The Battle of the Alamo

Chapter 10.1

Santa AnnaAs Cos retreated to Mexico City, Santa Anna led a large army north to Texas.

He wanted to reestablish Texas under Mexican control & rid Texas of Anglo & Tejano rebels.

Texans UnorganizedSince Texans were unaware that Santa Anna was leading an army to Texas, their forces remained unorganized & scattered.

They believed he would wait until Spring to launch an attack.

Guarding Texas’ Roads2 main roads led into Texas from Mexico:

1.Old San Antonio Road (Camino Real) was guarded by Col. Neill

2.Atascosito Road that passed through Goliad was guarded by Col. Fannin

The Alamo

On January 1836, Santa Anna sent General Urrea’s troops up the Atascosito Road while he took his army to San Antonio.

Col. Neill fortified the Alamo with 21 cannons, but he only had 30 men.

James Bowie James Bowie reached San Antonio with orders from Sam Houston to destroy the Alamo.

However, Bowie & Col. Neill decided to stay & defend the Old San Antonio Road.

William Barret TravisGovernor Henry Smith asked William Barret Travis to recruit 100 men & lead them to San Antonio to support Col. Neill.

He was only able to recruit 29 men & arrived at the Alamo on February 3rd.

David Crockett• David Crockett

was a former colonel & member of Congress from Tennessee.

• He arrived at the Alamo with 12 men on February 8th.

Siege of the Alamo

On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna began a 13-day siege of the Alamo where he bombarded it with cannonballs & raised a blood-red flag that was a symbol of no mercy.

By March 5th, about 1,800 Mexican troops surrounded the Alamo.

Travis’s Letter

• William B. Travis immediately wrote a letter to try to recruit more soldiers from Gonzales.

• This letter is known as the most heroic document in Texas history.

Fall of the AlamoAs Santa Anna’s troops attacked the Alamo, the defenders shouted, “The Mexicans are coming!”

Only 90 minutes after the attack began, all 189 Anglo & Tejano defenders of the Alamo were killed.

Alamo Survivors Santa Anna spared

the lives of children, African American slaves & women like Susanna Dickinson.

He released them to tell other Texans that Santa Anna is coming to drive all Texans out of Texas.