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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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Posted on 03/06/2003 5:33:16 AM PST by SAMWolf
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are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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The garrison's sentries spot the advance of Santa Anna's Cavalry units. After scouts confirm the Mexican army's presence, Colonel William B. Travis orders a withdrawal into the Alamo compound.  In a parley with Mexican Colonel Juan Almonte the Texians are ordered to surrender or be put to the sword. Travis answers the Mexican's terms with a volley from the 18-pounder. The second day of the siege began early with the Texians facing a newly established battery erected by the Mexicans during the night. The battery consisted of two eight-pounders and a howitzer and was located approximately 400 yards to the west of the fort. It was known as the River Battery. The defenders were busy that night as well. They had captured at least one Mexican soldier and six pack mules during a nighttime patrol. According to Enrique Esparza, the defenders used the captured soldier to decipher bugle calls for the Texians throughout the siege. Sometime around eleven that morning, Santa Anna began his survey of the Alamo fortifications and surrounding area to familiarize himself with the area. The Mexican army pillaged the Texian's stores in Béxar and began the bombardment of the Alamo in earnest. The Texian artillery returned fire with no obvious results. James Bowie, in command of the garrison, fell ill. The garrion's surgeon described his illness as a "A peculiar disease of a peculiar nature." Jim Bowie relinquished his command of the garrison to Travis.  The Alamo's well proved inadequate in supplying the garrison's water needs. This forced the defenders to obtain water from the acequia and reservoir to east of the compound setting the stage for several skirmishes. Travis penned his "To the people of Texas and all Americans in the world" letter. Defender Albert Martin carried the letter from the Alamo and added his own comments to the back of the document. Historians consider this letter to be one of the most stirring documents in American history because it helped to establish the Texian national identity. The morning of February 25, 1836 dawned with summer-like temperatures opening one of the most eventful days of the siege.  William Barret Travis The Mexicans launched an attack with approximately 400 - 450 soldiers personally led by General Castrillon. The Matamoros Battalion and three companies of cazadores made up the attacking force. They came from the area of the river battery through Pueblo de Valero's jacales and buildings advancing to within 50-100 yards from the Alamo's walls. After two hours of fighting, The Texians finally forced a Mexican withdrawal using the ditches and outworks. They inflicted only light casualties on their attackers. Sometime during the fighting, Texian sorties burned the jacales closest to the Alamo. At the same time, the Mexicans established new fortifications near the McMullen house. As the Mexicans advanced through the pueblo, they discovered a young woman and her mother in one of the houses. Although already married, Santa Anna took advantage of the situation, arranged a false marriage, and quickly consummated the relationship.  That night, the temperatures dropped into the 30's. Under the cover of darkness, William B. Travis sent Colonel Juan Seguin to find General Houston and ask for help. The defenders ventured out again burning even more jacales. There is some evidence that at least nine men deserted the garrison and gave information to Santa Anna where the Texians had hidden at least 50 rifles. The day's fighting was not a victory for the Texians. The Mexicans had established artillery and infantry entrenchments in La Villita and the Alameda, but the Texians proved that as unorganized as they were, they could fight. The Texians burned more jacales during the night. It soon became obvious that the Alamo's water well would not supply the needs of a 150+ people in the garrison. They would have to obtain water from the nearby acequia. The overnight arrival of a norther dropped the temperatures to near freezing. As daylight broke, a Texian foray went outside the walls to obtain water and wood. A small skirmish erupted with the Mexican troops under General Sesma. Mexican casualties were slightly heavier than in earlier fights due to the Texian's eastern-facing cannon. The fifth day of the siege was again cold with temperatures ranging in the 30s. Having exhausted their own supplies, the Mexicans pillaged BŽjar of foodstuffs and perishables. When they in turn depleted these, they sent troops to nearby ranchos to forage livestock and corn.  