I enhanced the below but didnt write the meat of it. I never knew who the author was but found the story several years aho.
The day the battle began was on Feb 23rd, 1836.
The Battle for the Mission San Antonio de Bexar (aka) the Alamo, began on this date in 1836. The little Mission was defended by approximately 182-to-185 Texans of American, European and Spanish blood. The battle started in earnest on Feb 23rd 1836-and lasted for thirteen days ending on March 6th 1836. I have a LOT more to add to this and will be doing so hopefully completing it by the end or this weekend. I have to say though, Rest in Peace Cols: Crockett, Bowie and Travis. I you all. Also rest in Peace for the others and including Cols Fannin (Commander at Goliad) as well as Col. James C. Neill-who was the first commander of the garrison stationed at the Alamo-but had relinquished command to Bowie and Travis when he left to try to get reinforcements and supplies for the fort.
As promised, and ill start it off with a Davy Crockett quote. "Always be sure you are right, then go ahead." On February 23rd, 1836, the Battle for the Alamo began--lasting for thirteen days and ending in the morning hours of March 6th, 1836; after a 90 minute series of assaults. The Mexican Forces were commanded by: President/ General: Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna- who would later be resoundly defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto-by Texans screaming battle cries of: "Remember the Alamo & Remember Goliad." General Sam Houston was in command of the Texan forces at that battle that lasted mere minutes and with only 9 Texan fatalities. Months prior to the Battle of the Alamo, the Texans had driven out all Mexican Troops from San Antonio de Bexar and several other localities. The Mexicans in San Antonio were under the command of Santa Anna's Brother-in-Law: General Martin Perfecto de Cos. At that time, approximately 100 Texans were then garrisoned at the Alamo and Colonel James C. Neill was the commander. At that time, there were only about 100 Texans manning the fort. The Alamo force grew slightly in size with reinforcements led by Jim Bowie and Colonel William Barret Travis.']As promised, and ill start it off with a Davy Crockett quote. "Always be sure you are right, then go ahead." On February 23rd, 1836, the Battle for the Alamo began--lasting for thirteen days and ending in the morning hours of March 6th, 1836; after a 90 minute series of assaults. The Mexican Forces were commanded by: President/ General: Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna- who would later be resoundly defeated at the Battle of San Jacinto-by Texans screaming battle cries of: "Remember the Alamo & Remember Goliad." General Sam Houston was in command of the Texan forces at that battle that lasted mere minutes and with only 9 Texan fatalities. Months prior to the Battle of the Alamo, the Texans had driven out all Mexican Troops from San Antonio de Bexar and several other localities. The Mexicans in San Antonio were under the command of Santa Anna's Brother-in-Law: General Martin Perfecto de Cos. At that time, approximately 100 Texans were then garrisoned at the Alamo and Colonel James C. Neill was the commander. At that time, there were only about 100 Texans manning the fort. The Alamo force grew slightly in size with reinforcements led by Jim Bowie and Colonel William Barret Travis.
On February 23rd, approximately 1,500 Mexican Soldiers marched into San Antonio, as a first step to retake Texas. For the next thirteen days, both armies engaged in skirmishes with minimal casualties. Travis was aware that his garrison could not withstand an attack bu such a huge force. Travis sent multiple Couriers carrying letters advising for more men and supplies, but few reinforcements actually arrived. In the early morning hours, the Mexican Army approached the Alamo. After repulsing two attacks, the Texans were unable to beat off a third attack as Mexican Soldiers scaled the walls and poured through the breached made into the walls by cannon-fire. Most of the defenders then moved into interior buildings with the exception of Davy Crockett and his men from Tennessee who were defending the low wall near the Alamo's Chapel. Approximately 5-7 men were said to have surrendered and were executed. A total approximate 182 Texans were killed there as well as around 700 Mexican soldiers.
