San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1877-12-22

Col. w. DarreI Travis, III Soin
mand of handful d Texans.
It was on the Esd of Febru-
airy, 1886, year most memorable in
Texan annals, that Gen. Santa Anna,
with about 1000 men, approached the
town from the southwark. With him
were Gems. Ramirez, Sesma and AL
monte. The Texans retired in good order
to the Alamo, leaving the town in the
hands of the Mexioans, who Immediately
hoisted on church-towa the blood.
red flag. Behind the stone walls OF
his place of retreat Travis found but
three bushels of corn, but before he was
totally surrounded captured 80 or 30
bushels and some beeves from the Vi
cinity. The place was supplied with
water from the aceQuins mentioned.
The Texan commander was thus shut
up with a force of 145 men only, the
fortress being defended by but IA pieces
of artillery. Four of these were mount
ed on the walls facing the town, four
commanded the bridge over the San
Antonio River leading to the Alamo,
two on the side next the church, on the
eastward; four were mounted on the
northern side.
Such was the state of affairs when the
Mexican General demanded the uncon-
ditional surrender of the fort, but the
summons was replied to by a shot from
the Texans, Col. Travis declaring his
purpose neither to retreat nor surrender.
on the Oath of February Travis sent an
express to Col. Fannin, at Goloid, for
aid, which he never received, and on
the 25th Santa Anna in person crossed
the San Antonio with the Battalion de
Cazadores, being shortly after Joined
by the Battalion de Ximines, for the
purpose of erecting battery in front OF
the main gate of the Alamo. But the
Texans made strong resistance, the
fight lasting till the afternoon, and re-
sulting in the killing of eight Mexicans.
The battery, however, was erected the
following night.
THE MEXICANS REINFORCED.
On the 26th the besiegers were re-en-
forced, Santa Annals force finally
amounting to 1000 men. On the night
of the Goth there was skirmish with
his cavalry east of the fort, and on the
2Sth the enemy erected another battery
at an old mill 800 yards distant. Other
batteries were subsequently equipped,
and ball and shell began to strike and
burst over and among the doomed, none
of whom were harmed during the early
part of the siege. The Texans being
short of ammunition, fired but seldom,
and on the first of March sent -
pound cannon-shot into an old house
occupied by Santa Anna as his head
quarters in the town. At the same time
the beleaguered were REINFORCED by
Cap. j. w. Smith, of Gonzales, with 80
men, increasing Travis's effective force
to 1888 rank and file.
"TAKE CARE OF MY LITTLE BOY!'
One of the last couriers sent out by
the brave, but fated Travis, bore a note
to his friend in the town of Washington,
Texas, saying: "Take care of my little
boy. If the country should be saved l
may make him splendid fortune; but
ifthe country should be lost and should
perish, he will have nothing but the
proud recollection that he is the son OF
a man who died for his country"
PREPARATIONS FOR THE ASSAULT.
On the afternoon of the 4th the Next
can General called council of war, and
Immediately thereafter began prepara-
tions for the assault, his troops then eX-
ceeding 1000 men, fresh and rested,
while the little Texas band were worn
down with the fatigue of watch and the
woe of famine.
On the morning of the 9th of March,
1886, the enemy moved to the assault,
and little past midnight the entire
Mexican army had surrounded the
place. The infantry were arranged in
front with the cavalry in the rear, who
had orders to cut down those who re-
fused to aid in taking the fort.
The clear stars looked down up
on the broad prairies, and the dark bat
talions of the besiegers and the be-
leaeued, now reduced to the last ex-
tremity, as if condemning the terrible
scene about to be enacted. The assail-
ants advanced under severe fire from
the rifles and ordnance of the Texans.
The gray dawn of the eventful morning