Siege of the West Wall

Stupid question, but in the 3rd picture, there is a guy standing at the wall playing a fiddle. What would that be for? Anyway, the depictions presented are fabulous and fun to look at. Thanks.

Davy Crockett played the fiddle. His violin is on display at the Witte Museum in San Antonio.

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Stupid question, but in the 3rd picture, there is a guy standing at the wall playing a fiddle. What would that be for? Anyway, the depictions presented are fabulous and fun to look at. Thanks.

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The air was suddenly filled by the strident sounds of Mexican bugle calls

One of the defenders called out "What is that a charge?"

Bonham answered:

"It's a cavalry march. But I'm told Santa Anna fancies it for other uses. He borrowed it from the Spaniards, the Spaniards from the Moors. It's called Deguello and it means Slit-Throat"

One of the Texas Volunteers replied

"Well I'm goin' to see if I can quiet at least one of those bugler's"

Then Crockett appeared on the wall placed his musket down and picked up his fiddle

"Save your powder boys. Reckon I can skin that critter another ways"

With a wry smile he raised his fiddle to his chin and began to play His lively melody made no attempt to drown out the Deguello. Instead he wove a new melody around the harsh call of No Quarter. For a brief few moments there was no siege, no battle, no war just music floating in the air. The defenders on the wall of the old mission cheered fiddlin' Davy.

Ever wonder what would have happened if they had followed Houston order to pull out and returned to the main army?

Remember the Alamo!

Meanwhile the fight in the chapel compound was nearing it's end Harrison could see the day was lost. In accordance with a pact struck among some of the men he shouted an order to Robert Evans the Alamo's ordnance officer

"Blow the powder magazine"

But as he uttered what would be his final words he took a bayonet to the back. His last sight would be of Evans falling having been shot three times his lighted torch dropping from his lifeless hands.



There were now no more than a handful left standing as Crockett fired his last pistol he quickly looked around his front-the preacher was down so was Harrison and the three brothers from Tennessee. He ordered those who could still hear him to move inside the chapel.



Two other defenders Floyd and McDowell made it into the baptistry with Crockett but as he turned toward the sacristy he saw the little children huddled against their weeping mothers he called to his two colleagues

"Give it up boys-if we continue to fight those damn Meskins will kill the women and young-uns"

As the Mexicans moved forward Crockett raised his hands.



Hands tied behind their backs they were dragged into the compound and kicked into a kneeling position. All around lay the bodies of their fellow defenders. General Santa Anna now entered the compound and in Spanish addressed Colonel Almonte who in turn said to the trio in English

"His Excellency Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna aks if you have any last words"

Crockett looked up and stared at the splendidly dressed General
"You're Santanna"
Santa Anna understood him and nodded
Crockett smiled and said
"Thought you'da been taller"



Crockett continued
"You tell the Heneral to have his men put down their weapons and I promise to take you to General Houston and try my dangest best to get him to spare all of your miserable lives. That said Ol' Sam's a mite *****ly.......so no promises!"
Alamonte was stunned this gringo was completely insane

"TELL HIM!" shouted Crockett

Turning to the general Alamonte stammered
"Su Excelencia...la Americano....quiere renunciar..a nosotros!"



The smile faded from S.A's face he visibly bristled and shook finally shouting

"EJECUTAR INMEDIATAMENTE"

Officers barked orders and from front and back the execution squads swiftly carried out their commanders orders.



The ladies and children of the Alamo were escorted out of the chapel. On some of their faces the women wore a defiant expression and threw the two silver pesos they had been given at the feet of Santa Anna's white horse.

As their wagon creaked across the plaza they passed the bodies of their men heaped onto funeral pyres that would burn for three days. On February 25th 1837, Jean Seguin returned to the Alamo and gathered and buried the few remaining bones left by the fire. Within years, the marker Seguin placed at the grave deteriorated. Today, no one knows where the remains of the Alamo dead lie.



But what of Crockett? Did he surrender? Was he executed? No one knows for certain only that his body was thrown on one of the funeral pyres with his fellow Alamo defenders.
But from those ashes rose a legend of towering proportions. Crockett for so long the symbol of Democratic America had now perished in the defense of the very virtues he symbolized.

His reward was to be a glorious immortality.



"He heard of Houston and Austin so
to the Texan plains he jest had to go
Where freedom was fighting another foe
An' they needed Davy at the Alamo
Davy, Davy........................you know the rest


GUYS! THAT'S A WRAP!

Yep, family is from Kerr county here as well. Mary Ann Kent>J Byas> E Byas> Grandmother> Mom. Everyone since Mary Ann and including her as well is buried in the same cemetary in Ingram.

Awesome! Thanks for the history lessons!

Diorama and photography was done by Paul Ridenour who had a relative that died in the Alamo.

That's no ordinary guy playing the fiddle...that's Davey Crockett! I just love the expressions on these guys faces.

