The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1895-01-12

these walls the most important battle
in the war between Mexico and Texas
was fought. This was when Santa
Anna was president and the Texans
were fighting for their Independence.
Here it was that Col. Bowie ended his
brave life, dying with his boots on and
fighting under the most terrible odds
The story Is this, and every American
child should know it by heart, that
he may tell it with pride when other
nations are talking of their great deeds:
One hundred and forty-flve men I'M
der Capt. Travis, n young man OF %,
were holding the town of San Antonio
against Gen. Santa Anna and 1000
men. They were the only defenders Of
the town and were ensconced In the
old mission of the Alamo. Davy Crock
EFT was also with them and Col. Bowie,
who was wounded and stretched out
on his cot. OF artillery they had only
fourteen pieces.
Santa Anna demanded surrender,
but the little garrison held out for ten
days, skirmishing secretly for food and
water. Every shot sent out of the mis-
sion house told, but not one of the Ala
mo heroes was hurt. Patience and
strength, however, were being rapidly
exhausted. Some of the little band
were falling sick, others were despcr-
ate. Recnforcements had been mp
pealed for, but none had come. Col.
Lnmein, with 800 men and four
pieces of artillery, had started in an
swer to the appeal, but had put in
somewhere for fresh water and food
supplies.
At last Capt. Smith joined the ex-
haustcd band with thirty-two men.
Three days after Gen. Santa Anna
ceased the bombarding, and, taking
advantage of this, Capt. Travis called
that there was no earthly hope for
them; that he had led them into this
thinking that reenforcements were on
the way. He does not utter one word
against Lamein for failing him; he
simply gives them their choice of
deaths. They can surrender and be
shot down, or be killed fighting out
their revenge. The captain drew q
line and said: Every man who Is de-
termined to remain here and die with
me come to me across that line" Every
soldier but one crossed Mt once. When
they finished Col. Bowie looked up,
with his arm in sling, and cried:
Boys, don't leave me. Won't some OF
you carry me across?" And the only
backward step they made was to go
over the line and carry the colonel to
the young captains side. The man
Rose, who was n coward, dropped over
the wall into ditch, and was verify
the only man who escaped to tell the
the tale. And then came the terrible
day.
Santa Anna brought all his forces to
bear on the fortress. The scaling
ladders were again and again raised,
but those who placed them were shot
down like grain. Four thousand men
charging into 175 seemed easy enough,
but it soon reduced the 1000. At last
numbers conquered, and the Mexicans
climbed over into the Alamo. The lit
tie band of defenders were tramplcd
on and beaten, but they dropped to
their knees and hacked and shot and
pierced until the pile Of the dead was
awful. Col. Bowie, too weak to rise
from his cot, leans on his well elbow.
and marks his man every time he pulls
the trigger. Cut, bleeding, he contin-
ues to kill until the pistol drops
and the breath leaves his body. Davy
Crockett, standing in a corner, fights
like panther, and the young captain,
backed against the wall, surrendcrs
only when run through and through.
The great battle is over. The Next
cans have won. Out Of the liz Texans
are liz dead. No Spartaps were Drawer
or more tenacious, for they killed 523
Of their enemies and wounded 50omore.
Texas, though, was finally freed, and
whenever great deeds thrill young
boys hearts they should think of that
splendid piece Of American daring, and
say, as Houston said to his men: RE
member the Alamo. "-Claire Claxton.
In st. Louis Republic.
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