It’s been 184-years since 200 Texans died defending the Alamo, a historic event not just for the nation but for a republic that is now known as the great state of Texas.
The battle began on Feb. 23 and lasted 13-days, with the final attack coming the morning of Mar. 6, before dawn broke over the horizon.
Mexican troops breached the north wall and flooded into the compound, awakening many of the Texans inside. The fighting was believed to have lasted 90-minutes, some of it hand-to-hand combat.
Alamo co-commanders James Bowie and William Travis were killed, as was Tennessee frontiersman and Congressman Davy Crockett. However, reports differ as to exactly how and when the famed men fell.
Several Texans reportedly surrendered, but Santa Anna ordered all prisoners to be executed. Only a handful survived, mostly women and children. Historians estimate several hundred Mexicans died.
For Texans, the Battle of the Alamo became a symbol of heroic resistance and a rallying cry in their struggle for independence. On Apr. 21, 1836, Sam Houston and some 800 Texans defeated Santa Anna’s Mexican force of 1,500 men at San Jacinto (near the site of present-day Houston), shouting “Remember the Alamo!” as they attacked. The victory ensured the success of Texan independence.
The Alamo was a battle that many thought would be lost to the Mexican army. However, it was in true Texan spirit, that the outnumbered troops would prevail and be cemented in history ensuring that the mighty Alamo would never fall.
The Alamo (Photo courtesy of Austin History Center, Austin Public Library / The University of North Texas Libraries)
