Page 57 - All About History 55 - 2017 UK

BATTLE OF THE ALAMO

SAN ANTONIO DE BÉXAR, MEXICAN TEXAS 6 MARCH 1836

Written by William E. Welsh

he Mexican Army’s assault on the Mission Following de Cos’ defeat, Santa Anna led a
San Antonio de Valero inadvertently began 6,000-strong army to stamp out the rebellion,
when an overly enthusiastic soldier shouted besieging the Alamo on 23 February 1836. When
in the pre-dawn darkness: “Viva Santa Anna!” the troops there refused to surrender, Santa Anna
T The cry spread through the ranks and bugles ordered his men to raise a blood-red flag within
officially sounded the attack. Bathed in moonlight, sight of the fort. Its message was simple: no quarter.
1,000 Mexicans surged towards the old Spanish When Santa Anna arrived, the Alamo’s small
mission-turned-fort known as the Alamo. garrison was commanded by Lieutenant Colonel
‘Santa Anna’ was Antonio López de Santa Anna, a William Travis, a Texian army officer. Santa Anna’s
Mexican general whose fight for independence from first move was to have his men dig siege trenches
Spain was rewarded when he was elected president to protect his artillery as it was moved closer to the
in 1833. Unfortunately, what began as a promise to fort in order to breach or weaken the north wall in
unite the nation soon turned into chaos. During preparation for an infantry assault. It was a slow
his second year in power, he revoked Mexico’s process, but by 5 March they had advanced the guns
constitution, purged the state militia and crushed all to within 75 yards of their target. Travis’ men did
opposition. He then turned his attention north. their best to shore up the walls each night.
A decade before Santa Anna came to power, the Because he probably feared the arrival of a relief
Mexican government had allowed Americans to army, Santa Anna issued orders for a pre-dawn
immigrate to the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas, assault on 6 March, even though the north wall was
and thousands did. However, Santa Anna didn’t still intact. The initial attack stalled due to the fort’s
like the fact that the ‘norteamericanos’ heavily defensive fire, but when Santa Anna committed his
outnumbered the Mexicans in the state and feared reinforcements they overpowered the Americans.
that the US would try to annex it. He deliberately Traditional reports hold that no prisoners were
provoked the settlers, known as Texians, into taken. However, a contemporary account by Mexican
rebellion by demanding they convert to Catholicism, Lieutenant Colonel Enrique de la Peña – a supposed
enforcing a previously ignored stipulation in their eyewitness – that surfaced more than a century after
original immigration contracts. the battle claims that seven prisoners were taken by
The first shots of the Texan Revolution were fired Santa Anna and executed by sword. Traditionalists
in the town of Gonzales on 2 October 1835 when hold that it does not change the fact that all of the
Texians fired on a Mexican force under General defenders were slain that morning.
Martín de Cos. The Mexicans retreated to San ‘Remember the Alamo’ became a rallying cry
Antonio de Béxar, where the Alamo was located, throughout the Texian Army. On 21 April 1836, they
but the Texians drove them out two months later. won the Battle of San Jacinto, captured Santa Anna
Rather than return home, some of the Texians and forced him and his troops back across the Rio
garrisoned the Alamo. Grande, assuring Texas’ independence.

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