Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-12
FALL OF THE ALAMO.
One of the Besiegers Tells the Story Of
the Siege and Final Assault.
Frightful Scenes of Carnage-How the Bodies
We're Collected and Burned-HOrrible
Scenes Depicted.
San Antonio Fxnress.

since the year 1887, and has long been
noted among his neighbors for his Won
derful retentive memory and power of
description. He bears an unexceptional
reputation for truth and veracity, and
the Express has the assurance of many
well known and reliable citizens of this
county that in what he says he conscien-
tiously endeavors TO tell the truth, and
that if there are any inaccuracies in his
statement they must be attributed to in
correct information received at the time
of which he writes. After leaving the
Mexican army Senior Nunez res entered
this country on passport purchased from
a Mexican named Bacca, and issued to
him by Gen. Sam Houston.
Fearing punishment for his part
in the war against the Texans, he
lived for several years under the name of
Bacca. He says he kept the coat of
Travis and the papers contained therein
secreted about his premises until about
eighteen years ago, when he found them
so worm eaten and mouldy that he des-
troyed the remnants, having all the time
feared making his valuable possessions
known, but desiring to retain them as
mementoes of one of the most tragic bat
ties known to the history Of the world
The coat was s'home made'' of Texas
jeans. Nunez has always been
reticent about his part in the
war of Texas independence, but a
friend and neighbor for twenty-five
years, Professor George W. Noel, to
whom the Express is indebted for the in
teresting article to follow, has during the
time taken notes of statements made
by Nunez during his periods of conf
dence, and having secured much infor-
nation in that way, finally prevailed on
the old gentleman to make a corrected
statement concerning the thrilling event,
and which the professor has translated
for the Express. NuneZ now lives near
Amphion in Atascosa county.
My name is Felix Nunez and l was
born in 1904, and am consequently
nearly eighty-1ve years old. I was
forcibly conscripted in 1885 in the state
of Guadalajara; Mexico, and was as
signed to duty in that division of the
Mexican army, which was always under
the immediate command of President
Santa Anna, and as l was then thirty
two years of age you will see that 1 had
q good opportunity for knowing and OBJ
serving every event that tTanspired
within my sphere from the time of my
enlistment until the unfortunate en-
counter at San Jacinto, April 81, 1886.
Gen. Santa Anna with an army of 1000
men started from Guerrero, Mexico,
about the middle of February, 1886, and
though marching on double quick time,
we did not reach San Antonio until near
the end of that month.
There was some delay at FL Paso de Ia
4 49,
death of a colonel of one of the regl-
ments and a favorite of Gen. Santa
Anna, who ordered this officer 10 be
buried with the honors of war Santa
Anna, not wishing to take part in the
obsequies of his deceased friend, moved
on with his staff and the division of troops
under his immediate command, and
halted on the Alazan, little west of the
city. Shortly after his arrival at the
AlazaE he learned that there was a
bale Ga dance going to take place in the
Domingo Bustillo house. Obtaining this |
Santa Anna dotted his regi- |
nentals and disguised himself as mule |
-eer and went to the dance. There he |
earned the exact force and number of |
he troops that were in the city and all |
other necessary information, as well also, |
he feeling of the citizens in regard to the |
INVASION. The president, being an ele-
yant talker and very brilliant conversa-
directed his conversation to
he American and Mexican citizens who
we're i'll sympathy with the American
,ause. One of the incidents recollect
It was a very heated con-
roversy that took place between Gen.
santa Anna and Senior Vergara, the |
of Capt. John w. Smith
of whom I shall speak agaIn) in which
his gentleman gave Santa Anna an I'M
nerciful abusing and hooted at the idea
f the Mexicans ever subjugating the
americans. Just after the fall of the
Alamo Gen. Santa Anna sent his orderly
o Senior Vergara and commanded him to
ppear before him. Upon being asked
he recOllected the conversation with
he muleteer he was almost scared out of
is wits. He was reprimanded by Santa
Lnna, who told him to go his way and
in no more. Here the president COM
letely disguised was talking and chat
ing in company with some of the
americans who had come over from the
.lamo and participated in the festivities
the dance, not even dreaming that
hey were in such close proximity to the
ne who would shortly spread before
lem the last and fatal feast of death.
After the army invested San Antonio
nd the Americans had retreated to the |
lamo, Santa Anna ordered the Amerl-
ans to surrender. The summons was
nswered py those of the Alamo by the
ischarge of a cannon, whereupon Santa I
ma caused a blood-red flag to be
oisted from the cathedral of san Fer
ando, on the west side of the Main
aza, which at that time was III PLAN
lew of the Alamo. simultaneously all
le bugles sounded a charge all along
lie lines of both cavalry and infantry, '
ut this charge was repulsed by the
mericans with heavy loss to US. Where {
BON the president ordered ''sapas'' ]
houses to be dug on the {
orth, south and east of the Alamo, {
hich were strongly garrisoned with /
oops, for the double purpose of pre- !
snting reinforcements from entering G
e Alamo and TO cut the Americans off 9
ON water. This completed the Gordon /
troops which was drawn around the T
,omed Alamo. And right here let me i
ate that no ingress or egress could have /
zen accomplished from the time our t
my regularly besieged the Alamo, and /
ere was none, with the single excep- d