The Defense of the Alamo
THE DEFENSE OF THE ALAMO
"THERMOPYLAE HAD ITS MESSENGER OF DEFEAT;
THE ALAMO HAD NONE"
THE ALAMO IN 1836 CONSISTED OF THIS CHURCH, THE
CONVENTS AND A LARGE RECTANGULAR AREA OR PLAZA,
AN ENCLOSURE OF ABOUT SIX ACRES SURROUNDED BY
WALLS WITH BARRACKS ON THE WEST SIDE OF THE PLAZA
ON FEBRUARY 23, 1836, COLONEL WILLIAM BARRET TRAVIS
ENTERED THE ALAMO WITH AN APPROXIMATE FORCE OF
TWO HUNDRED MEN. THE SIEGE COMMANDED BY GENER-
AL SANTA ANNA AND AN ARMY OF SEVERAL THOUSAND
MEXICAN SOLDIERS LASTED NEARLY TWO WEEKS. AT DAWN
ON SUNDAY, MARCH 6, THE FINAL ASSAULT WAS MADE, AND
IN LESS THAN AN HOUR THE DEFENDERS SLAIN. LATER THE
BODIES WERE BURNED BY ORDER OF GENERAL SANTA ANNA.
THIS VICTORY IN DEFEAT WAS THE MEANS OF UNITING
THE COLONISTS IN A DETERMINED EFFORT TO RESIST
FURTHER OPPRESSION AND BY ARMED FORCE SECURE
PERMANENT INDEPENDENCE.
"IT WAS HERE THAT A GALLANT FEW, THE BRAVEST
OF THE BRAVE, THREW THEMSELVES BETWEEN THE
ENEMY AND THE SETTLEMENTS, DETERMINED NEVER
TO SURRENDER NOR RETREAT. THE REDEEMED
THEIR PLEDGE TO TEXAS WITH THE FORFEIT OF
THEIR LIVES -- THE FELL THE CHOSEN SACRIFICE
TO TEXAS FREEDOM" -- NEWELL
Submitted by Rob Sweeney