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Brittan BradfordMeredith MayNovember 29, 2016                                                                The Battle of the Alamo	“Remember the Alamo” is a well known phrase, but do you know what it means? The Alamo changed history by igniting the spark of Texas gaining it’s independence from Mexico.	The Alamo was a mission in San Antonio which was the location of the battle during which the Texas fought for their Independence against Mexico.[1] Most of the men and women who moved to the Texas territory were colonizers who came in search of wealth and adventure, eager to grab up the land Mexico was handing out by the acre. In doing so, they agreed to convert to Catholicism and become Mexican citizens. Very few did that. Once in Texas, they also realized that there was much money to be made in Mexico's cotton industry. The Battle of the Alamo was fought over issues like Federalism, slavery, immigration rights, the cotton industry and above all, money. General Santa Ana arrived at San Antonio; his Mexican army with some justice regarded the Texans as murderous barbarians.[2] The battle began on February 23, 1836 when the Mexicans approached the San Antonio river, which was right across from the Alamo. Santa Anna decided to start shooting their cannons towards the walls of the Alamo. Now, the Alamo has walls that were 2 1/2 feet thick and 8 feet tall. The cannon ball wouldn’t go through the wall at first. It would go through about a foot and a half into the wall, but over time while hitting the same spot, it would eventually break a hole through the wall. The Texans, however stayed up during the night to rebuild the wall. 	William Barrett Travis was a twenty-six year old commander during this battle. During this first day of the siege, Travis begins to write the first letter from the Alamo, pleading for help from more Texans to come help, and pledged, Victory or Death. [3]	The Texans knew that they could not hold up the fort throughout the entire battle, but they were hoping that they would only have to hold it up until the rest of the Texans came. Travis sent the letters out with men who would escape from the Alamo, but nobody ever came to reply. Sam Houston, who had already served in the U.S House of Representatives and as governor of Tennessee, emerged as a leader among the American settlers.[4] 	Santa Anna forced an infantry attack along the south wall of the Alamo then eventually surrounded it. The Texans were holding up pretty well up until 5 am on March 6, 1836. The Texans were finally getting some rest after sleeplessly fighting due to being up all night, building the wall back up after being shot with cannon balls after cannon balls. Santa Anna attacked at 5 am. Travis was shot early in the battle, though the Texans kept fighting without their commander  James Bowie, who carried orders from Sam Houston, was so weak, he couldn't even get out of bed and he was indeed executed. The women and children were spared, no prisoners were taken, and the Mexicans claimed their victory for this battle.[5] 	After Sam Houston found out about the defeat of the Alamo, he decided that he wanted to recoup and replenish the Texas army to make it bigger and stronger. After they had remembered how badly the Texans were defeated at the Alamo, the Texans attacked the Mexican forces at San Jacinto. Houston was very tactical regarding the planning of this attack. While the Mexicans were celebrating their victory, they were drinking quite a bit. Sam Houston attacked while the Mexicans were all getting some sleep, and they didn't expect it coming. Houston led from the front and lost two horses and was shot in the foot. Santa Anna had escaped in disguise. He was soon found the next day and captured not too far away from the attack. It was the shortest battle in history at 18 minutes long. It was an easy defeat and Texas gained their independence.	See, since the defeat at the Alamo essentially ignited that spark for Houston to create a better army,  without the Battle of the Alamo, who knows if Texas would have gained it’s independence? Maybe some of you don't understand what it would be like living under Mexican rule…	In 1824, Mexico had changed into a centralist military dictatorship and invited settlers to Texas and promised them constitutional liberty and republican government but then backed out of that deal. The right to keep and bear arms and the right to trial by jury was also denied in Mexico. There was also no public education that was established and they was absolutely not allowed freedom of religion. All legal settlers were required to convert to Catholicism.	After the fall of the Alamo, All of the bodies were burned as there were 182 of them says eyewitness, Theodore Gentilz. Gentile states that he was one of the men who were collecting the bodies and bringing them to the funeral pyre. Once the fall of the Alamo was over, the churches and other buildings were abandoned (as you can imagine). The government of the Republic returned the chapel to the Catholic Church, but soon after annexation, the U.S Government claimed it again for military use. The United States Army leased the property up until 1876. A few years later, Jean Neraz, the second bishop of the Catholic Diocese offered to sell the Alamo in 1882 to Frank W. Johnson who was the first president of the Texas Veterans’ Association. On April 23, 1883, the Texas legislature passed an act which authorized the purchase of the Alamo and the money from the sale went to complete a new chancery building for the San Antonio diocese.[6] The Battle of the Alamo marked a crucial turning point in American history as it made Texas what it is today. The battle cry “Remember the Alamo” embody the meaning of the struggles made by Texans who chose to be independent. [7]                                                                            Bibliography                                                                                                                                              [1] : Sam Houston and the Battle for Texas Independence                http://www.americaslibrary.gov/es/tx/es_tx_houston_1.html                                                        [2] The Alamo, why did it happen?               http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/alamo-why-did-it-happen                                                                                                                                             [3] http://www.greatmilitarybattles.com/html/the_battle_of_the_alamo.html                             [4] Travis' Appeal for Aid at the Alamo                               http://www.lsjunction.com/docs/appeal.htm                                                                                     [5] Fight to the Death at the Alamo, 1836                http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/alamo.htm                                                                               [6] Areas of Interest                                             https://www.tsl.texas.gov/treasures/republic/alamo-01.html                                                       [7] http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/tnghist3.htm 

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Brittan BradfordMeredith MayNovember 29, 2016                                                                The Battle of the Alamo	“Remember the Alamo” is a well known phrase, but do you know what it means? The Alamo changed history by igniting the spark of Texas gaining it’s independence from Mexico.	The Alamo was a mission in San Antonio which was the location of the battle during which the Texas fought for their Independence against Mexico.[1] Most of the men and women who moved to the Texas territory were colonizers who came in search of wealth and adventure, eager to grab up the land Mexico was handing out by the acre. In doing so, they agreed to convert to Catholicism and become Mexican citizens. Very few did that. Once in Texas, they also realized that there was much money to be made in Mexico's cotton industry. The Battle of the Alamo was fought over issues like Federalism, slavery, immigration rights, the cotton industry and above all, money. General Santa Ana arrived at San Antonio; his Mexican army with some justice regarded the Texans as murderous barbarians.[2] The battle began on February 23, 1836 when the Mexicans approached the San Antonio river, which was right across from the Alamo. Santa Anna decided to start shooting their cannons towards the walls of the Alamo. Now, the Alamo has walls that were 2 1/2 feet thick and 8 feet tall. The cannon ball wouldn’t go through the wall at first. It would go through about a foot and a half into the wall, but over time while hitting the same spot, it would eventually break a hole through the wall. The Texans, however stayed up during the night to rebuild the wall. 	William Barrett Travis was a twenty-six year old commander during this battle. During this first day of the siege, Travis begins to write the first letter from the Alamo, pleading for help from more Texans to come help, and pledged, Victory or Death. [3]	The Texans knew that they could not hold up the fort throughout the entire battle, but they were hoping that they would only have to hold it up until the rest of the Texans came. Travis sent the letters out with men who would escape from the Alamo, but nobody ever came to reply. Sam Houston, who had already served in the U.S House of Representatives and as governor of Tennessee, emerged as a leader among the American settlers.[4] 	Santa Anna forced an infantry attack along the south wall of the Alamo then eventually surrounded it. The Texans were holding up pretty well up until 5 am on March 6, 1836. The Texans were finally getting some rest after sleeplessly fighting due to being up all night, building the wall back up after being shot with cannon balls after cannon balls. Santa Anna attacked at 5 am. Travis was shot early in the battle, though the Texans kept fighting without their commander  James Bowie, who carried orders from Sam Houston, was so weak, he couldn't even get out of bed and he was indeed executed. The women and children were spared, no prisoners were taken, and the Mexicans claimed their victory for this battle.[5] 	After Sam Houston found out about the defeat of the Alamo, he decided that he wanted to recoup and replenish the Texas army to make it bigger and stronger. After they had remembered how badly the Texans were defeated at the Alamo, the Texans attacked the Mexican forces at San Jacinto. Houston was very tactical regarding the planning of this attack. While the Mexicans were celebrating their victory, they were drinking quite a bit. Sam Houston attacked while the Mexicans were all getting some sleep, and they didn't expect it coming. Houston led from the front and lost two horses and was shot in the foot. Santa Anna had escaped in disguise. He was soon found the next day and captured not too far away from the attack. It was the shortest battle in history at 18 minutes long. It was an easy defeat and Texas gained their independence.	See, since the defeat at the Alamo essentially ignited that spark for Houston to create a better army,  without the Battle of the Alamo, who knows if Texas would have gained it’s independence? Maybe some of you don't understand what it would be like living under Mexican rule…	In 1824, Mexico had changed into a centralist military dictatorship and invited settlers to Texas and promised them constitutional liberty and republican government but then backed out of that deal. The right to keep and bear arms and the right to trial by jury was also denied in Mexico. There was also no public education that was established and they was absolutely not allowed freedom of religion. All legal settlers were required to convert to Catholicism.	After the fall of the Alamo, All of the bodies were burned as there were 182 of them says eyewitness, Theodore Gentilz. Gentile states that he was one of the men who were collecting the bodies and bringing them to the funeral pyre. Once the fall of the Alamo was over, the churches and other buildings were abandoned (as you can imagine). The government of the Republic returned the chapel to the Catholic Church, but soon after annexation, the U.S Government claimed it again for military use. The United States Army leased the property up until 1876. A few years later, Jean Neraz, the second bishop of the Catholic Diocese offered to sell the Alamo in 1882 to Frank W. Johnson who was the first president of the Texas Veterans’ Association. On April 23, 1883, the Texas legislature passed an act which authorized the purchase of the Alamo and the money from the sale went to complete a new chancery building for the San Antonio diocese.[6] The Battle of the Alamo marked a crucial turning point in American history as it made Texas what it is today. The battle cry “Remember the Alamo” embody the meaning of the struggles made by Texans who chose to be independent. [7]                                                                            Bibliography                                                                                                                                              [1] : Sam Houston and the Battle for Texas Independence                http://www.americaslibrary.gov/es/tx/es_tx_houston_1.html                                                        [2] The Alamo, why did it happen?               http://www.aaregistry.org/historic_events/view/alamo-why-did-it-happen                                                                                                                                             [3] http://www.greatmilitarybattles.com/html/the_battle_of_the_alamo.html                             [4] Travis' Appeal for Aid at the Alamo                               http://www.lsjunction.com/docs/appeal.htm                                                                                     [5] Fight to the Death at the Alamo, 1836                http://www.eyewitnesstohistory.com/alamo.htm                                                                               [6] Areas of Interest                                             https://www.tsl.texas.gov/treasures/republic/alamo-01.html                                                       [7] http://www.texasmilitaryforcesmuseum.org/tnghist3.htm 

