REMEMBER THE ALAMO
Posted on 03/06/2017 9:04:56 AM PST by slumber1
181 years ago, March 6, 1836, the Alamo garrison fell, and the fortress that had been a mission became a shrine.
Francisco Antonio Ruiz was the Acalde (mayor) of San Antonio. He was an eyewitness to the events of that day.
Twenty-four years later, in 1860, Don Poncho (as Ruiz was known), recounted what he had seen for the Texas Almanac.
Below is his account in full. Remember the Alamo!
Fall of the Alamo, and Massacre of Travis and His Brave Associates by Francisco Antonio Ruiz Translated by J. A. Quintero
On the 6th of March at 3 a.m. General Santa Anna at the head of 4000 men, advanced against the Alamo. The infantry, artillery and cavalry had formed about 1000 varas from the walls of said fortress.
The Mexican army charged and were twice repulsed by the deadly fire of Travis' artillery, which resembled a constant thunder. At the third charge the Toluca battalion commenced to scale the walls and suffered severely. Out of 800 men, only 130 were left alive.
When the Mexican army had succeeded in entering the walls, I with Political Chief (Jefe Politico) Don Ramon Musquiz, and other members of the corporation, accompanied the curate Don Refugio de la Garza, who, by Santa Anna's orders had assembled during the night, at a temporary fortification erected in Potrero Street, with the object of attending the wounded.
As soon as the storming commenced, we crossed the bridge on Commerce Street with this object in view, and about 100 yards from the same a party of Mexican dragoons fired upon us and compelled us to fall back on the river to the place occupied before.
Half an hour had elapsed when Santa Anna sent one of his aides with an order for us to come before him. He directed me to call upon some of the neighbors to come with carts to carry the dead to the cemetery, and also to accompany him, as he was desirous to have Colonels Travis, Bowie and Crockett shown to him.
On the north battery of the fortress lay the lifeless body of Colonel Travis on the gun carriage shot only in the forehead.
Toward the west in a small fort opposite the city we found the body of Colonel Crockett.
Colonel Bowie was found dead in his bed in one of the rooms of the south side.
Santa Anna, after the Mexicans were taken out, ordered wood to be brought to burn the bodies of the Texans. He sent a company of dragoons with me to bring wood and dry branches from the neighboring forests.
About 3 o'clock in the afternoon of the next day they commenced laying wood and dry branches upon which a file of dead bodies were placed, more wood was piled on them and another file brought, and in this manner all were arranged in layers. Kindling wood was distributed through the pile and at 8 o'clock it was lighted.
The dead Mexicans of Santa Anna's army were taken to the graveyard, but not having sufficient room for them, I ordered some of them to be thrown in the river, which was done on the same day. Santa Anna's loss estimated at 1600 men. These were the flower of his army.
The gallantry of the few Texans who defended the Alamo were really wondered at by the Mexican army. Even the generals were astonished at their vigorous resistance, and how dearly the victory had been bought.
The generals who, under Santa Anna, participated in the storming of the Alamo were Juan Amador, Castrillion Ramirez and Asesma Andrade.
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.
(Signed) Francisco Antonio Ruiz
“There is at least one differing account by another alleged witness (an officer in the Mexican army).”
There are, I think, 5 different accounts of Texan soldiers executed after the battle. These were written in later years in an attempt to throw Santa Ana in a very bad light.
This is one of the accounts that is trusted due to the source and his participation in the clean up of the dead.
Santa Anna was a pox on Mexico for 25 years. He just would not leave. He was even exiled to the US but made it back to make more trouble.
A real life Azzhole.
However, it is said that Santa Anna help introduce chewing gum to North Americans.
...The broad shoulders on which future Patriots stand.....Travis, Bowie, Crockett......my own proud Tennessee volunteers ..and all the others....
Our profound thanks and appreciation of the freedom loving patriots from Tennessee....and all others.
And through the center of the fort developed a dusty road traveling in front of the famous Chapel facade. That eventually turned into a paved road and is now a busy city street in downtown San Antonio. A lot of people don't know they are driving over the ground where Travis and Crockett died.
The current park is really "inside out" from the original fort. The Chapel, the center of mission life, faced in to the compound, now it faces out to the street.
On behalf of all Vols, Thank- you
Alamo Defenders
Listing of Those Known to have Died at the Alamo
Abamillo, Juan TX
Allen, Robert VA
Andross, Miles DeForrest VT
Autry, Micajah NC
Badillo, Juan A TX
Bailey, Peter James III KY
Baker, Isaac G AR
Baker, William Charles M MO
Ballentine, John J PA
Ballantine, Richard W Scotland
Baugh, John J VA
Bayliss, Joseph TN
Blair, John TN
Blair, Samuel TN
Blazeby, William England
Bonham, James Butler SC
Bourne, Daniel England
Bowie, James KY
Bowman, Jesse B TN
Brown, George England
Brown, James PA
Brown, Robert unknown
Buchanan, James AL
Burns, Samuel E Ireland
Butler, George D MO
Cain, John PA
Campbell, Robert TN
Carey, William R VA
Clark, Charles Henry MO
Clark, M B MS
Cloud, Daniel William KY
Cochran, Robert E NH
Cottle, George Washington MO
Courtman, Henry Germany
Crawford, Lemuel SC
Crockett, David TN
Crossman, Robert PA
Cummings, David P PA
Cunningham, Robert NY
Darst, Jacob C KY
Davis, John KY
Day, Freeman H K unknown
Day, Jerry C MO
Daymon, Squire TN
Dearduff, William TN
Dennison, Stephen England or Ireland
Despallier, Charles LA
Dewall, Lewis NY
Dickinson, Almeron TN
Dillard, John Henry TN
Dimpkins, James R England
Duvalt, Andrew Ireland
Espalier, Carlos TX
Esparza, Gregorio TX
Evans, Robert Ireland
Evans, Samuel B NY
Ewing, James L TN
Faunterloy, William Keener KY
Fishbaugh, William unknown
Flanders, John MA
Floyd, Dolphin Ward NC
Forsyth, John Hubbard NY
Fuentes, Antonio TX
Fuqua, Galba AL
Garnett, William VA
Garrand, James W LA
Garrett, James Girard TN
Garvin, John E unknown
Gaston, John E KY
George, James unknown
Goodrich, John C VA
Grimes, Albert Calvin GA
Guerrero, José María TX
Gwynne, James C England
Hannum, James PA
Harris, John KY
Harrison, Andrew Jackson TN
Harrison, William B OH
Hawkins, Joseph M Ireland
Hays, John M TN
Heiskell, Charles M TN
Herndon, Patrick Henry VA
Hersee, William Daniel England
Holland, Tapley OH
Holloway, Samuel PA
Howell, William D MA
Jackson, Thomas Ireland
Jackson, William Daniel KY
Jameson, Green B KY
Jennings, Gordon C PA
Jimenes (Ximenes), Damacio TX
Johnson, Lewis Wales
Johnson, William PA
Jones, John NY
Kellog, John Benjamin KY
Kenney, James VA
Kent, Andrew KY
Kerr, Joseph LA
Kimbell, George C PA
King, William Philip TX
Lewis, William Irvine VA
Lightfoot, William J VA
Lindley, Jonathan L IL
Linn, William MA
Losoya, Toribio TX
Main, George Washington unknown
Malone, William T GA
Marshall, William TN
Martin, Albert RI
McCafferty, Edward unknown
McCoy, Jesse TN
McDowell, William PA
McGee, James Ireland
McGregor, John Scotland
McKinney, Robert TN
Melton, Eliel GA
Miller, Thomas R TN
Mills, William TN
Millsaps, Isaac MS
Mitchell, Edwin T unknown
Mitchell, Napoleon B unknown
Mitchusson, Edward F VA
Moore, Robert B VA
Moore, Willis A MS
Musselman, Robert OH
Nava, Andrés TX
Neggan, George SC
Nelson, Andrew M TN
Nelson, Edward SC
Nelson, George SC
Northcross, James VA
Nowlan, James England
Pagan, George unknown
Parker, Christopher Adam unknown
Parks, William NC
Perry, Richardson TX
Pollard, Amos MA
Reynolds, John Purdy PA
Roberts, Thomas H unknown
Robertson, James Waters TN
Robinson, Isaac Scotland
Rose, James M OH
Rusk, Jackson J Ireland
Rutherford, Joseph KY
Ryan, Isaac LA
Scurlock, Mial NC
Sewell, Marcus L England
Shied, Manson GA
Simmons, Cleveland Kinlock SC
