Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1841-05-11

by discharge of cannon and rifles, which
checked their advance, and one Of them
contrary to orders, opened It's FIRE: for they
had been commanded 70 reserve it up to
the wall. General Amador, then acting
as Santa Annals second, brought up the
reserve, and gave new impulse to the as
sault. The Texans were were too widely
scattered on the works to concentrate a
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to cross low part Of il were repealed with
severe loss; but, while most Of The resist
ance was drawn to this quarter, the left
column effected an entrance on the oppo-
site side, which was followed by the sue
ceSsve escalades Of the others, the right
entering last 1t is generally considered
that once a fortress is called, resistance is
nearly at an end but in this instance it
had scarcely begun. Such of the glrrson
as could, took refuge in the different de-
fensiblc quarters before described; others,
cut of from such refuge, fought and fell
in their exposed condition. Stormng par
ties Immediately assaulted the ralying po-
stIons, but the aSsaiants fell at every
step
"For still, oil deadly aim'd and hot
From every crew ice came the shot
From every SHATTERED window pour
Tho vollays OF the sulphurous 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 woun-
ded OF the garrison, who were all massa-
cred. The long saloon and the angle at the
chapel were now the only positions that
held out. The former, being built against
partition wall, looked out upon two sub
divisions Of the area From each side in
ceSsant volIeys of musketry we're directed
egalnst It's doois and windows; but at each
attempt to storm 1t with the bayonct the
assalIents fell IN heaps at the entrance and
recolIed from the charge. A heavy gun,
planted IN an adjoining angle, was turned,
and poured lis discharges into the building.
The fire from within slackencd. At The
next discharge the saloon was carried and
lis remaining occupants persisted like the
rest IN The fierce resistance of despair.
The chapel and its cnvirons still resisted,
and small gun mounted on tho upper
works, which had been wheeled against
the ASSISTANTS within, was still PLAYING;
but the whole force of the enemy being now
turned against the position, it was specdi-
ly stormed. In a few moments its defcn-
dcrs were added TO the mass of carnage,
and Santa Anna found himself in possess
ion OF the Alamo.
/; might almost be literally asserted that
only when the garrison had ceased to
breathe the din OF battle was hushcd Some
three or four of the defendants, after the
fort was entered, leaped from the walls to es-
cape, bat were cut down by the cavalry.
One OF them who was pursued by two
Dragons, shot one of them with pistol
and was anced BY the other. Mr. Dickin-
son, Of Gonzales, an officer in the artIle-
~. who had his family in the fort, lespcd
from the wall, near the church, with his
child in his arms, and was shot in the act.
The child was also killed, but whether by
the fall or inadvertently by the same bull
let, or intentionally does not appear.
Santa Anna, soon after the fortress was
scaled, had come up with his attendants
and the music, with a view Of entering, as
he supposed the place was taken but on
being fired at from the chapel; he retired %
his former station. He returned towards
the conclusion of the action, reiterated his
orders to slav,and directed some Of the con-
Guiding operations.
have heard different statements as 10
here and when Travis was killed; but that
most to be relied upon is,that he was found
dead At the breoch Of gun, near where
the right coumn entered
About half an hour after the fire had
ceased, three men Of the garrison were
found in one Of the rooms concealed under
some mattress. They were spared BIZ the
soldiers that found them; and the officer
to whom the discovery was reported sup
plicated Santa Anna for their lives, but the
miscrcant Immediately ordered them TO be
butchered. The command was fulfilled; but
in doing il struggle ensued, in which
Mexican soldier was also shot inadvert
emily by the cxecutioncrs. This concluded
the tragedy of the Alamo.
The two surviving individuals of all the
inmates al the fortress, before alluded TO.
were Mrs. Dickinson, the wife of the officer
whose death, and that Of his child. have
Just been related and slave ofCol Travis.
| hey were spared, and were soon after
! liberated 10 be the bearers of proclama-
ton.
al u.