My family settled in what is now Brazos county in 1833, my great great Grandfather Samuel B. "Grandsir" Barnes, and his nine sons and their families came out by wagon from Iredell County N.C. They were sharecroppers that came out west to get some free land of their own, instead of working for a small share of the crop and not owning the land in which they lived on.

They settled out on what is now known as DIlly Shaw Tap Rd on the edge of where the town of Kurten now is. Boonville was the main borough on the Austin Colonies, what is now what we know as BCS. Each Soon received a section of land via Spanish Land Grant for pledging their allegiance to the Republic Militia. Those nine section still makeup the Dairy out on Dilly Shaw Tap Rd that is still in family operation today. My great Grandfather Frederick Whitfield Barnes and his 8 brothers fought in numerous skirmishes. My Great grandfather was wounded in the skirmish on the Sabine, when they were defending the port area at the mouth. Supplies were brought in at the mouth of the Sabine and Buffalo Bayou often and had to be protected. His life was saved from his wound, due to a farrier hammer he carried in his ruck, because he was a blacksmith. The lead ball left the impression of the hammer head in his back, and was still there when he died years later, from old age, he was reportedly 118.

Would love to see a diorama of the two scouts, Dr. John Sutherland and John Smith spotting Gen. Sesma's cavalry at the Alazan Heights/Prospect Hill area two miles west of the Alamo on Feb 23rd.

Descendant of Alamo defenders Grimes and Lindley!

bump. This thread needs to be bookmarked and bumped every year at this time. Great work guys !!!

What if...

Fannin had departed Goliad when ordered? He had 500 (+/-). If he had left for Bexar when ordered, he would have been there b/f Santa Ana showed up.

Now with 700 (+/-) men, would the Alamo had fallen?

Actually a good question. Santa Anna had reportedly over 1500 men. and the 183 +/- Texicans killed reportedly 600 Mexicans before finally succombing to the repeated attack. Had their numbers been closer to 700 defenders, they possibly could have defeated Santa Anna then and there. Crocketts Volunteers were seasoned Indian fighters, that were fond of guerrilla war tactics, that they learned in multiple battles with the Indians. During the 13 days of the battle, they made nightly runs over into the Mexican camp to set traps, and kill the night sentries, by cutting their throats and slipping back into the Alamo before daylight, The Volunteers would have much more been more comfortable fighting out in the open and at night, however they didn't have the numbers to still be able to properly defend the old mission too. So that being said they were pretty much stuck in the old mission to defend it properly. But those precious 13 days bought Sam Houston time to gather and train an Army to defeat the Napoleon of the South, and lured them to the Marsh just outside the Harrisburg, and force them to surrender, and help solidify the greatest Nation, at the time, and eventually the greatest State in the US.

Santa Anna and Chiclet chewing gum:

Heard this years ago. Seems no one knows for sure if it is true, but it might be. After the Alamo debacle and some time in Cuba, the General went to New York, met Mr. Adams and helped develop Chiclet gum.

U of H version:
http://www.uh.edu/engines/epi963.htm

Stanford U version:
http://wais.stanford.edu/Mexico/mexico_santaannaandchewinggum113002.html

http://historybecauseitshere.weebly.com/general-santa-anna-chicle-and-chewing-gum.html

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What if...

Fannin had departed Goliad when ordered? He had 500 (+/-). If he had left for Bexar when ordered, he would have been there b/f Santa Ana showed up.

Now with 700 (+/-) men, would the Alamo had fallen?

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Likely not.

Remember that the Alamo was a mission that was halfway converted to a fort - it was a very poor fort and the defenses were weak and haphazard.

Santa Anna was a very solid tactician for the day - odds are that had there been 700 defenders, he would have waged a war of attrition and simply starved them out. There was little supplies at the Alamo as it were for the 185 or so Texians, even had the additional 500+/- brought supplies, the Mexican forces would have been able to surround and siege the fort for a near infinite amount of time.

It would have taken longer, no doubt, but without a steady supply of material, arms, shot, powder and food, the Alamo was going to fall given the odds, even had Fannin arrived as he should have.

Now the benefit would have been that the Mexican army likely would have been significantly reduced in strength and numbers, and the revolution would probably have a completely different ending that doesn't include a 15 minute ass whipping at San Jacinto. I'd be Houston would have been able to take the fight to Santa Anna in a different place and sooner.

Just a few more from the battle

Penetration of the South Wall
















Once they realized they south wall had been penetrated, the defenders of the east were forced to turn and defend from within, and the Mission COurtyard became a bloodbath in hand to hand combat.

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quote:

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What if...

Fannin had departed Goliad when ordered? He had 500 (+/-). If he had left for Bexar when ordered, he would have been there b/f Santa Ana showed up.

Now with 700 (+/-) men, would the Alamo had fallen?

---

Likely not.

Remember that the Alamo was a mission that was halfway converted to a fort - it was a very poor fort and the defenses were weak and haphazard.

