San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1886-03-06
THE FALL OF THE ALAMO.
The Fiftieth Anniversary of That
Memorable Event.
A Complete List Of the Garrison-TrayIs
Last Address, and Other In
teresting Data.

The fall Of the Alamo has but one peer
in the brilliancy Of its glory. Their
mopylae and Alamo are side by side on
the imperishable tablets of history; the
names Of Leonidas and Travis are syn
onimous for herOism. The modern altar
of liberty almost casts it's sacred shadows
upon the majority of the readers OF the
LIGHT. 1t is, therefore, the purpose, not
SO much to give history as to recall and
keep green the memory of The patriots
who died to give US one of the f2irest
lands the sun ever shone on. and free
and liberal government under which to
enjoy it. Fifty years ago. a half
a century to-day, have passed since that
awful sacrifice was made. Few men are
now alive who then took part in that
almost hopeless struggle against the per-
fidious and bloody tyrant of Mexico,
General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna,
and they are old and deOrepid. None of
the defenders of the Alamo escaped.
The most interesting and concise &C.
count is that OF Francisco Antonio Ruiz,
published in the Texas Almanac for 1860.
Ruiz was then the Alcslde Of this city.
"On the % of February, 1886. at p.
m. General Santa Anna entered the city
of San Antonio with part of his army.
This he effected without any resistance,
the forces under command of Travis,
Bowie and Crockett, having on the same
day, at s 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
23rd of February to the 9th of March, lin
which the storming WAS made by Santa
Anna) the roar of artillery and vOlleys
of musketry were constantly heard.
"On the 9th OF March, at 3 p. M, Gen
eral Santa Anna, at the head $4,000 men
advanced against the Alamo. The in
fantry, 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 resem-
bled constant thunder. At the third
charge the TOluca battalion commenced
to scale the walls and suffered severely.
Out 500 men, 100 only were left alive.
when the Mexican Army had sue
ceeded in entering the walls, with
Political Chief, (Jefe POlftlcO) Don
Ramon Murquiz. and other members of
the corporation, accompanied the curatc,
Don RefugiO de Ia Cara, who, by Santa
Annals orders, had ass III bled during the
night at a temporary fertilization erect
cd in POrtrerO street, with the object Of
attending the wounded, etc. AS soon
as the stOrmiDg commenced, we crossed
the bridge on Commerce street with this
object in view, and about 100 yards from
the same a party of Mexican dragons
fired upon US and compelled us to fall
back on the river and place occupied be-
fore. Half an hour had elapsed
when Santa Anna sent one Of
his aid-ds-camps with and order
for us to come before him. He directed
me to call on some of the neighbors to
come up with carts to carry the dead to
the cemetery, and also to accompany
him, as he was DESTROYS to have Colonies
Travis, Bowie and Crockett shown to
him.
"On the north battery of the fortress
lay the lifeless body of Colonel Travis
or the gun carriage, shot only in the
forehead. Toward the west and In the
small fort opposite the city We found
the body of Colonel Crockett. Colonel
DOWlc " Us uCdb IN Mo bCu ohe
of the rooms of the south side.
Santa Anna, after the Mexicans
were taken out, ordered wood to be
brought to barn the bodies of the Tex
ans. He sent q company of dragons
with me to bring wood and dry branches
from the neighboring forest. About 3
O'Clock in the afternoon of the next day
they commenced laying the wood and
dry branches, upon which file Of dead
bodies were placed; more wood was
piled on them, and another file brought,
mad in this manner they were all ar
ranged In layers. Kindling wood was
distributed through the pile, and at 3
O'Clock it was lighted.
The dead Msxicans OF Santa Annals
army were taken to the graveyard, but
not having sufficient room for them,
ordered some of them to be thrown in
the river, which was done on the same
day. Santa Annals loss was estimated
at 1900 men. These were the flower Of
his army.
THE gallantry of the few Texans who
defended the Alamo was really Won
dered at by TIE Mexican army. Even
the Generals were astonished at their
vigorous resistance, and how dearly the
victory had been bought. The Generals
who, under Santa Anna, participated in
the storming OF the Alamo, were juan
Amador. Castrillon, Ramirez. Sesma and
Andrade.
1.-The men burned numbered 1872 |
was an eye witness, for as Alcalde of
San Antonio, | was with some of the
neighbors collecting the dead bodies
and placing them on the funeral pyre.
Signed FRANCISCO ANTONIO RUIZ.
up. S.-My father was Don Francisco
Ruiz, a member of the Texas Conven-
ton. He signed the Declaration of In
dependence on the End of March, 1885.
F. A. R."
The following is list of the officers
in the Alamo, numbering 26, and Davy
Crockett, who ranked as a private: w.
Barrett Travis, Lieutenant Colonel COM
manding; Lieutenant-Co lonel James
Bowie; Colonel J. Washington, Captains
Forsyth, Harrison, William Blazely,
William c. NJ. Baker, $. b. Evans, W.
X. Cary, S. 2. Blair, Gilmore, Robert
White; Lieutenants John Jones, Al
meron Dickinson and George c. Kimbell;
Adjutant J. G. Baugh, Master of Ord
nance Bobert Evans, Sergeant. Major
Williamson, Aid-de Camp Charles Des-
palier; Quarter Master Elias Melton:
Assistant Quarter Master Anderson and
Barnell; Surgeons %. Michison, Amos
Pollard and Thompson; Ensign Green
B. Jamison.
PRIvATEs,
David Crockett, 4. Nelson, - Nelson,
w. II. Smith, Lewis johnson, 4. S.
Mitchell. +. Desangue, - Thruston, -
Moore, Christopher Parker, G. Haskell,
- Rose. John Blair, - Riddesop, VIM.
Wells, VIM. Cummings, - Valentine, =
n n