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Display of items of Mexican army from the Battle of the Alamo on display at the Museo Nacional de las Intervenciones (ex Monastery of Churubusco) in Coyoacan borough, Mexico City. Photo taken by Thelmadatter –

20 Facts You Should Know About The Battle Of The Alamo

The battle of the Alamo is a major historic event for the people pf Texas. The battle was between the Mexican troops and Texas troops who were fighting for their independence. The Battle took place in the present day Texas between the 23^rd of February and the 6^th of March 1836.

At the time of the battle, the Alamo was a Spanish fortress. Santa Anna was a commander who led the Texas troops against the Mexicans. Other commanders that are remembered in the battle are William B Travis and David Crockett.

The battle of Alamo has become a symbolic to independence of Texas from the Mexican troops. The Alamo was preserved in honor of the soldiers who died while fighting for the independence of Texas.

1.The Alamo battle was between February 23 and March 6 in 1836

This is a drawing of the Alamo Mission in San Antonio. It was first printed in 1854 in Gleason’s Pictorial Drawing Room Companion and was reprinted in Frank Thompson’s 2005 “The Alamo”, p 106.
Unknown author – Frank Thompson, The Alamo.j

The Battle of Alamo took place in the present day Texas between the 23^rd of February and the 6^th of March 1836. The battle was part of the Texan Revolution that was fought at the Alamo Mission. This was a major event to the people of Texas.

After the siege, General Antonio Santa Anna led the military army to reclaim the place by surrounding it. Despite a valiant effort, the Texas resistance commanded by William B. Travis was ultimately defeated.

During this period so many Texas citizens died and it forced volunteers to join the arm to fight for the state. The Battle of the Alamo, is known as a key moment of the Texas revolution and has become one of the most well-known history for Texas.

2.Willian B. Travis was left to lead the troops after the death of Colonel Bowie

William B. Travis became sole Texian commander at the Alamo on February 24, photo by Henry McArdle.

The Battle of Alamo was marked by the siege at Alamo. The Mexican forces that surrounded the Alamo were led by Santa Anna. Skirmishes between a force of less than 200 Texans and 1,500 Mexican soldiers marked the beginning of the conflict.

Colonel Bowie was the initial leader for the Texas troops until his death on the 24 of February. This was just a day into the war. William B. Travis took up the task as the commander in army of the troops.

Travis penned the renowned letter To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World on the same day. In this letter he pleaded for assistance to fight the Mexican soldiers. The letter, which was widely circulated around the country, encouraged people to donate their time to the Texas cause.

3.David Crockett, the seventh folk hero, died during the Battle of the Alamo

A knife purportedly used by Davy Crockett during the Battle of the Alamo, photo by Brian Reading.

One of the best-known American folk heroes is David “Davy” Crockett engaged in combat in the Alamo battle. David is known as a distinguished military officer who later became a powerful politician and was chosen to represent Tennessee in the United States Congress.

After the death of a majority of the forces, volunteers came up to fight for Texas. Crockett and a few other volunteers landed at Alamo in February to help in the fight of Alamo. Crockett and his troops were the last remaining unit in the operation to engage in open combat during the conflict.

The guys used knives and their rifles as clubs to protect the low wall in front of the church since the fighting was too frantic to allow for reloading. At the age of 49, David Crockett lost his battle at the Alamo.

4.The battle was not for the independence of Mexico

By 1821, Texas was a part of Mexico at the time of its independence from Spanish. During the battle, many of the Alamo’s defenders supported Texas’ independence from Mexico, but their leaders had not yet made that declaration.

During this period, colonialist brought in slaves from all over the world. This practice was later on declared illegal in Mexico in 1829. This was to prevent any sort of invasion which was popular during this period.

Later on in 1832, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna took up the leadership of the Mexican government.  He established centralist rule and revoked the then constitution. Some Texans and Tejanos favored centralization while others preferred the return of the federalist constitution.

5.The volunteers in the battle were not soldiers

William Travis was placed in charge of the troops after the initial commander left on on family matters. However at the moment William took over that task he had no experience in the military.

This was a major challenge as he led the forces in Alamo.  Another problem was that about half of the men there were not enlisted soldiers, but volunteers who technically could come, go, and do as they pleased.

Some of these men disliked Travis and often refused to take orders form him, they claimed they only took ordered from their former commander, Jim Bowie. Thus tension was diffused by the arrival of Davy Crockett who was more skilled.

