TEXAS
FOREVER
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
TEXAS
FOREVER
Remember Goliad! Remember the Alamo!
Yea for April 21!
I was wondering if someone would mention this today! I really became aware of the day in High School and later after five days of Basic Training in San Antonio back in 1966.
God Bless those Great Texans
Many who fell at the Alamo were Mexicans fighting for the 1824 Mexican Constitution —a document patterned upon the American Constitution and one dismissed by General Santa Anna who ruled as a dictator. They were fighting for a free Mexico not Texan Freedom or Independence. These Mexican Republicans are many times forgotten in the story of the battle. It was a clear battle between Republican Freedom and a tyrant dictator. Many who fought called themselves “Texicans” rather than Americans.
***Santa Anna’s loss estimated at 1600 men.***
I have read that Santa Anna only claimed 75 were lost. But then, he was the winner.
The Alamo is hallowed ground to many native Texans. The sacrifice of the brave men who died there loved freedom more than their own lives as they died to give General Houston sufficient time to get the Texan Army ready to repel the enemy.
Nothing says it like Colonel William Barrett Travis’ final letter from the Alamo to General Sam Houston on the eve of their deaths:
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 & cannonade 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 dispatch—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 determined 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
Over 300 Texan soldiers were captured at Goliad and also murdered by the Mexican Army as they were led to a watering place.
The Houston Army was hopping mad by the time they defeated the Mexicans at San Jacinto.
He was a winner, for the time being!
Have visited The Shrine on a half dozen occasions. Always marvel how so few a number could withstand a force that large in such a small space.
I have read that after Santa Anna seized power, many of the Mexican states declared their independence from Mexico.
He then went into Yucatan and pressed many natives into the army and began a slow march north, overthrowing all the independent states until he came Texas.
I believe Great Britain was the catalyst behind the US-Mexico war. They recognized Texas as an independent nation with the Rio Grande as the border, then proposed a treaty between GB-Canada, Mexico and Texas against the United States over the Oregon Territories which was heating up at that time.
This so horrified the Texans that they called to be admitted into the US as a state. The US, realizing the back door was wide open, agreed and troops were sent to the Rio Grande which caused Mexico to start bombardment of the unnamed fort there. The first soldier killed was named BROWN and the fort and city took that name.
Commander Troops Equipment
Cos 350 10 ladders, 2 crowbars, 2 axes
Duque/Castrillón 400 10 ladders
Romero 400 6 ladders
Morales 125 2 ladders
Sesma 500 cavalry
Santa Anna 400 reserves
There is at least one differing account by another alleged witness (an officer in the Mexican army). According to that account the battle was actually quite short once the full assault began, there were at least a few survivors (including Crocket), and those survivors were put to death by torture.
Last summer, I visited the Alamo and the San Jacinto Battlefield
What I remember most was Davy Crockett’s knife; the one he fought on with after running out of ammunition; it looked a lot like the paring knife my wife uses to cut vegetables in the kitchen.
All that remains is the Chapel. The fort was actually about 2-3 acres big, quite an area for 180 men to protect. When the Mexican army left the area after their defeat, they blew up the fort, except for the Chapel.
The question is, was Travis and Bowie originally sent there to blow it up or fortify it as some claim?
my 1824 and De Zavala flag are at half mast today after being flown at full mast since the anniversary of the beginning of the siege
For 7 years I worked only a few blocks from the Alamo and while I didn’t like being a city dweller, seeing it each day was awesome.
My favorite movie on the subject is THE LAST COMMAND with Sterling Hayden.
Then there is Walt Disneys Davy Crockett, a personal favorite.
John Wayne’s is good but about an hour too long. You can still go to google maps, ALAMO VILLAGE, and see the set from the air.
The last one is more accurate but is lacks feeling.
By the way, the battle did happen very early in the morning, something Disney’s Davy Crockett movie first showed. In my mind I can see the battle in the dark, then the sun breaking the horizon about the moment the North Wall is breached.
The broad shoulders on which future Patriots stand.....Travis, Bowie, Crockett......my own proud Tennessee volunteers ..and all the others
When I visited the Alamo ....before we entered....the guide told us to be reverent and hushed, as we were entering sacred ground.
See ‘bio’ page for more Texas history
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