1. The Alamo

2. David Crockett Born in Tennessee
Elected to Congress in 1826 where he opposed President Andrew Jackson on many issues.
A fictional play based on him called The Lion of the West made him famous.
Jackson was too powerful however and he lost his 1835 reelection campaign.
Came to Texas in early 1836 where he joined Travis in San Antonio.
In 1954, Davy Crockett, King of the Wild Frontier was a hit movie and hit song and Davy Crockett became a hero to millions of coonskin hat wearing children.

3. January 1836 Most Texians thought the war was over.
They at least thought they would be safe until the summer.
Most of the Texians in the “Army of the People” went back to their homes.

4. The Texian Army There was around 600 men left in the army.
Sam Houston was its leader but had little power.
Soldiers Dr. James Grant and Francis Johnston led about 75 men south towards Matamoros on their own to claim land and horses.
Col. James McNeil had about 100 men in San Antonio and began fortifying the Alamo.
Col. James Fannin commanded around 300 men at La Bahia or as it would be called Goliad.
The rest were spread about different cities.

5. Mexican Army
Santa Anna had taken his brother in law Cos’ defeat in San Antonio personally.
He raised an army of about 6,000 soldiers and marched north in the dead of winter. It was a terrible winter and it snowed in south Texas and northern Mexico. Santa Anna lost hundreds of men to sickness and exposure but managed to arrive in Texas in February of 1836.

6. Santa Anna split his army in two
Santa Anna split his army in two. General Urrea was to take south Texas while Santa Anna himself to take San Antonio.

7. San Patrico General Urrea was the first to run into Texas Rebels.
50 Texians led by James Grant were caught by surprise and easily defeated by Urrea near San Patrico.
Santa Anna gave Urrea orders to take NO prisoners. He ordered his soldiers to put the Texians to “the sword”.

8. San Antonio
Col. James McNeil of the Texian army was in charge of San Antonio.
He requested some cavalry (soldiers on horses) from the provisional government to patrol the area.
William Barrett Travis was assigned to go to San Antonio

9. Travis didn’t want to go at first:
He was only able to recruit 29 soldiers and didn’t want to go to the mostly Tejano San Antonio.
He wrote the provisional government “I must beg your excellency will recall the order for me to go on to Bexar in command of so few men.”

10. When Travis arrived on Feb 3rd McNeil told him he was to take charge of the Alamo while McNeil left to attend to his ill family in Gonzales.
Meanwhile James Bowie was sent by Houston to the Alamo to destroy it and bring its cannon back to Houston.
Houston thought Texas didn’t have enough troops to defend it

11. San Antonio was Bowie’s home and he decided to stay and defend the Alamo.

13. Problems with Command Bowie and Travis did not get along.
Bowie commanded his volunteer Militia troops while Travis was in command of the Army “Regulars” (Soldiers who signed a commitment to serve)

14. Santa Anna Arrives
Santa Anna’s army arrived 20 days after Travis on Feb the 23rd.
The Texians were totally surprised and rushed into the Alamo for safety.
Bowie tried to parley (a discussion between enemies) for good terms of surrender with the Mexican army. This upset Travis who considered himself in charge.

15. Travis ordered a cannon to be fired at the Mexicans ending any hope of a peaceful ending…

16. Colonel Travis was able to dispatch riders carrying letters to Houston describing of his situation and requesting assistance.
Juan Seguin and Deaf Smith served as letter carriers and slipped
past the Mexican lines.

17. COMMANDANCY OF BEXAR, 3 o'clock p. m
COMMANDANCY OF BEXAR, 3 o'clock p.m.: The enemy in large force are in sight. We want men and provisions. Send them to us. We have 150 men and are determined to defend the Alamo to the last. Give us assistance. William Barrett Travis

18. The Alamo Siege
After the Mexicans arrived on Feb 23rd, they settled into a siege of the Alamo.
They flew a red flag which meant no quarter. (no mercy, no prisoners)

19. During the 13 day siege the Mexican army inched closer and closer to the Alamo walls.
They fired cannons at the fort day and night and harassed the defenders by having the Mexican Military band play a song titled “El Degüello” which meant “Slit Throat”.

20. Travis sent his most famous letter on the second day of the siege:
To The People of Texas and All Americans In The World -- February 24, 1836
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.
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.

21. By the 24th James Bowie had become extremely sick and was bedridden for the rest of the siege.
Another blow for Travis came on March 1st , reinforcements came from Gonzales but it was only 32 men.

22. How many Texian defenders were at the Alamo?
The tradition number of defenders is 189. But some estimates range up to as many as 257.
Almost all were Anglo-American but it is known that at least 9 Tejanos died with them and maybe more.
Some of the Texian had slaves and some of them may have fought and died with their masters.
Travis’ slave Joe even claimed to see a dead female slave.

23. Did Travis draw a “line in the sand?”
One of the biggest myths of the Alamo has Travis draw a “line in the sand” with his sword, and invited all those who were willing to stay (and, presumably, almost certain to die) to cross over the line. The story is all but certain to be untrue. The story itself did not appear until 1873, or 37 years after the battle.

24. The Assault on the Alamo

25. On March 5th, Santa Anna decided to finally assault the Alamo.

26. At 4 a.m. on March the 6th the Mexican soldiers lined up outside Alamo.
At 5 a.m. 2,000 Mexicans attacked on all 4 sides.

27. The Texians put up a noble fight but stood no chance.
They were out numbered more than 10 to 1
The battle lasted no more than 90 minutes, every Texian defender was killed.

29. Travis is one of the first Texans to be killed.
According to his slave Joe (who survived the battle) Travis was shot in the head in the first few minutes on the North Wall.
Bowie, too sick to fight, is killed in his bed.
Movie accounts show him firing pistols at the on coming Mexicans but there is zero evidence to support this
How did Crockett die? We
don’t really know for sure.

30. Susanna Dickinson claimed to see Crockett’s body surrounded by a pile of dead Mexicans.
While several Mexican soldiers said in later years that Santa Anna had him executed.

31. Aftermath
Not everyone in the Alamo died. About 20 or so non-combatants: women, children, and slaves were spared by Santa Anna including Susanna Dickinson and Travis’ slave Joe.
Santa Anna told them to tell Sam Houston about what had happened and that it would happen to them as well if they did not leave Texas.

32. The defenders bodies were burned in a huge fire.
After the war, Juan Seguin would return to the Alamo and give them a proper burial.

33. The number of Mexicans killed in the siege and the battle is probably between 200 and 600.
Santa Anna did not bring medical supplies with him and because of this men who suffered bad wounds would die instead of being saved by medical treatment.