6.Lieutenant Travis believed that reinforcements were on the way

Lieutenant Travis who had taken charge of the troops was of the belief that reinforcement was on its way. He has sent repeated requests to Col. James Fannin in Goliad for reinforcements,

Unfortunately he was not aware of the fact that James Fannin would not come to offer assistance. Every day during the siege, the defenders were on the lookout for Fannin and his men but they never arrived.

Fannin believed that the logistics of reaching the Alamo in time were impossible and his 300 or so men in his arm were no match for the Mexican troop.

7.Some Mexican natives were among the defenders fighting for the independence

The Tejanos and other Mexican natives joined the cause and fought for their independence. They stood alongside the Texas, United States settlers who fought for their independence from Mexicans.

Travis’s army lost 187 soldiers, 13 of whom were native Texans, 11 of Mexican heritage. Form the number it is evident that majority of Mexican natives were also actively involved in the fight for independence. In addition to the two African Americans, there were 41 Europeans and other Americans from various US states.

8.Declarations on the independence of Texas was made on March 2^nd 1836

During the Battle of Alamo, many of the Alamo’s defenders were in support for their independence but their leaders had not yet made that declaration. The declaration on their independence was made by delegates gathered in Washington.

On the 2^nd day of March 1836, Texas was declared independent form Mexico. This date remains significant to the people of Texas and the United States of America. The Alamo had been under siege for days when it was attacked and surrendered early on March 6; the defenders were completely unaware that independence had been legally declared a few days earlier.

Texas proclaimed its independence as a republic in 1836 however Mexico did not take cognizance of this until when the treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was ratified in 1848.

9.Davy Crockett died in the battle

Davy Crockett was on the most well-known Alamo defender to be killed during the battle of Alamo. One of Santa Anna’s officers, Jose Enrique de la Pefia, said that a few prisoners, including Crockett, were taken and executed after the battle.

Crockett heroically fought but perished at the Battle of the Alamo, either by death in action or being captured and put to death. The mayor of San Antonio claimed to have seen Crockett dead with the other defenders. He remains in history as one of the freedom fighters of Texas.

10.Majority of the defenders were ready to die fighting for the freedom of Texas

William Travis, the commander allegedly drew a line in the sand with his sword and ordered all of the defenders who were prepared to die fighting to cross it; all but one of them did. This was a demonstration that majority of the defenders were ready to lay their lives down for the freedom of Texas.

The tale originally appeared in print in 1888 in New History for Texas Schools by Anna Pennybackers. A subsequent, frequently referenced statement by Travis was inserted by Pennybacker.

11.Some of the survivors were women, children, domestic workers and slaves

The Fall of the Alamo (1903) by Robert Jenkins Onderdonk, depicts Davy Crockett wielding his rifle , Photo by Robert Jenkins Onderdonk.

Not every person in the battle of Alamo. The majority of the survivors were women, kids, domestic workers, and slaves. Susanna W. Dickinson, the widow of Capt. Almeron Dickinson, and her little daughter, Angelina, were among the few that survived the incident.

After the siege, the General led the military army to reclaim the place by surrounding it. Despite a valiant effort, the Texas resistance commanded by William B. Travis was ultimately defeated. Majority of the defenders died during this period and forced volunteers to join in the fight.

12.Santa Anna was overthrown within six weeks

Susanna Dickinson survived the Battle of the Alamo. Santa Anna sent her to spread word of the Texian defeat to the Texas colonists. Unknown author.

After winning the Battle of the Alamo, Mexican commander and general Antonio López de Santa Anna regained control of San Antonio. He claimed that he would spare nothing in his pursuit for freedom. HE warned that the battle would be one without mercy.

He had lost over 200 Texans rebellions in the battle as opposed to 600 Mexican soldiers that lost their lives. Many rebels joined the Texas army fighting for the independence of Texas.

In the end, Santa Anna lost the conflict and was overthrown within six weeks. Later on in 1832, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna took up the leadership of the Mexican government.

13.Rebels managed to break through the enemy lines and add to Alamo`s defence

In the days preceding the conflict, some Mexican men allegedly escaped away from the Alamo. There were expectations that the battle was against the Texas army and the Mexican on however this was not the case, some rebels for the Mexican side crossed to the other side.

It was astonishing to find out that a few men managed to enter the Alamo prior to the deadly onslaught. On March 1, 32 valiant citizens of Gonzales broke through enemy lines to add to the Alamo’s defenses. Travis, who was the commander at that time  had ordered James Butler Bonham out to call for reinforcements. All of the Gonzales men and Bonham perished in the conflict.

