The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1877-03-27
THE BLOODY ALAMO.
LAST DA Us OF TRAV US, BOWIE AND
DAVY CROCKETT

How the heroes met their death-.Hilt
to hilt--Glorious in death.
AS long as the world admires true
courage, so long will tho story of
tho Alamo be told, and the heroes of
that bloody siege will be enshrined
in glory. However rough their
characters may have been, however
lawless and goddess lives they may
have lived, the halo encircling their
deaths will render all their defects
invisible. They will go down to
history as martyrs to tho cause of
liberty.
Viii the general outlines Of the
siege are familiar to all, the details
are but meagre. The following
graphic description purports to be q
true story of tho sceno of that
blood day, when Santa Anna achiev
ed his triumph, and scaled his victo-
ry with the blood of his prisoners.
The facts are narrated by an old
Mexican scldier, named Francisco
Buerra5 who was born in GUIANA
juata in 1870. He became @ soldier
in 1928, was of the army that storm
ed-the Alamo in 1886, and was
captured by the Texans at San
Jacinto: He became citizen of
Texas, served in the war of 1867
against his native country, and in
the Confederate army in the war
between the States. He is now
an honored and aged citizen of
Brownsville.
Santa Anna was joined ut Laredo,
where he crossed the Rio Grande,
by General Cos, who, in violation of
the terms of his recent surrender Mt
San Antonio, was forced to Join
Sata Anna and return into Texas.
The movements of the Mexican
army were greatly retarded by fires
on the prairies, which rendered the
horses of the whole force almost
useless. Deaf Smith, famous
Texan scout, was the author of this
mischief. Santa Anna halted day
at Medina, when he was met by
Senor Novarro and priest, who
gave the General accurate informa-
tion as to the strength-268 men in
the Alamo-of the Americans in
San Antonio. A sudden rain storm
and ''norther" made the river i'm
passable, and forced march and
Immediate assault impossible. Next
day he resumed the murch, Gen.
Mora in advance with orders to
seize the mission of the Conception,
Il massive stono structure deemed by
Santa Anna more defcnsiblc
stronghold than the Alamo. A
cannon shot was fired when the
head of the advancing column
reached the cemetery. The town
was not defended, and Colonel Mora
was ordered to take position north
and east of the Alamo to prevent
the escape of the garrison. This
was late in February, 1886. Santa
Anna led four thousand men and
awaited the coming of General Talza
with two thousand more. A bat
TALON crossed the San Antonio
river and took possession of houses
below the Alamo to build a bridge
across the river. Thirty men of
two companies sent the next day to
make reconnaissance were killed.
A light earthwork was thrown up
above the Alamo. The firing from
the fort, now invested on every side,
was ceaseless. An earthwork
nearer the fort was constructed at
night. On the third day of March
General Talza arrived, and the plan
of assault was defined and made
known to the division commanders
On the 9Th of March scaling ladders
were distributed. At 3 o'clock on
the morning Of the 9Th, ever memoir
able in Texas song and story, the
Battalion Matamoros was moved to
q point near tho river and above the
Alamo.
They were supported by two thou
sand men under. Gen. Cos, this wing
Of the army being commanded by
Gen. Castrillon, Gen. Talza leading
that below the Alamo. Santa Anna
spent tho night in the earthworks
near the Alamo. The whole force
was to move silently upon the
fortress at the bugle sound, and not
RI fro iii ~, tho 4rop ohaa rf tho