In a decisive move, the Mexicans cut off the eastern acequia's water supply at its source: the San Antonio River. Not only did this end the minor skirmishes that had taken place from the beginning of the siege; it essentially eliminated the defender's major source of water. The Matamoros battalion began work on trenches to the South of the Alamo compound. These entrenchments did not pass Santa Anna's inspection and so he ordered his men to dig new entrenchments closer to the Alamo under the direct supervision of General Amador. Throughout the day, the Texians maintained constant fire on the Mexican work party. According to General Filisola, the Texians were seen working frantically on their own ditch inside the parapet of the cattle pen. This effort later proved fruitless and was harmful to the Alamo's defense by undermining the walls, essentially removing any walkway the defenders might have had exposing them to Mexican fire. General Gaona received Santa Anna's letter of the 25th requesting him to send three battalions as quickly as possible. Gaona immediately complied, yet failed to forward any heavy siege guns because Santa Anna neglected to include this request in his dispatch. Mexicans receive intelligence that 200 Texian reinforcements from Goliad are en route to the Alamo.  The morale within the compound is high. According to Mrs. Dickinson, Crockett took up a fiddle and challenged John McGregor, a Scot with bagpipes, to a contest of instruments. The Mexican's Jimenez battalion and the cavalry under command of General Ramirez y Sesma are ordered down the Goliad road to intercept any reinforcements that might have been sent by Fannin. The Mexicans propose a three-day armistice and several Tejanos leave Alamo during the cease-fire. Thirty-two reinforcements from Gonzales arrive.  Davy Crockett General Sesma advances towards Goliad to seek out Texian reinforcements coming to the aid of the Alamo. Finding none, he returns to Bexar. The Alamo's 12-pound gunnade fires two shots, one of them hitting Santa Anna's headquarters. Travis receives a report that there is corn at the Seguin ranch. He sends a detatchment headed by Lt. Menchaca to retrieve it. Mexican forces discover a hidden road within pistol shot of the Alamo and post the Jimenez battalion there to cover it. Unknown to the defenders, Independence has been declared at Washington-on-the-Brazos. James Butler Bonham arrives with news of reinforcements. He reports that sixty men from Gonzales are due and that an additional 600 would soon be en route.  The Texians fire several shots into the city in celebration. Santa Anna receives word of Mexican General Urrea's victory at San Patricio. In celebration, the Mexcians ring church bells and there is revelry in the camp. Santa Anna gathers his officers for a council of war. It is decided that when the final assault takes place, that they will take no prisoners. The time for the assault will be determined tomorrow.  Jim Bowie Having been consolidated into two batteries, the Mexican artillery, is brought to within 200 yards of the compound. More Texian reinforcements arrive in the late hours. Santa Anna issues orders for the assault to begin on the following day utilizing four assault columns and one reserve column. Santa Anna calls for reconnaissance to determine Mexican attack positions and approaches. A messenger arrives at the compound with the grim news that reinforcements aren't coming. Travis gathers his men and informs them of their options. At midnight the Mexicans begin moving into attack position.
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Travis arrived in Texas early in 1831, after the Law of April 6, 1830 made his immigration illegal. He arrived at San Felipe de Austin, and on May 21 obtained land from Stephen F. Austin. He listed his marital status as single, although he was still married. He established a legal practice in Anahuac, a significant port of entry located on the eastern end of Galveston Bay. The purpose of the move there was to establish himself in an area where there were few attorneys while he learned the official language, Spanish. He traveled the country doing legal work and became associated with a group of militants who opposed the Law of April 6, 1830. Eventually this group became known as the war party as tension increased between the Mexican government and American settlers in Texas. Travis had many occasions to oppose the commander of the Mexican garrison at Anahuac, Col. John Davis Bradburn, a Kentuckian in the service of Mexico. Bradburn enforced the anti-immigration law, refused to allow state officials to alienate land to American settlers arriving after the passage of the law, and allegedly used materials and slaves belonging to the settlers to build his camp.
The de la Pena diary is debatable, although evidence slowly builds that it is real. The collector that "found" it was less than credible. There are two manuscripts--one shown to be in de la Pena's hand, probably written at the time of the events. The second is not in his hand; apparently, it was written while he was in prison. He was too ill to write, so he transcribed it. Hands-writing experts seem inclined to think that it's the real thing for a number of reasons. But it's the one in doubt and it's the one that mentions the executions in one paragraph.
Some archeologists looked at his descriptions of landmarks and, with the use of satellite images and GPS systems, have located an area where he said a city was located (they found chards and it's today in the middle of a desert), a fork in a road the exact distance from the city like he noted and soldier-type relicts that would indicate troops had traveled it in the past. Pretty interesting stuff.
The name to remember is Jake Ivey. He is a man who has done decades of research and it was his findings that were plugged into a computer and developed into 3-D pictures. He discovered, for instance, that the north wall was 3 feet thick.
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