14.The Alamo structures were set on fire by Santa Anna

The Alamo’s structural components were not preserved even after the end of the battle. The structure was set on fire by Santa Anna in early April 1836, and the site remained in ruins for the following several decades as Texas first became a republic and then a state.

Later on in 1854, Maj. E. B. Babbitt reconstructed the structures in Alamo but his efforts were cut short by the Civil war. It was not until the 1890 when, Adina De Zavala and Clara Driscoll worked together to restore the Alamo. A campaign to reconstruct the monument in the manner of its 1836 design was initiated by them and the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

15.The 350-Year Old Alamo was named in honor of the Spanish military that resided there

The restored chapel of the Alamo as it appears today, photo by Daniel Schwen.

The Alamo is a modest adobe building which is 63 feet wide and 33 feet tall that was constructed back in 1727. The Alamo was initially built as a physical church for the Spanish Catholic Mission San Antonio de Valero.

When it was given to civil authority in 1792, the church still hadn’t been finished. By 1805, the Alamo was completely constructed as the Spanish troops arrived. The place was being used as a hospital before it was handed over to the troops.

It was nicknamed the Alamo about this time, which is Spanish for cottonwood, in honor of the Spanish military unit that had been residing there.

16.The Alamo briefly housed Mexican forces

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna led Mexican troops into Texas in 1836, photo by Craig H. Roell.

The Alamo briefly housed Mexican troops who were under the command of Jose Bernardo Masimiliano Gutierrez and William Agustus Magee. This was back in 1818 during the Mexican War of independence.

 In 1825, it finally became the permanent quarters for a garrison of men, under the direction of Anastacio Bustamante, the captain general of the Provincias Internas. At the time of the Battle of the Alamo, however, the structure had become dilapidated.

Martin Perfecto de Cos at Bexar made adjustments to the structures in Alamo. As soon as he arrived he built a dirt ramp up to the top rear of the church wall and covering it with planks.

17.The Battle was between the Texans defenders and the Mexican Army

Closeup of the Alamo defenders, photo by gillfoto.

The battle was part of the Texan Revolution that was fought at the Alamo Mission. The battle was a major event to the people of Texas and Americans in general. The battle began when Mexican forces that surrounded the Alamo were led by Santa Anna.

Skirmishes between a force of less than 200 Texans and 1,500 Mexican soldiers marked the beginning of the conflict. There were expectations that the battle was against the Texas army and the Mexican on however this was not the case, some rebels for the Mexican side crossed to the other side.

18.The Alamo has become a tourist spot

The Alamo has become a major tourist spot in Texas. In a year, the spot has up to two and a half million visitors who come form all over the world. The Alamo was preserved in honor of the soldiers who died while fighting for the independence of Texas.

What remains in the Alamo, is the church and the lower floor of the barracks. However the major  threat to the building is the traffic vibrations and air pollution.  Several architects have conducted excavations that have yielded important information.

The excavations have reviled the original perimeter and details relating to the construction of the site. William Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett are regarded as heros in the battle.

19.The Alamo was rebuilt in the 20^th century

A sarcophagus in the San Fernando Cathedral that is purported to hold the ashes of the Alamo occupiers. Historians believe it is more likely that the ashes were buried near the Alamo, photo by Svs220.

The Alamo is a historic mission and fortress that was founded back in the 18^th century. The Alamo was initially built as a physical church for the Spanish Catholic Mission San Antonio de Valero. Today the building remains as a museum and forms part of San Antonio Mission World Heritage Site.

Back in 1891, the Daughters of the republic of Texas began preserving the Alamo. The DRT purchased the building and was now under their control. A few years later, George Bush, the former Land commissioner moved the control of the site back to the Texas General Land office.

The office has made efforts to allow alterations and modification of the Alamo to preserve it heritage for years to come.

20.The battle is commemorated annually

The Battle of Alamo is commemorated annually on the 6^th of March as the Texas Independence Day. This day commemorates the independence of Texas form the Mexican army. The date is however not an official holiday but instead a day to commemorate the brave soldiers that fought at the battle of Alamo.
The spot has now become a popular spot for tourists. In a year, the spot has up to two and a half million visitors who come form all over the world.

The Alamo was preserved in honor of the soldiers who died while fighting for the independence of Texas. The battle of a Alamo still remains a historic event that led to the independence of Texas.