|
|||||||||
Historic Document
LETTER from the ALAMO
In the 1820's Americans poured into the Mexican province of Texas, in response to offers of free land to those who would farm it. By 1830 more than 20,000 Americans were homesteading in Texas, under the general leadership of Stephen Austin, and the benign assurances of the Mexican Constitution of 1824. Then, in 1833, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna became Mexico's president, renounced the Constitution and, in 1835, sent an army to Texas to suppress her independent notions.
The Texians had occupied an old Spanish mission in San Antonio de Bexar -- called after a local tree, the Alamo -- from which a Mexican force had been ejected a short time before. Although the Texian government had sent Jim Bowie to order the mission evacuated as indefensible, he and the rest of the garrison, including adventurers like Davy Crockett from Tennessee, decided to stay and make a stand. On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna drew up his army of several thousand before the Alamo and demanded a surrender. This was refused with a cannon shot by the Alamo's commander, Lt. Col. William Travis, whereupon No Quarter was declared by the Mexicans. The final assault on the fort occurred on March 6, when the last of the 183 defenders not slain in battle were captured and executed. Col. Travis had died sword in hand during the fight. While a tactical loss for the Texians, the Alamo was a strategic and psychological victory. It delayed Santa Anna's army while General Sam Houston pulled together that of Texas which, shouting "Remember the Alamo!", soundly defeated the Mexicans at the battle of San Jacinto a month later. Texas gained her independence and the Alamo gained a permanent place in her heart and in the annals of American heroism. Got a favorite historical document? Use the Library comment link to let us know - we'll look into it.
|