Smith, Andrew H unknown
Smith, Charles S MD
Smith, Joshua G NC
Smith, William H unknown
Starr, Richard England
Stewart, James E England
Stockton, Richard L NJ
Summerlin, A Spain TN
Summers, William E TN
Sutherland, William DePriest unknown
Taylor, Edward TN
Taylor, George TN
Taylor, James TN
Taylor, William TN
Thomas, B Archer M KY
Thomas, Henry Germany
Thompson, Jesse G AR
Thomson, John W NC
Thruston, John M PA
Trammel, Burke Ireland
Travis, William Barret SC
Tumlinson, George W MO
Tylee, James NY
Walker, Asa TN
Walker, Jacob TN
Ward, William B Ireland
Warnell, Henry unknown
Washington, Joseph G KY
Waters, Thomas England
Wells, William GA
White, Isaac AL or KY
White, Robert unknown
Williamson, Hiram James PA
Wills, William unknown
Wilson, David L Scotland
Wilson, John PA
Wolf, Anthony unknown
Wright, Claiborne NC
Zanco, Charles Denmark
_____, John a Black Freedman
Known Survivors
Alsbury, Juana Navarro Wife of Dr. Horace Alsbury and sister of Gertrudis
Dickinson, Susanna Wife of Almeron Dickinson, age 22 years
Dickinson, Angelina Daughter of Almeron and Susanna, age 15 months
Esparza, Ana Wife of Gergorio Esparza, age unknown
Esparza, Enrique Son of Ana and Gergorio, age 8 years
Esparza, Manuel Son of Ana and Gergorio, age 5 years
Esparza, Maria de Jesus Daughter of Ana and Gergorio, age 10 years
Gonzales, Petra Relationship unknown, elderly
Guerrero, Brigido
Joe Slave: William B Travis, age 20’s
Navarro, Gertrudis Sister-in-Law of James Bowie, age 15 years
Perez, Alejo Jr Son of Juana Navarro Alsbury and Alejo Perez Ramigio
(1st husband), age 11 months
Sam Slave: James Bowie, age unknown
Saucedo, Trinidad Servant, age 27 years
Please remember that some of the defenders were Masons, such as Travis and Crockett. Texas Mason’s go to the Alamo each year and hold memorial services for the men who had fallen.
... And his eyes turn sorta misty
And his heart begins to glow
And he takes his hat off slowly...
To the men of Alamo.
To the thirteen days of glory
At the siege of Alamo...
Written by Dimitri Tiomkin, Paul Francis Webster •
General Santa Anna and chewing gum
http://historybecauseitshere.weebly.com/general-santa-anna-chicle-and-chewing-gum.html
By far, one of my favorite songs.
Ping
I tear up when ever I play that song
Likely a lie, driven by machismo.
Over the centuries, attackers require something like a 4-to-1 advantage to prevail.
The idea that the attackers lost less than half the number of people inside defending is quite a stretch, especially given the initial superior firepower.
Also, the witness doesn't really have much of a motivation to inflate his side's numbers..
REMEMBER THE ALAMO
Thanks.
Me too.
“If it was just me, simple old David from Tennessee, I might drop over that wall some night, take my chances. But that Davy Crockett feller... they’re all watchin’ him.” —The Alamo (2004)
That officer was LtCol. Jose Enrique de la Pena. His diary and other documents were printed in English in 1955. The de la Pena diary and papers are at the U of T in Austin. Needless to say, there has been considerable arguments about the authenticity of the de la Pena material. An American officer after San Jacinto, was told a similar story by one of the captured Mexican officers. Do not know the source of that story, read it many years ago. Certainly, if any of the fighting men had been captured alive, Santa Ana would have had them executed. That was his style.
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