Travis• Next night Bowie went on a drunken rampage.• Travis refused to take responsibilities for Bowie• They compromised , Bowie command volunteers and Travis

command Regulars.• Would both be in command until Neil returned

Arrival of Santa Anna

• Travis believed that Santa Anna’s army would not reach the garrison until March 15

• Arrives on Feb. 23• Flee to the Alamo mission.• Travis sends for reinforcements• Only had 150 men• Mexican Army- 1,800+

Santa Anna• Leading villain of Texas history• Born in Mexico in 1794• Young military officer who

supported Emperor Agustin de Itrubide and courted his daughter.

• Rebelled against government and gained support.

• 1833- was elevated to president of Mexico in a democratic election.

• Thought Mexico was not ready for democracy so he made himself dictator.

Surrender

• Santa Anna sent a courier demanding surrender.

• Travis replies with a cannonball• Beginning of bombardment of Alamo walls • Plan was to blast down walls and storm in• Texans only hope were reinforcements

Start of the Siege

• Feb. 24- Travis assumes full command.• Bowie falls victim of “typhoid pneumonia”• Travis writes letter to Texas and all the world saying he

would never surrender and fight to the death, but mostly wanting help.

• March 1- 32 troops attached to Lt. George C. Kimbell’s Gonzales entered the Alamo.

• Travis was grateful, but needed more.• Looked for help from colonies and Colonel James

Fannin.

Day of the siege

• March 5- Santa Anna announced an assault for the following day.

• Officers were surprised, wanted the Texans to surrender. Did not want to chance the attack on a well equipped fort.

• Santa Anna stubbornly insisted on storming the Alamo.

• Travis-famous speech?

March 6, 1836

• 5 AM on Sunday, March 6, Santa Anna begins attack

• Attacks from four directions• Texan gunners stood by their artillery• 1800 assault troops advanced• Hit with cannon fire and rifle fire, but kept moving

forward.• Soon past defensive perimeter• Travis was among the first to die, fell on north wall.

Siege coming to an end

• Texans abandoned walls and withdrew to rooms of the long barracks.

• Bloodiest hand to hand fighting occurred there.

• Bowie was killed in his bed, slaughtered by bayonets.

• The chapel in the Alamo fell last• Assault lasted no more than ninety minutes

Survivors

• 7 defenders survived the battle.• Ordered to be executed among them may

have been Crockett.• Died with honor• By 8 AM all fighting men lay dead. • 189 men appear on official list, but could be as

many as 257.

At what cost?

• Mexican army lost over 600 men.• Mexican officers led several women, children,

and slaves to safety.• Santa Anna spared their lives and gave them

each a blanket and two dollars.• Most famous survivor was Susanna W.

Dickinson, widow of Capt. Almaron Dickinson.• After battle, she traveled to Gonzales to report

the fall to General Houston