Santa Anna was a very solid tactician for the day - odds are that had there been 700 defenders, he would have waged a war of attrition and simply starved them out. There was little supplies at the Alamo as it were for the 185 or so Texians, even had the additional 500+/- brought supplies, the Mexican forces would have been able to surround and siege the fort for a near infinite amount of time.

It would have taken longer, no doubt, but without a steady supply of material, arms, shot, powder and food, the Alamo was going to fall given the odds, even had Fannin arrived as he should have.

Now the benefit would have been that the Mexican army likely would have been significantly reduced in strength and numbers, and the revolution would probably have a completely different ending that doesn't include a 15 minute ass whipping at San Jacinto. I'd be Houston would have been able to take the fight to Santa Anna in a different place and sooner.

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This is very accurate by all accounts. The 180 or so men who manned these ramparts were a pretty disparate bunch. Some were illiterate frontiersmen others educated professionals, physicians, lawyers and even a Baptist preacher. They were as young as sixteen and as old as 59 years, they came from 18 states with three brothers from Tennessee, 28 came from England, Scotland and Ireland. Most were unknowns, part of the faceless crowd that passes unheralded through history. The Alamo and Gettysburg have to be the two most well known battles fought on American soil. But unlike Gettysburg which had thousands of Confederate and Union survivors-The Alamo had none who actually witnessed the final assault except the Mexican. Susanna Dickinson left the sanctuary of the chapel only after the battle had ended with all the defenders dead and her post testimony kept changing depending on who she was talking to, likewise the slaves of Bowie and Travis also survived and may have witnessed certain parts of the final assault but all we have is Travis's man "Joe" recording Travis's death after that he hid until the guns fell silent.

I love the last picture of the 9:01am post...that guy has a "sword" in both hands!

Santa Anna split his Army on the way to SanJacinto. Houston caught the smaller portion.

The other was lead by Santa Annas regular army officers who were still angry with him at being ordered to execute Fannins men, who had surrendered after being given terms. This was an affront to their honor as professional soldiers. At the news of the Generals defeat they could still have likely overwhelmed Houston's army, instead they returned to SanAntonio.

Sam Maverick reported that one of the four statues that adorned the niches in the front wall of the Shrine was damaged by occupying Mexican troops 1835. Thought to be the statue of San Antonio (St. Anthony). It was later found and is currently on display.

Can't let this thread die yet

3xgreat was one of the 32 volunteers from gonzales, dolphin Floyd, and we still have the deed from the land in Spanish and English from the Mexican government

Love this thread, I was just there this morning.

2x Great grandfather stuck and followed Ben Milam into Bexar until Cos was defeated, then returned to Cat Spring to get ready to plant crops. Fought under Moseley Baker's company at San Jacinto. Ex-Prussian military. 3x Great grandfather also fought at San Jacinto alongside his sons.

God bless Texas

Does anyone have a recommendation for a good book about the Alamo? I would like to refresh my history, as well as catch up on any new findings from the past ten years.

Excellent thread!!

The Alamo and Gettysburg have to be the two most well known battles fought on American soil. But unlike Gettysburg which had thousands of Confederate and Union survivors, The Alamo had none who actually witnessed the final assault except the Mexicans. Susanna Dickinson left the sanctuary of the chapel only after the battle had ended with all the defenders dead and her post testimony kept changing depending on who she was talking to, likewise the slaves of Bowie and Travis also survived and may have witnessed certain parts of the final assault but all we have is Travis's man "Joe" recording Travis's death after that he hid until the guns fell silent.

Subsequently, and exactly the same as The Little Bighorn (gotta be the third most famous battle on American soil) which only had in the most part unreliable Indian accounts, we are left with the Mexican written version. There is indeed a plethora of books and films on the subject but amongst the text they inevitably contradict each other on that final desperate fight. So how does one try to dispel the myth that Hollywood in particular has weaned us all on? Simply by going back to the original sources which in the main are of Mexican origin. I have read dozens of Alamo books and like most of you seen all the movie versions at least a dozen times. However, three Mexican accounts I have found indispensable as comparators with other authors are:

Colonel Juan Almonte's Private Journal.

Captain Jose Sanchez Navarro's La Guerra de Tejos.

Jose Enrique de la Pena-La Rebelion de Texas (Now this was originally published in 1836 but repressed by the authorities-when re-published in 1955 it caused a furor, especially amongst Texans, because it was the first account of Crockett surrendering and trying to talk himself out of being executed.)

The 180 or so men who manned these ramparts were a pretty disparate bunch. Some were illiterate frontiersmen others educated professionals, physicians, lawyers and even a Baptist preacher. They were as young as sixteen and as old as 59 years, they came from 18 states with three brothers from Tennessee, 28 came from England, Scotland and Ireland. Most were unknowns, part of the faceless crowd that passes unheralded through history, but there are so many conflicting stories and no living witnesses that would talk about it, from the defenders, but it's still just a fascinating piece of history.