The Weston Democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1875-current, 1877-03-31
THE MASSACRE OF THE ALAMO.
One Of Santa Annals soldiers Tells the Story
or that Bloody bay.

oil thnt Blpouy nnS.
A Texas correspondent of the New
York World tells the following: I went
with great throng to San Antonio and
gathered the facts here detailed which
give the Mexican aspect of the old fa-
miliar story of the battle Of the Alamo.
The recital rs given lisa careful transla.
ton by Colonel Ford, commonly known
MS ".0ld Rip, n frontier member Of the
Texas Senate. The old Mexican soldier,
the racontcUr, is named Francisco Blu.
ezra, born in Guanajuato in 1910. He
became soldier III 1928, was OF
the urnly that stormcl tho AIN
mo in 1886, and was cap
tnrel by the Texans Mt San Jacinto.
He became citizen Of Texas, served in
the war of 1867 against his native
country, and III the Confederate army in
the war between the States. He is now
M honored and aged citizen OF Browns
ville and his recital of facts ns seen by II
Mexican Mt the stormiHs Of the Alamo
has peculiar value in the eyes Of your
Southwestern readers.
Santa Anna was joined nj laredo,
where he crossed the Rio Graude, by
General Cos, who, i'll violation Of the
terms Of lis recent Surrender at San An
tonic, was forced to join Santa Anna md
return into Texas. The movements OF
the Mexican army were greatly retarded
by fires Oh theprairies, wllichrendcred the
horses Of the whole force almost useless.
Deaf Smith, n famous Texan scout, was
the author Of this mischief. Santa Auna
halted n day ut Medina when he was
met by Senior Novayro aud II priest, who
gave the general accurate information
as to the Strengthens men in the
Alamo-of the Americans in San An.
tonic. A sudden rain storm and
norther" made the river impossible,
and forced march and immediate Ms:
sNult impossible. Next day he resumed
the march, General Mora in advance
with orders TO seize the mission Of the
Conception, massive stone structure
deemed by Santa Anna more defensi-
BILE stronghold than the Alamo. A can.
non shot was firel when the head Of the
advancing column reached the cemetery.
The town was not defended, md Colonel
Mora WIS ordered to take n position
north and east Of the Alamo to prevent
the escape Of the garrison. This was
late iii February, 1885. SANTA Anna led
1000 men and awaited the coming Of
General Ta'za with 1000 more. A bat
talon crossed the San Antonio river and
took possession Of houses below tho
Alamo to build n bridge across the river.
Thirty men Of two companies sent the
next day to make reconnaissance were
killed. A light earthwork WIS thrown
up above the Alamo The firing from
the fort, now invested on every side,
was ccaseless. An carthwork nearer
the fort was constructed ut night. On
the third day Of March General Talza
arrived, and the plan Of assault was de-
fined and made known to the division
commanders. On the fifth Of March
scaling ladders were distributed. At
three o'clock on tho morning of the sixth,
ever memorable in Texan song and
story, the Battalion Matamoros was
moved to point near the river and
above the Alamo.
They were supported by 1000 men
under General Cos, this wing Of tho
army being commanded by General Gas.
trillon, General Talza leading that below
the Alamo. Santa Anna spent the night
in the earthworks near the Alamo. The
whole force was 10 move silently upon
the fortress at the bugle sound and not
to fire till in the trenches Of the Texans.
The bugle was heard ut four o'clock.
General Castrillon's division after half
an hours desperate fighting, and after
repeated repulses and unhcartl Of losses,
succeeded in efiecting an entrance in the
upper part Of tho Alamo in sort Of ont
work, now n courtyard. The fighting
had only begun. The doors and windows
Of the Alamo building were barricaded
and guarded by bags Of sand heaped up
rs high Us nuns shoulders, and OH the
roof were rows OF sand Bugs, behind
which the Texans fought as men never
fought Understandable to muzzle, hand
to hand. Each Texan rifle slot exhaust
ed its force and spent itself i'll successive
bodies of Mexicnns packed together like
wall Of flesh. Muskets and rifles were
dubbed, and bnyonets md bowie knives
never wrought such fearful carnage.
The cetselcss crash of firearms the
shouts OF the defiant, desperate, be.
leaguered Texans, the shrieks Of The
dying. made the din internal Nud the
scene indescribab' in its sublime terrOrs.
Each room in the building was the scene
ola desperate struggle with fearless rncn
driven to desperation and conscious TINT
escape was impossible. They fought
even when stricken down, mil when
dying stillstrugglcd, not with death, hut
to slay MexicanS. In the long room
used as a hospital the sick and wounded
fired pistols and rifles from their pallets.
A piece Of artillery supposed to he tint
which Crockett Ind used during the
siege, was shotted with grape and canister
and turned upon the desperate occupants
Of this apartment.
After the explosion the Mexicaus ell
tered and found the emaciatel bodies Of
fourteen men torn and rent and black,
ened and bloody. Forty-two dead Mexi
cans lay ut the doorway Of this room
Bowie, whose name tells OF lis fearfu
knife md deeds, lay stark and stiff on .
cot in this room. He WIS helpless and
in bed when the place was invested, ten
days before.
Eleven Texans flrel with terrible
effect from tho roof Of the building,
+, where they used three or four. field
pieces, which they chargedwith nails mud
pieces Of iron. Buerra, like NIL others,
gives his peculiar version OF the story
That recounts tho facts affecting tho
death Of Travis And Of Crockett. These