Texas Revolution - The Battles – Part 1 Title your notes – “Texas Revolution”

What we’ve covered up to this point… Santa Anna has taken power in Mexico, declared himself dictator, then sends troops to Texas to occupy San Antonio & the Alamo. Stephen F. Austin returns to Texas after being imprisoned in Mexico for 18 months and determines that war and independence is the only solution for Texas

The Battle of Gonzalez (Oct., 1835) The defiance of Austin’s colonists angered Santa Anna. In Sept., 1835, he dispatched General Martin Perfecto de Cos to San Antonio with 1,200 soldiers and 21 cannons to teach the treasonous Texans a lesson. On the way, Cos sent a group of men to take back an old cannon, given to colonists by the Mexican government to protect themselves against attacks by natives. Instead of giving up the cannon, the colonists used it to fire on Cos’s men. This battle showed that the Texans were becoming more defiant toward the Mexican government and more willing to use military force if necessary.

The First Battle of the Alamo News of the confrontation at Gonzalez spread quickly. Volunteers poured into the area prepared to fight, but when they arrived the fight was over. The Texans elected Stephen F. Austin military commander and decided to continue on to San Antonio where the rest of Cos’s army was and drive the Mexican soldiers out of Texas for good. Colonel Ben Milam led 240 Texans into San Antonio in what would become known as the “Siege of Bexar”

Continued… The Texans had trapped Cos and his men at the Alamo and cut them off from supplies. On Dec. 5, 1835, Milam and his men began their siege on the Alamo. After 5 days, General Cos waived the white flag of surrender. He agreed to leave behind all weapons, ammunition, and property held by the Mexican army in San Antonio. He also pledged to never return to San Antonio and to never oppose the Constitution of 1824. Texans thought the crisis had ended and they had defeated the Mexican army. But Santa Anna had other ideas. After he heard about the defeat of Cos, he immediately began gathering an army to march to Texas and crush the Texas revolutionaries.

During this time, the Texans formed a provisional government, and a former governor of Tennessee named Sam Houston was made head of the army. Houston knew Santa Anna’s first stop in Texas would be the Alamo. On Jan. 17, 1836 he sent James (“Jim”) Bowie, to the mission. Bowie’s orders were to destroy the Alamo, so the Mexicans could not use it themselves, and to bring the militia back to join the rest of the Texas forces. When Bowie arrived at the Alamo, he decided to defy Houston’s orders and take a stand. He knew that the Alamo was a strategic position and that it was all that stood between Santa Anna’s approaching army and the Texas settlements. Shortly after, William Barret Travis arrives at the Alamo Feb. 3, 1836…31 days before the final battle of the Alamo.

Santa Anna’s army arrives in San Antonio At this point, the Texans were unaware that Santa Anna had started to lead his army into Texas. They believed that he would wait until spring to launch an attack. Santa Anna had left Mexico on January 26, 1836 with 4,000 men. The army endured a freak winter storm, starvation, and over 500 died. Those that survived the 29 day march arrived in San Antonio on Feb. 23, 1836. As a result, Texas forces were scattered and unorganized. This would ultimately cost them at their next encounter with Mexican troops…The Battle of the Alamo. Jan. 19, 1836 Bowie arrives at the Alamo Feb. 3, 1836 Travis arrives at the Alamo Santa Anna & his army arrive in San Antonio and begin siege Feb. 23, 1836 Texans are defeated at the Alamo March 6, 1836 Play clip #2

Alamo Arithmetic Activity The Alamo was a walled compound measuring 440 yards around the perimeter. The number of men who fought at the Battle of the Alamo had a great impact on its outcome. Most historians agree that about 189 Alamo defenders and about 1,800 Mexicans soldiers battled at the Alamo. It is also generally agreed that all of the defenders and about 600 Mexican soldiers lost their lives during the battle. According to these historical statistics, what was the ratio of Texas defenders to Mexican soldiers? 2) What percentage of soldiers were killed on each side? What’s the perimeter of the Alamo in feet…If you were to evenly place defenders around the perimeter, how many feet would there be between each man? How many Mexican soldiers per Texan defender? State your answer in a ratio…

The 13 Day Siege… The Mexican army arrived Feb. 23, 1836 – first act was to raise a red flag above San Fernando Cathedral in San Antonio – a message to the Texans that they could expect no mercy. The next day, the Mexicans began a barrage of artillery (cannons). The shelling would continue for the next 12 days. Between cannon blasts, the Mexicans buglers and drummers blared the “Deguello”, a tune played to start an attack that meant “slit throat” After the first day, none of the Texans had been injured. By this time, Travis had assumed full command of the Alamo defenses after Bowie collapses from suffering the effects of cholera. Travis would soon send a messenger carrying a letter to Sam Houston who was gathering his remaining forces near San Felipe…

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, & every thing 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. P.S. The Lord is on our side -- When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn -- We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of beeves.

The 13 Day Siege…continued When the sun came up at the Alamo on March 1st, the Alamo defenders had endured almost a week of constant shelling without a single death. A small band of volunteers from Gonzalez broke through the Mexican lines and arrived at the Alamo to help, which lifted spirits of the defenders temporarily. On March 3rd, James Bonham returns to the Alamo with news that no help from Colonel James Fannin at Goliad would be coming… On March 4th, Travis addresses the defenders and concedes that nobody will be coming to their aide and that any person that wants to leave may do so…

The Alamo - Final Battle By March 5th, Santa Anna had grown tired of his siege and gathered his officers to plan an all-out attack. He ordered his army to storm the fort from all sides just before sunrise the next day. He would gamble all his troops in a single overwhelming assault that would only take less than 90 minutes to accomplish…

Some Mexican perspectives… “These men were defiant to the last, From the windows and parapets of the low buildings, when taunted by Mexican troops, they shouted back their defiance in the liveliest terms.” – Mexican soldier writing about the Alamo defenders “Ignorant of the art of war, incapable of discipline, and renowned for insubordination.” – Evaluation of Anglo soldiers by Jose Maria Tornel – Mexican Minister of War “I do not want to see those men living, shoot them.” – Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna’s orders regarding Crockett and his fellow survivors

Why We “Remember the Alamo” The Alamo holds a special place in the American imagination as a story of men fighting and dying in the name of liberty. It’s the story of regular men taking a stand against tyranny, a powerful army, agreeing to meet sure death in the name of their cause. Without the battle, Texas’ road to independence along with the U.S. expansion to the Pacific would have been unimaginably different.