The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-03-18
THE ALAMO TRAGEDY
BLOODY MASSACRE OCCURRED
JUST 70 YEARS AGO.
Story Of Slaughter of Americans by
Mexicans In Which Three Men
Met Death and Fame--Bravery
of Frontiersmen.

letters that time VIII never fade
March 6, 1886, was enacted the fina
scene in the tragedy Of Alamo, il
which David Crockett. William Travis
and James Bowie, with their handful
Of devoted and fearless followers
yielded up their lives There were less
than 200 of these daring spirits within
the walls OF the ancient mission III
San Antonio, Tex, and they were or
posed by an army of more than 6.09Q
| Mexicans, under command OF Gen
| Santa Anna
| The Alamo Is now little more than
| splendid ruin In San Antonio. Every
| one of the heroes of the Alamo was
| an American frontiersman.
On February % Santa Anna crossed
the Rio Grande at the head OF an army
for the purpose OF putting down the
revolt that threatened 10 sever Texas
from Mexico This invasion OF Texas
stirred up all the fighting blood In the
gallant spirits Gen. Sam Houston.
ommanderin-ehief. thought best to
retire across the Colorado river aud
await reinforcements. Col William
Travis did not agree with him and,
with the regular garrison, took, refuge
in the old Spanish mission and deter
mined to make a last stand against
the Mexicans. Col James Bowie, IA
nous as duelst and as the maker Of
the Bowie knife, agreed with his
plans David Crockett joined them al
most Immediately
The three intrepid commanders had
a mere handful of men and only one
small cannon. Against this company
came the great Mexican army. The
doors Of the makeshift fortress We're
barricaded, and when on The last day
of February a messenger came from
Santa Anna demanding surrender he
was sent back with words Of defiance
The Mexican army surrounded the old
stone building and a big gun was
wheeled into position and opened fire.
Crockett was asleep when cannon
ball announced that the opening Of
the last fight had commenced. Col
Bowie was bedfast from a wound, but
Travis was in active command.
Crockett sprang from his bunk and
saw in minute that the gun was
within rifle range Crockett was a
dead shot and he picked off five Next
can gunners with rifles loaded and
handed to him as fast as the Mexicaus
attempted to use their cannon. Finally
isfv ho1 t+-3
Crockett's accurate aim.
Then The Mexicans let things settle !
down to a state Of siege. For five days
1t continued, and then Santa Anna de- |
cided to try to carry the place by as
sault. The storming parties were held |
at bay by the Texan rihemen on three |
sides, but column under command of /
Gen. Castrillon attacked the weak !
north wall and made a breach
Then came the most desperate hand /
to-hand fight of which history makes |
record. The Mexicans were beaten |
back again and again, but each time |
they renewed the attack they made |
better Roadway The outer wall was
carried and the Texans retired within |
the church. II was butchery then and |
no slaughter house was ever more com
pletely blood soaked. sun they fought
on with dubbed guns.
Crockett was still on his feet and
with him band Of five or six. He had
nothing left but the barrel of his rifle
and with this he laid about him Gen
Castrillon wanted to spare the lives Of
the remaining Texans and besought
his commanding general to do so.
Crockett heard Santa Annals refusal
and, dropping bis gun barrel and
his knife, he tried to break
the fighting Gordon that sur
rounded him and reach the McXican
general, but fell, ridded with bullets
Meantime Col Bowie, who lay on bis
bed in another room without being
able to take a hand in the fight as
sumed command Of the wounded In
this hospital room, and ordered them
to sell their lives as dearly as pos
sible.
The doorway to this hospital room
NdS skdiNflN hlbEt tlia4A q ElNElt per /
son could get through at a time. Lying
on his bed Bowie used his pistol and |
several othe. pistols that were loaded !
and handed to him, for he was as great
a shot with the pistol as Crockett wa |
with the rifle. Every shot killed a
Mexican. Santa Anna saw he was sac-
rificing man as fast as Rowie could |
pull trigger. and he resorted to q
most horrible expedient. The cannon
that the Texans had used in their de
Tense was led ~ so that its muzzle
was right at the door of the little
hospital room and load of srapcshot
and canister turned loose that dc
stroyed every living thing in thai 4
room Even after this cannon shot was
fired Bowie leaped from his bed ana
plunged his knife into a Mexican, and
both fell dead together.
History records that four persons
escaped this massacre. and they were
all non-combatants One was Mrs
wife of one of The Texan Of
ficers. and her daughter Emily: the !
other two were negro servants. Miss
Emily was an infant at the time. AL
erwards she was known as the child |
Of The Alamo"