Battles that led up to the Alamo fight included: a battle fought in October 1835, which would become known as the 1st Battle of the Texas Revolution. Santa Anna then began to build up his army by assembling a huge force and the Army of Occupation in Texas, to restore order. The Texans systematically defeated the Mexican Army in Texas. The last group in the region were commanded by Santa Anna's Brother-in-Law General Martin Perfecto de Cos. who surrendered on December 9th, following the siege of Bexas (now knows as Bear County) When the Mexican army left San Antonio de Bexar, Texan Soldiers established a garrison at the Alamo Mission-formerly a Spanish Religious Outpost-which had been converted into a fort. Santa Anna said of the fort "An irregular formation hardy worth the name!" He was soon to find out otherwise. The fort itself was designed to withstand an attack by Native Indians-not a modern Artillery-equipped Army. The Alamo covered 3 acres of land space and provided almost 1,300 feet of perimeter to defend. An interior Plaza was bordered on the East of the Chapel-to the South of a 1-story building-known as the Low Barracks. A wooden Palisade stretched between the two buildings. (this is the wall that Davy Crockett and his men defended) The two-story Long Barracks, extended North form the Chapel. At the Northern corner of the East wall, was a cattle pen and a horse corral, The walls surrounding the complex were about 2 & 1/2 feet thick and from 9 to 12 feet high. To compensate for the lack of firing ports, Texas Engineer: Green B. Jamison constructed Catwalks to allow the defenders to fire over the walls. Because of this, it left the Riflemen's upper body exposed. Incorporated into the defenses were 19 cannon-one was an 18 pounder-all of which had been left behind by the Mexican Army.
By January 6th, 1836, less than 100 Texans were stationed at the Alamo-leaving it well undermanned. The then acting commander: Colonel James C. Neill, wrote to the Provisional Government: "If there has even been a Dollar here? I have no knowledge." Neill requested more troops and supplies-stressing the garrison would be unable to survive a siege lasting more than four days. The Texas Government could not provide much. On January 14th, Neill approached General Sam Houston, for supplies, clothes and ammo. Houston could not spare the men necessary to defend. Instead, he detailed a newly promoted: Colonel William B. Travis and 30 men to remove the artillery and destroy the Alamo. However, because of a lack of draft animals, Colonel Jim Bowie could not remove the artillery. Colonel Neill persueded Colonel Bowie that the location was of important strategic importance. Neill and Bowie sent a letter to Governor Harry Smith saying: "the situation of Texas depends on great measure on keeping Bexar out of the hands of the enemy. It serves the frontier as a Picquet Guard, and if it were in the possession of Santa Anna; there is no stronghold for which to reel him in his march to the Sabine." (Sabine River) The letter ended with: "Colonel Neill and myself will rather die in these ditches, than to give it up to the enemy." Bowie also wrote the Provisional Government, asking for more: Men, money, rifles and cannon powder." Few reinforcements were authorized, and General Houston dispatched the newly promoted Cavalry Officer, Colonel Travis-who arrived in Bexar with 30 men on February 3rd. Five days later, a small group of volunteers including Davy Crockett arrived. On February 11th, Colonel Neill left the Alamo to recruit additional volunteers and to gather more supplies-and thus the command of the Alamo fell into Colonel Travis's shoulders. As most of the men at the Alamo were volunteers, they were unwilling to accept Travis as their leader, and they elected Bowie to become their leader. As the Texans struggled to find more men and supplies, General Santa Anna continued to gather more men at San Luis Potosi. By the end of 1835, his forces numbered at least: 6,019 troops. The army began to march North on late December-using the long journey to further train the men. On February 12th, they crossed the Rio Grand River. Temperatures in Texas recieved record lows and by February 13th, an estimated 15-16 inches of snow had fallen. On February 21st, Santa Anna and his vanguard had crossed the Medina River--only 25 miles from Bexar. Unaware of how close the Mexican Army really was, the majority of the Alamo garrison had joined the Bexar residents at a Fiesta. After learning of the celebration, Santa Anna ordered General Joaquin Ramirez y' Sesma to seize the unprotected Alamo, but sudden rains halted that raid.
