El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1910-04-20

March 6. Santa Ana, with 1000 picked
men, surrounded the fort, intending to
take it by storm at no matter what cost
The infantry surrounded the walls, the
cavalry was placed outside for the
double purpose of forcing the Infantry
to advance and of preventing the
Texans from escaping.
Twice repulsed in attempting to scale
the walls Of the fort, pressure from be-
hind forced the Mexican infantry on
ward, and finally, maddened by bayonet
pricks, they mounted the ladders and,
like sheep fell over the walls in the
midst Of the besieged- