Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1909-04-07
J" REMEMBER THE ALAMO 1"

) lure tHey ISIl, DWC IL is certain that
I they all went down almost ilimedi-
ately under shower of musketry
form within the area. There Crockett
died before any sword or bayonet
reached him, and befC re he had any
opportunity to break skulls with the
barrel OF his broken rifle. On that
platform the body was pointed out
to Santa Anna by Mr.. Ruiz, of San
antonio, who was sent for to iden-
tify the dead leaders. Ruiz tells us
! where Crockett died, but says moth
Ing about semi-circle of dead Mex
leans, Of which l have read, struck
down by the fallen hero. The Incl
dents of the fall of the Alamo and all
matters Herewith connected l early
made study, and continued it for
years as opportunities occurred, and
for this had, perhaps, better facili-
ties than any nerson now living.
"The first publication which I
made was done at San Antonio in
1860. The narration l then gave
was imperfect, and, on some minor
| points, incorrect, but l afterwards
obtained more and complete informa-
ton. From the latest and fullest
data | published in the Magazine of
American History in New York, on
January l, 1878, what believe to be
the fullest and most correct account
! OF the siege and capture of the Alamo
which has ever appeared In that
article | gave my authority for every
alleged fact, and my grounds for my
every conjecture. I cannot
better close than by praying that tffe
heroes of the Alamo may escape the
curse Of absurd and fabulous eulogy
which so often throws a blighting
shadow on real merit"
The Alamo Building.
In the Texas Almanac article re-
ferred to before the Alamo as it ex-
listed in March, 1886, at the time of
them eXican assaults thus described:
1T had been founded soon after the
settlement Of that vicinity as a place
or safety for the settlers and their
property in case Of Indian hostility,
but while it was large enough for
that purpose 1t had neither the
strength nor arrangement which be-
long to regular fertilization. The
front Of the Alamo Chapel bears date
1857. The other works must have
been built earlier. The chapel OF the
fortress is rs feet long, 62 feet high,
surrounded by walls of solid masonry
four feet thick. 1t was built of one
story, with upper windows, under
| which platforms were built for the
mounting Of cannon. The long bar
rack which was connected with the
| church Is 168 feet long, 18 feet wide,
1S feet high, and of two stories.
There was another barrack ia feet
long and II feet wide. These bar
racks, like the church, were of solid
rock, and their walls are still stand
Ing (1S67.) The Notifications were
manned by IA guns. but these proved
| OF little use in the defense, as the
| enemy either kept out of range or
approached from quarter they could
not be made to bear upon"
The final assault, intrusted to Gen.
Castrillon, Spaniard by birth and a
brilliant soldier, was made April 9Th,
1885, and was timed SO that the at
, lacking columns should reach the
foot Of the wall at daybreak. when
the hour came" says the Almanac
article, "the batteries and the music
were alike silent, and the single blast
OF the bugle was followed by no
| sound save the rushing tramp of SOL
dters. The guns of the fort soon
| opened upon them and then the band,
| as the south battery struck up the
assassin notes of 'Dcquello,' a Span
ish martial air, which signifies to the
soldier no quarter. But few and not
very effective discharges from the
works could be made before the enc
my was under them and it Is thought
that the worn and wearied garrison
vas not till then fully mustered"
All Are Slain.
"The Tolucan column was the first
at the base Of the wall, but it was
not the first to enter the area. A
large piece of cannon at the north
west angle commanded the breach.
Either this or the deadly fire Of the
riflemen at, that point, where Travis
in person commanded, brought the
column to a disordered halt, and it's