The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-06-11
BATTLE OF THE ALAMO.
ny A MEXICAN.

BN \ MENiCANs
The following account of the stormng OF
the Alamo which we copy from the columns Of the
Mute Ranger, was written by francisco Dccana,
who was Mexican soldier under Santa Anna aud
took active part In the siege and capture OF Tho
Alamoi
con the morning Of March o, 1850 ut O'Clock,
the buge sounded the advante from the small work
near the Alamo. The troops finder Gen Castrllon
moved In silence. They reached tho fort, planted
scaling ladders, and commenced ascending: some
mounted on the shoulders OF others, terrific nre
beChed from the Interior; men fell from tho scaling
ladders by tho score. many pierced through the head
by balls, others felcd by dubbed guns. The dead
and wounded covered the ground. Afterhalt an hour
OF hercc conflict nftet tho sacrifice Of many lives, the
column under Gen. Casttllllcn stctecied III making
alodgnlcnt In tho UPPER part 81 the Alamo II was
courtyard. This seeming advantage was a mere
prelude TO the desperate struggle which eps,icd The
doors Of the Alamo building were barrcadcd by bags
OF sand rs high MS the neck Of u man, tho windows
also. On the top of tho roofs ~ the different apart
nents OF sand-bags to cover the boslogcd.
,aop , ,Ioos ,sp,,Ieu wy success, communal .ne
like devils. II was ut short range, muzzc to muzzc
hand TO hand musket and rifle, baycnct and bowie
knlte-oll were mingled In confusion Here squad
NJ Mexicans there aexau two. Tho crash OF fire.
arms the shouts of defiance, the cries OF the dying
aud wounded, made n din almost informal. The
Texans defended desperately every Inch Of the fort
ONerpowercd by numbers, they would I've forced to
abandon room; they would rally in the next and
defend II until further resistance became impossible.
''Gen. Tolao's command foiCgd an entrance Mt the
door OF the church building lie met the SAME lie
termined resi- lance without and wlthlh. lie won hy
force OF numbers and ut great cost Of life.
"Thero was long room on the ground hoor-it
darkened, Here the fight was bloody. II proved
to 10 the hospital. The sick and wounded fired from
their beds aud pallets. A detachment Of which hal
command had captured piece OF artillery. II was
placed near tho door of the hospital doubly charged
with grape and canister, and fired twice. We
entered and found the corpscs Of fifteen Texans ON
the outside we afterwards found foriytwo dead Mex
leans.
"on the top of tho church building saw eleven
Texans. They had some small pieces OF artillery, and
were firing On the cavalry and on those engaged In
making thocsCalade. Their ammunition was exhaustetl
aud they Were loading with pieces Of iron and nails.
The captured piece was placed In position to reach
them, doubly charged, and fired with so much effect
that they ceased working their pieces.
"1n the main building, on tho ground nuor saw
man lying on bedi hc was evidently sick. I re-.
tired without molestlng him, notwithstanding the
order of Gen. Santa Anna to give no quarter TO the
Texans. sergeant of artillery entered before had
finally left the room he cvcled his piece ut the pros
trate man; tho latter raised his hand and shot the
sergeant through the head with pistol. soldier of
the Touca regiment came In, aimed his gun Mt the
invalid, and was killed In similar manner. then
fired and Killed tho Texan. took his two empty piS-
tolls, and found his rifle standing by his bed. II
seemed he was to weak 10 use IT..
In another room saw man sitting on the floor
among feathers. buglcr who was with mo raised
bis gun. The gentleman said 10 him In Spanish:
'Don't XIII me: have plenty OF money! liepullel
out poCketbook, also large roll of bank bills and
handed tho latter to the bugler. We divided the
money.
"Whilc this was occurring another Texan made
as II resting. When he arose asked 'IiOw many
Is there of you?' lie replied: 'only two
'rle gentleman, who spoke Spanish, asked for Gen.
Gen. Amaior came In. lie asked why tho orders of
tho President had not been executed anil the two
Texans killed. In answer tho buger exhibited his
roll of bauk notes. and they were taken from him i'm
medlatcly by tho General. In a few moments GEN.
Cos, Con. Al,nonte, and Gen. Toza entered the
room. AS soon MS Gen. Cos saw the gentleman who
spoke Spanish he rushed TO him and embraced him.
He told the other generals 1t was Travis: that on
former occasion he had treated him like brother had
loaned him money, etc. lie also said that the other
man was Col. Crockett. He enrcated the other gene
rails to go with him to Cen Santa Anna and Join with
him in Il request to the lives of the two Texaus
The generals and the Texans left together TO find Santa
Anna. The bugcr and myself followed them. They
encountered the commander ln-chief In the court
Mr.. President, You have here two prisoners; In the
name Of the Republic of Mexico, suppllcate you To
much enragcd. lie said 'Gentlemcn generals, my
order TO kill every man In tho Alamo. lie turned
and said: Soldiers, kin them.' A soldier was
standing near Travis and presented his gun at hin
Travis seized tho bayonet and depressed the uzze of
tho piece to tho floor, and 1t was not fired. While
this was taking place the soldiers standing around
opened fire. shot struck Travis In tho back. He
then stood erect, folded his arms, and looked calmly
nnliinchingly,, upon his assaiants. lie was finally
killed by ball passing through his neck. Crockett
stood In similar position. They died undaunei like
heroes.
"Tho firing was brisk for a time. 1t came from
all sides. Gen. Santa Anna and most Of the officers
ran. Gen. Castrllon squattcd down; SO did |. In
this affair eight Mexican soldiers were Killed ami
wounded by their comrades,
az did not know the names of the two Texans, only
rs given by gen. Cos. The gentleman lie called
Crockett had ona coat with capes TO H..
1.-THE Alamo, as has been stated was entered at
daybreak; the fighting did not cease TIL clock,
''Gen, Santa Anna directed Col. Mora to send out
his cavalry to bring in wood He ordered that they
should make prisoners of all the Inhabitants they
might meet and force them TO pack wood TO the
Alamo. In this manner large quantity was collected
II consisted OF layers of wood and layers of CoIpses
Texans. II was set on fire. Tho bodies OF those
bravo men, who fell fighting that morning rs brave
men have seldom fought, Were reduced to ashes be-
fore the sun had set. 1t WAS melancholy spectacle
''There was an order to gather our own dead and
wounded. IL was u fearful sight. Our lifolcss SOL
dicrs covered tho grounds surrounding the Alamo
They were heapcd inside the fortress. Hood and
brains covered tho earth and the floors and bad
spattered the walls 1hD ghostly faces of our COM
rades met our gaze and we removed them with de-
spondeni hearts. our loss In front of the Alamo was
represented at two thousand killed aud more than
three hundred wounded. The killed were generally
struck on tho head. The wounds were IN the neck or
shoulder, seldom below that. Tho firing of the be-
seiged was fearfuy precise. When Texas rifle was
leveled on Mexican he was considered as good M
dead. All this indicates the dauntess bravery and
the cool self possession of the who were engaged
In hopeless conflict with an enemy numbering
twenty TO one. They Inflicted on us a loss ten times
greater than they sustained. The victory OF tho Al
aDo was dearly bought. Indeed, the price In the
end was well-nigh the ruin OF Mexico. -