The Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1837-1845, 1840-12-08

| douDt lost number OF men, but see no reason
to believe that any extensive slaughter occurred
Gen. Cos, with the regiments Of Toluca and
Los Zapadores, arrived about the beginning OF
March; and on the 9th, orders were issued for
stormng the fortress on the following morning.
The rest Of the upper division was still on the
road. The time and manner of the movement
above stated are too well known TO be disputed,
and i will thus appear that only one regiment Of
cavalry and five of infantry had then arrived
| The oIder of the day, issued on the 9th, and
published soon after the action, is explicit as TO
the dispositions and the corps employed, but
does not state the numbers and can only in
fer them from the premises before referred to-
Of the devoted tenants of the Alamo, none save
a woman and negro survived; and Il cannot
be expected that they would be able to give other
than confused accounts of the vicissitudes OF
the action, or OF the numbers or the loss Of the
enemy. What is related by different individu-
ais Of the enemy there engaged, men OF various
ranks, some from among those who returned to
Mexico, ard others who were afterwards prison.
ers, and are now domestcated among us, so far
as their separate accounts are in accordance with
each other and with probability, may, think,
be received as authentic. From these sources,
mostly, have gathered more clear and explicit
details than think have yet been publish0.
| The Alamo, as have heard il described, was
an enclosure nearly of a quadrangular shape,
and surrounded by wall varying in height
| from five to ten feet; the area being uaversed
by inner walls, which parttioned il into three
subdivisions. In one angle was chapel and
| in the different subdivisions Of the area, apart
ments of different sizes were built against the
walls. Several OF these had been prepared for
! defence, and the largest, saloon extending
along one of the partition walls, had parapet of
hides and earth within, TO cover the lower parts
! of the windows. The chapel and its environs,
with the aid OF some raised works, forming the
most commanding position in the fort and was
| mounted with one or more guns. About twenty
pieces were planted in different parts of the for
tress, but, from its extent and situation, only
| few could be brought TO bear at once upon
storming party, il judiciously brought up.
part of the wall was dilapidated, and some Of
the cannon ports, which had been hastily and
rudely broken out, were so large as TO serve
breaches for the enemy's entrance. One side
of the Alamo was covered by the river San An
tonic, which divided il from the town of Bexar.
The whole area was so extensive that thou
| sand soldiers would have been barely competent
to have manned its circuit. A hundred and
fifty or sixty harrassed and exhausted men were,
of course, far from sufficient but, had the works
been concentrated in proportion TO the size OF
| the garrison, the assault could not have succeed
ed, though made by the whole army. This was
admitted by general officer of the enemy.
Before day, on the sixth, all the troops in and
about Bexar, except few OF the rawest recruits,
were drawn out. The five regiments of nfan-
try were formed, outside of the lines of crcum-
valuation, into four columns of attack and re-
| serve, which were respectively commanded by
Generals Cos and Caslrillon and three colonies.
These had their points Of assault designated,
which were on the three sides not covered by
the river; and each column was provided with
certain number of ladders, axes, and other i'm
plements which might be serviceable in effect
ing an entrance. The cavalry were stationed in
the rear of the columns, at convenient points,
for cutting off any OF the garrison who might
| attempt to escape
Santa Anna, with his staff and escort and the
regimental bands of music, posted himself at one
of the batteries situated westerly from the Alamo.
AT half past FIVE il not yet being fully light he
ordered the signal of charge to be sounded with a
buge from his position and the four columns
moved at rapid pace upon the fortress. The
wearied garrison, it is supposed, had scarcely
time TO muster, when the enemy were within
sixty PAGES Of their walls. Their columns were
raked by discharge of cannon and rifles,
which checked their advance, and one OF them,
contrary to orders, opened its fire: for they had
been commanded to reserve it up 10 the WALL
General Amador, then acting as Santa Annals
second, brought up the reserve, and gave new
impulse to the assault The Texans were too
widely scattered on the works to concentrate a
sufficient defence at each point of attack. The
right column of the enemy arrived first at the
wall; and, for short time, their attempts to
cross low part Of it, were repealed with severe
loss; but while most of the resistance was
drawn to this quarter, the left column effected
an entrance on the opposite side, which was fol-
lowed by the successive escalades Of the others,
the right entering last 1t is generally consider
ed that once fortress is scaled, resistance is
nearly at an end /; but in this instance il had
scarcely begun. Such of the garrison as could,
| r IL. 4
before described; others, cut off from such re-
fuge, fought and fell in their exposed positions.
Storming parties Immediately assaulted the raj
living positions, but the assailants fell al every
step
+" For still, all deadly aim'd and hot,
From every creyice comes the shot;
From every shatter'd window pour
The volleys of the sulphurods shower
In spite of this destructive resistance, the
smaller rooms were soon forced, and the scanty
defenders, after the pistol and Bowie knife had
done their utmost, sank under the bayonets of
numbers. One of the rooms thus swept of its
inmates was serving as a hospital, and contained
the sick and wounded Of the garrison, who Were
all massacred. The long saloon and the angle
at the chapel were now the only positions that
held out The former, being built against par
tition wall, looked out upon two subdivisions of
the area. From each side incessant volleys of
musketry were directed against lis doors ana
windows; but at each attempt to storm it with
the bayon I, the assailants fell in heaps at the
entrance, and recoiled from the charge. A heavy
gun planted in an adjoining angle, was now
turned, and poured its discharges into the build
ing The fire from within slackened. At the
next charge the saloon was carried, and its re-
naming occupants persisted like the rest in the
fierce resistance of despair. The chapel and its
cnvirons still resisted, and small gun mounted
on the upper works, which had been wheeled
against the assailants within, was still playing