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Primary Source: Newspaper Article in March of 1836

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Primary Source: Newspaper Article in March of 1836

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As stated in the San Antonio Express-News, "All Defenders are slain, but not before unleashing a withering and deadly rain of fire."

The Texans were the underdogs and this was not a victory for the Americans. The Texans put up a hell of a fight and even though the Mexicans gained a Victory from this battle, the Texans shall later gain it's independence.

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March 6, 1836

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This is a 15 minute video, summarizing the important events during the Battle of the Alamo from February 23, to March 6, 1836.

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Primary Source: The letter from the Alamo written by William Barrett Travis 

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Primary Source: The letter from the Alamo written by William Barrett Travis 

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Written in the Letter from the Alamo:

"Send this to San Felipe by Express night & day
To The People of Texas and All Americans Commandancy of the Alamo — Bejar, Fby 24th 1836 —

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 & connade 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 & & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all despatch — 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 deter mined 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 — Travis. Since the above was written I heard a very heavy Canonade during the whole day think there must have been an attack made upon the alamo We were short of amunition when I left Hurry on all the men you can in haste When I left there was but 150 determined to do or die tomorrow I leave for Bejar with what men I can raise [copy here illegible] at all events — Col. Almonte is there the troops are under the Command of Gen. Seisma Albert Martin

[printed sideways] Nb I hope that Every One will Rondevu at gonzales as soon poseble as the Brave Solders are suffering do not neglect this powder is very scarce and should not be delad one moment L. Smither"

The letter from the Alamo written by William Travis was basically asking people to come help and to come fight. He would send these letters with men who escaped the Alamo addressing fellowing citizens and pledged, "Victory or Death." The men in the alamo knew that they couldn't hold up the fort forever, they just wanted to hold up the fort until more Texans would come help fight, but he never received a reply.

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Written By William Barrett Travis

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When friction developed between Texas and Mexico, Travis was one of the first to join the Texas forces. He was a commander during the Battle of the Alamo and wrote letters back to his fellow citizens during the battle against the Mexicans.

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By Theodore Gentilz

During this time, Francisco Antonio Ruiz states, "The men burned numbered 182. I was an eye witness, for as Alcalde of San Antonio, I was with some of the neighbors collecting the dead bodies and placing them on the funeral pyre."