In the early morning hours of February 23rd, residents began fleeing Bexar-fearing the Mexican Army's arrival. Not convinced of the reports of the arrival of the Mexican Army, Travis stationed a soldier in the San Fernando Church bell tower (which was the highest location in town) to watch for signs of the approaching enemy. Several hours later, Texan Scouts reported seeing Mexican troops 1 & 1/2 miles out of town. A group of Texans herded cattle into the Alamo-while others looked for food in recently abandoned houses. Several men living in town, brought their families with them into the Alamo. one of these was the wife of: Captain Almeron Dickenson, who brought his wife: Susanna & Daughter: Angelina. Jim Bowie accompanied by his deceased wife's Cousins: Gertrudis Navarro & Juana Navarro Alsbury, and her young Son: Gregorio Esparza- whose family had climbed through the window of the Chapel when the enemy arrived. By late in the afternoon, Bexar had been occupied by 1,500 Mexican troops. Those troops had raised a blood red banner-signifying that: "No Quarter" would be given to the defenders inside the Alamo, as well as the Mexican army band played the song the: "Deguayo" which was the: "Cutthroat song" which also meant that no quarter would be given. Travis responded to those "messages" by having a shot fired from their 18 pounder cannon-signifying that he intended to fight them and to give them one hell of a fight that they would never forget.
One Texan Courier survived (Henry Warnell)-who escaped form the battle while sent away as a messenger-had been wounded and died from his wounds several months later.
There has been an attempt to rewrite actual history and such of the battle. One of the biggest works and failed attempts at doing so-is called the: de la Pena Papers. The de la Pena Papers were allegedly the memories and rantings from Colonel de la Pena--and were written down by at least 4-5 different people who were reportedly taking down the testimony of the Colonels recollections of the battle. The Colonel while speaking of the battle-had in fact, been severely ill due to Malaria while this was supposedly going on. Back in the 1950s, a book dealer in Mexico reportedly "found" the de la Pena papers in an old book. The papers themselves were written on paper allegedly that of what was used in the period (and probably so) from a stock of original paper that was of approximate age. The University of Texas in Austin, had those papers in hand for some time to authenticate-and came to the conclusion that they were indeed-forgeries.
The "de la Pena Papers" if believed? would have negated almost everything we now know of what took place at the Alamo-even with eyewitness accounts and other testimonies.
The first night of the siege was fairly calm, the next few days were a different matter. Mexican Soldiers established Artillery Batteries about 1,000 feet from the Alamo Eastern and Southern walls. Another battery was positioned Southeast of the fort. Each night, those batteries inched closer to the Alamo walls. During the first week of the siege, over 200 Mexican cannonballs fell into the Alamo Plaza. The Texans matched the Mexican fire-by reusing the Mexican cannonballs. On February 26th, Travis ordered his artillery to conserve powder and shot--no to fire until dire necessity. On February 24th Bowie collapsed from illness and Travis took full command of the Alamo. Late in the afternoon of the 24th, a Mexican Scout became the first fatality of the siege. The next morning, approximately 200-to-300 Mexican Soldiers crossed the San Antonio River and took cover in abandoned shacks near the Alamo's walls. A small group of about 7 Texans went out to burn those huts-while the Alamo defenders provided covering fire. After a two hour skirmish, the Mexican troops retreated-leaving two of their men dead and four wounded. There had been no Texan casualties. Later on the 25th, a "Blue Norther" blew through, and the temperatures drastically fell to about 39 degrees-neither side was prepared for such temperature changes. Texan attempts at gathering more firewood were thwarted by Mexican Lancers. On the evening of February 26th, Colonel Juan Bringas and his men, engaged several Texans and killed one of them-while they were engaged in burning more huts.
More later.
