New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-02-13
NUMBER 29l.
The Fall of the Alamo
A NOBLE TRIBUTE TO THE MEMORY OF ITS DE
TENDERS.

Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar and
TOOK possession of the town without firing gun
ne small garrison Of one hundred and thirty
u men, under the command of William Barret
LFaVis, retired as he advanced to the Alamo,
On the opposite side of the river, determined
mere 70 otter such resistance te the progress Of
tne Lyraht, as their energies and resources
Ia.aI perlhi1 Dy direct appeal to the God Of
oStties; fiushed with the conquest, so easily
erected OF the town, the Mexican Commander
prepared Ior an immediate attack upon the
Alamo. He ordered breastyorla 10 ba ~ .o,.n
up every commanding point, and artillerv ry to
be planted wherever it could be made raoaf afs
tective. One battery was completed on the right
bank Of the river, by the 18th, and vitbort
waiting for others, the siege was at once corn
menced.
1t dark and gloomy morning, devoted to
dark and unholy purpose Exulting in the
work of death upon which he is entering, Santa
Anna crosses the river in person, and establishes
his headquarters in O. small stone building-yet
standing-from which he may the more aecu-
rately perceive the progress of his designs, with
out exposing himself to his enemies. The signal
is given, and ere the sun has risen upon those
hostile hosts, the roar Of the Mexican battery
sWakens the echoes far and wide, and rouses
from their slumbers the yet unconscious iuhabi-
tants But the defenders of the Alamo have not,
for single moment, lost sight Of the movement ID
the studied direction of every gun; they see the
match lighted, they listen breathless, as if even
at that distance, they could hear the command
to fire; and when the walls of the citadel trern-
bic under the shock of the iron hail and the
fragments of the parapet are whirled aloft by
the sudden impulse; they send back shout Of
dehanee, mingled with discharge from their
Swh guns, as distinctive, If not as deafening, as
the thunder of their assailants..
Before the smoke rolls away, and the revar.
beratlons are lost in the distance while the
shouts Of the besieged still 1inger intthe ears of
the oeslegers, the cannonade is resumed and
Tor seven hours, without pause or relaxation,
hercely continued upon the walls of the Alamo.
But these walls yield no more than the spirits Of
their defenders. The fire is steadily returned
and though stones are shivered around them
there are stout hearts and willing hands ready
to repair every Breach, and to restore from the
Interior whatever may have been destroyed
from without. Earth is thrown up: every crack
or hssure is closed as fast as created, by the
eager efforts OF those who will permit no eyi-
dence OF success to cheer the hopes of their
enemies. The sun has almost sunk behind the
western plains, when there is q pause in the
work Of demolition. The firing of the besiegers
ceases for the day. with the Mexican thirst for
blood unsatihted; mot single drop has been
shed within the Alamo. Many.of Santa Annals
own men have bit the dust, before the artiller
lists and rifiemen of the fort but thus far thew
are unavenged. Darkness falls upon the be-
siegers and besieged The former raise gnev
intrenohments to prosecute the assault; the lat
ter establish close watch for the night, and
endeavor to seek that repose which shall renew
their Vlgor for the contest which they know will
come tomorrow.
The morning of the 26th dawns, and reveals
to the occupants Of the fort, the effect Of the
midnight lahors of their enemies, in the es
tablishment of Two additional batteries within
the Alameda of the Alamo. The bavonets of
the infantry which have crossed the river during
the night, glitter in the morning beams, and
the piumes OF the cavalry are seen waving Of
the eastern hills, to intercept the expected aid
from that quarter. The contest is renewed by
q slight skirmish between . small party on
Texans, sent in quest Of wood and water, and
Mexican detachment under General Sesma ::
but this is q mere overture to the grand per-
tormance of the day The thunders of the
heavy ordnance, under the direction of Colonel
Ampudia, are soon reused into action: yolley
after volley is poured into the fort, and an
swered only except at rare intervals, by the
shouts of those within There is no pause-no
cessation. Still the oannonade goes on shells
fly kissing through the air, and balls bury
themselves within the ramparts; but night
again comes on, and the Mexican General in
vain looks for evidence Of success Baffled, but
not discouraged, he advances his line of en-
trenchments, and prepares, with the morning
light, to resume his bloody task The north
wind sweeps over the prairies, as it only sweeps
in Texas, stormy lullaby to the stormy
passions of those contending hosts. The dark
ness is broken only by the feeble blaze of A few
huts,-fred by the Texans,--which had fur
nished cover to the enemy The flames curl
upwards with q sckly glare, and their ftful
flashes throw 1urid Light for moment upon
the slnmbering army, and expire. The reign of
darkness and of silence is restored
The next day the Mexicans appear inactive,
though engaged in the construction of additional
batteries. There is but little firing on either
side Travis and his men, with spirits ugsub-
dued, and with energies weakened, but not ex-
hausted, are applying their contracted resources
to the purposes of defence. No heart falters; no
pulse throbs with diminished power; no hand
shrinks from the labor that necessity imposes,
All is confidence and determination; and in
every breast there is firm reliance sprincipg
from the holiness of the cause and the certainty
of its final triumph.
Sunday follows: but brings no rest to those
whom God has created in His own image, and
who in violation of His commands, are thus
yielding to their erring and unhallowed pas
sions. Perhaps within the chapel of the Alamo, |
consecrated to the worship of the Almighty,
and distinguished by the emblem of suffering
duu ol sdlfalIOus WHICH SuTllOunLS the dome, |
heads may be bowed in prayer to the God Of
battles for deliverance from their saneuinary
foe: but that foe takes no heed of Sabbaths |
Exclusive followers, as they proclaim them
selves, Of the true church, they doom to desruc-
ton the very temple they have erected for its |
worship; and kissing the cross suspended from
their necks, and planted before every camp, |
they point their guns upon the very symbol for |
which they profess such unbounded reverence |
The fire of the Mexican artillery aeps company |
with the minutes as they roll on Morning, |
midday and evening are passed, yet there is no |
faltering among those who are defending. the |
Thermopyle of Texas liberty Another sun |
rises and sets, and yet another; still the in |
domitable hearts of Travis and his companions |
quail not before the untiring efforts Of their |
enemy. In spite of that enemys yindictiye |
vigilance, the little garrison receives from Con
zales reinforcement of thirty three men ad- |
yitional victims for the funeral pyre, soon to be
kindled by Santa Anna, on the surrounding |
hills, as u human hecatomb to Mexican ven |
reanee.
New batteries are erected by the besiegers /; |
from every point around, the missiles Of de-
struction concentrate upon the Alamo. The
final hour must soon come. Provisions are not
yet exhausted, but the ammunition cannot last
many days longer Water has long been sun.
piled solely by the daring efforts Of Mexican
woman, who, through showers of grape and
has treaded the way to and fro be-
tween the river and the citadel, while her own !
blood has marked the path She bears within