Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1895-10-05
ReMeMoea rne ALAMO.



Against enc Msx,eans.
Soon Santa Anna approached With
his army. took possession Of the
town, and invested the fort. The do.
tenders knew there was scarcely .
chance Of rescue, and that 1t was
hopeless to expect that $50 men, be.
hind defenses so weak, could beat of
1900 trained soldiers we'll armed
and provided with heavy artillery;
but they had no thought Of flinching,
and made desperate defense. The
days went by and no help came,
while Santa Anna got ready his lines
and began . furious csnnonade. His
gunners were unekillej, however,
and he had to serve the guns from .
distance, for when they were posted
nearer the American riflemen crept
forward under cover and picked on
the artillerymen. Old Crockett thus
killed five men with one gun. But
BY degrees the bombardment told.
The walls Of the Alamo were battered
and riddled; and when they had
been preached 80 ~ to afford no oh.
stacle to the .ush Of his soldiers,
santa Anna commanded that they be
stormed.
The storming took place on March
G, 1896. The Mexican troops came
on we'll and steadily. breaking
through the outer defenses ut every
point, for the lines were too long to
be manned by the few Americans.
The frontiersmen then retreated to
the inner building. and Q desperate
hand to hand conflict followed, the
Mexicans thronging In. shooting ct
the Americans with their muskets,
and thrusting at them with lance
and bayonet; while the Americans.
after firing their long rifles, dubbed
them and fought desperately, one
against many; and they also used
their bowie knives and revolvers with
deadly effect. The fight reeled to
and fro between the shattered walls.
each American the center Of group
OF foes; but for all their strength and
their wild fighting courage the do.
tenders were too few and the struggle
could have but one end.
One by one the toll riflemen sue.
cumbed, after repeated thrusts with
bsyonet and lance, until but three OF
four were left. Then these fell, too.
and the last man stood at bay. 10
was old Davy Crockett. Wounded
In . dozen places, he faced his foes
with his back to the wall. hinged
around by the bodies Of the men hs
had slain. So desperate was the fight
he waged that the Mexicans who
througed round about him were
beaten back for the moment, and no
one dared to run In upon him. Ac-
cordingly, while the lancers held him
whore he was. for, weakened by
wounds and loss OF blood, he could
not break out through them. the mus.
keteers loaded their carbines and
shot him down, for Santa Anna de.
clined to show him mercy. Some say
that when Crockett fell from his
wounds he was taken alive and was
then shot by Santa Anna's orders;
but his fate cannot be told with Ger
tainty, for not o single American was
left alive. At any rate, after Crock
ct fell tho fight was over. Every
one Of the hardy men who had held
the Alamo lay still In death; yet
they died we'll avenged, for four times
their number Of foes fell ct theis
hands In the battle.
Santa Anna had but short while
In which to exult over his bloody and
hard won victory. Already rider
from the rolling Texas plains. going
north through the Indian Territory,
had told Houston that the Texana
were up and were striving for their
liberty. A. once In Houston's mind
there was kindled longing to return
to the men of his race In the time Of
their need. Mounting his horse. he
rode by night and day, and was hailed
by the Texans 40 heaven sent
leader. He took command OF theiE
forces, LOO stark riflemen, and OF
the battle OF San Jecinto he and hil
men charged the Mexican hosts with
the cry Of Remember the Alamo''
Almost Immediately the Mexicanl
were overthrown with terrible slaugh.
ter. Santa Anna himself was cap
tured, and the freedom OF Texas va,
won at . blow.