Quick Review:
Under the leadership of Ben Milam the
Texans defeated the Mexicans in the bloody
5-day Battle of Bejar.
By the end of January 1836 James Bowie,
and William B. Travis had arrived in San
Antonio to begin preparing for an attack by
Santa Anna.
David Crockett also arrived in San Antonio
to start a new adventurous life. He, like
many others, thought the war was
completely over.
Santa Anna’s plan of attack
Route of Santa
Anna
Route of General
Urrea
Sam Houston and
the Texas Army in
Gonzales
Santa Anna’s plan of attack
Santa Anna will
attack from the
Southwest and
make his way
towards
Gonzales.
Along the way Santa
Anna will retake San
Antonio.
General Urrea
will attack
from the
South and
then make his
way to
Gonzales.
Along the way
Urrea will retake
Goliad.
San Antonio de Bexar in 1836
Colonel Neill – the First Commander
Against the orders of
Sam Houston, Neill and
Bowie decide to not
destroy the Alamo, but
instead arm the old
mission and defend it.
The complex was built as a mission, not a military fort. It
was never intended to withstand an attack.
Col. Neill Leaves San Antonio
In mid- February Colonel Neill left the city to attend to his sick
family. He left William B. Travis in charge of the Army. This greatly
upset Bowie who thought he should be in charge.
The two did not get along and refused to take orders from one
another. They very nearly fought each other, until…
He’s here….
Santa Anna and the
Mexican Army
numbering 2,000+
strong arrived on
February 23, 1836. Four
– five months before
anyone thought
possible.
Run to the Alamo!
The Anglos of San Antonio de
Bexar quickly ran for cover inside
the Alamo.
After arriving in the city, Santa
Anna sent a letter to Travis and
Bowie demanding surrender.
Travis answered by firing a shot
from the heavy 18-pound
cannon at the Mexicans.
For the next 13 days the Mexicans lay
siege to the compound. The Texans are
trapped inside the Alamo!
From the steeple of San Fernando Church, Santa Anna had a blood red flag
raised.
This signified that ‘No surrender’ would be offered. Every last man inside
the Alamo would be put to the death.
El Degüello
Each night the Mexican band
would play, a battle song named
El Deguello. In English this
means to “slit one’s throat”
After the song the Mexicans
would then continually blast
their cannons at the Texans
inside the Alamo. This is known
as a bombardment. It would
last all night long.
A call for help
Travis wrote his famous
letter on February 24th,
1836 asking for all
freedom loving people
of the world to come
to the aid of the Alamo
defenders.
Travis’s Letter
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World:
Fellow citizens & compatriots—I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the
Mexicans under Santa Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment &
cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a
surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword,
if the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our
flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat.
Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear
to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch—The
enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or
four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined
to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets
what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death.
William Barret Travis
Lt. Col. comdt
Juan Seguin
A Tejano who had lived in Texas and
fought for the Texas cause. He
commanded 25 other Tejanos at
the Alamo who were fighting
against Santa Anna.
He managed to break through the
Mexican lines and deliver Travis’s
letter to Sam Houston in Gonzales.
Houston would not let Seguin
return to the Alamo, leaving his 25
men trapped in the mission.
Bowie becomes ill
The life of drinking and
fighting eventually caught
up with Bowie. When the
Mexican siege began
Bowie became seriously
ill. It is believed he caught
Typhoid Pneumonia or
Tuberculosis. Within a few
days, Bowie would be on
bed rest hardly able to
move.
Knowing he wouldn’t be much
use, Bowie turned over full
command to Travis.
Reinforcements?
James Fanin had 400 men
at Goliad but waited too
long and couldn’t leave
because of Urrea coming
up through South Texas.
39 men came from
Gonzales to aid the Texans.
This put the total amount
of men in the Alamo at just
under 200. The Mexicans
by this time had 3000+.
There was no doubt what
would happen.
Santa Anna didn’t need to attack San Antonio. Some of his
Generals tried to talk him out of it. The war would end with the
defeat of Sam Houston. So why attack?
Route of Santa
Anna
Route of General
Urrea
Sam Houston and
the Texas Army in
Gonzales
Why stay and fight?
Why did 189 men stay and
fight 3000+ knowing they
were going to lose?
The only thing standing
between Santa Anna and
Houston’s army in Gonzales
was San Antonio. Houston
needed time to prepare his
army. The brave men at the
Alamo stayed there
KNOWING THEY WOULD
DIE so that the Texas army
would be ready for Santa
Anna. They sacrificed
themselves for the greater
cause.
Travis’s Speech
Legend states that William B. Travis gave a short speech and then drew a
line in the ground asking who would stay and fight. According to legend
every Texan crossed the line deciding to stay, fight, and die.
March 6, 1836
After 13 days of laying siege, Santa Anna decided it was time to
attack and begin pursuing Houston. Around 10 p.m. on March 5th,
Santa Anna called off the bombardment. As expected the Texans
fell asleep. Santa Anna then put his troops in position to attack.
Around 5:30 a.m. just before dawn the attack begins…
After just 90 minutes all 189 Texan fighters inside the
Alamo mission were killed including Travis, Bowie,
and Crockett. The Mexicans lost an astounding 600
men as well. Santa Anna had the bodies of the
Texans put in a huge pile and burned.
Survivors
Susanna Dickinson, wife of Almeron
Dickinson who was killed in battle.
She, her children and Joe (Travis’s
slave) were freed by Santa Anna.
Susanna and Joe went to Gonzales
and were the first to tell the people
about the slaughter. Santa Anna
wanted the people of Texas to fear
for their lives.
Motivation
Instead of scaring the Texans it angered them.
They will use the slaughter at the Alamo as
inspiration when they finally fight Santa Anna and
the Mexican Army.
The battle cry when they fight:
“Remember the Alamo!”