San Marcos free press. [volume] (San Marcos, Tex.) 1877-1892, 1886-03-18
FALL OF THE ALAMO.
The FIltieth Anniversary Of that Mem0ra-
DE Erent-A CompIete list cf
he Gdfris0a

Ihe FyutM AnnirersdTy of that Mtm0Td
Ole Ereat-A Compkte list If
No GayrisoR
Tho fall of the Alamo has but one
peer in tho brilliancy of its glory
Thermopylm and Alamo are side 10y
on tho imperishablo tablets Of his
tory; the names of Leonidas anC
Travis are synonymous for heroism
The modern altar of Liberty almost
casts it's sacred shadows upon the ma
jority of tue readers of the Light II
is, therefore, the purpose, not SC
much to give history, rs to recall and
keep green the memory of tho patri-
OTIS who died to give us one of the
faircst lands tho sun ever shone on,
and free and liberal government an-
der which to enjoy it. Fifty years,
half century to-day, has passed
Since that awful sacrifice was made.
Few men are now alive who then took
part in that almost hopeless struggle
against the perfidious and bloody ty-
rant of Mexico, General Antonio Lo'
PEE do Santa Anna, and they are old
and decrepid. None of tho defend
ers Of the Alamo escaped. The most
interesting and concise account is
that of Francisco Antonio Ruiz, pub
lishedsin the Texas Almanac for 1860.
Ruiz was then tho Alcalde of this
city:
son the 23d of February, 1886,
at 2 p. NJ, General Santa Anna en-
tered the city of San Antonio with Il
part of his army. This he effected
without any resistance, the forces un-
der the command of Travis, Bowie
and Crockett, having on the same
day, at 8 o'clock in the morning,
learned that the Mexican army was
on the banks of the Medina river,
they concentrated in the Alamo.
"In the evening they commenced
to exchange fire with guns, and from
the 23d of February to the 9th of
March Gn which tho storming was
made by Santa Anna), the roar of ar
tillery and volleys Of musketry were
constantly heard.
"One the 9Th Of March, at p. M,
General Santa Anna, ut the head of
1000 men, advanced against the AL
amo. The infantry, artillery and
cavalry had formed about 1000 varas
from the walls OF said fortress. The
Mexican army charged, and were
twice repulsed by the deadly fire of
Travis artillery, which resembled q
constant thunder. At the third charge
the Toluca battalion commenced to
scale the walls, and suffered severely.
Out of 800 men, 130 only were left
alive.
"When the Mexican army had
succeeded in entering the walls, L,
with Political Chief (Jefe Poltico)
Don Ramon Murquiz, and other
members of the corporation, accom-
panied by the curate, Don Refugio de
a CARA, who, by Santa Anna's or,
lers, had assembled during the night
vt temporary fortiGcation erected
n Portrero street, with the object of
attending the wounded, etc. AS soon
Is the storming commenced, we /
crossed the BRIDGE on Commerce
street with this OBJ tW.iii''a view, and
about 100 yards from the same party
If Mexican Dragons fired upon us,
md compelled us TO fall back on the {
liver and place occupied before. Half
IN hour had elapsed, when Santa An
Ia sent one of his aid-de-camps with c
n order for us to come before him. 1
lie directed me to call on some of the 6
leighbors to come up with carts to 1
AIRY the dead to the cemetery, and i
.lso to accompany him, as he was de- /
irous to have Colonels Travis, Bowie 7
nd Crockett shown to him.
"On the north battery of the fort 4
ess lay the lifeless body of Colonel a
travis on the gun-carriage, shot only K
n the forehead Toward the west, Il
nd in the small fort opposite the g
ity, we found the body of Col. Crock. t
tt. Col. Bowie was found dead in t.
is bed, in one Of the rooms of the h
outh side. Il
"Santa Anna, after the Mexicans t,
'ere taken out, ordered wood to be 81
rought to burn the bodies Of the Il
exams. He sent a company of drag G
ons with me to bring wood and dry &
from the neighboring forest. a
bout 3 o'clock in the afteroon of the n
ext day they commenced laying the d
'ood and dry branches, upon which c.
pile of dead bodies were placed Il
lore wood was piled on them, and d
mother file brought, and in this man n
er they were all arranged in layers. el
,indling-wood was distributed thro al
le pile, and at 5 o'clock it was d
GIFTED. p
A. Iii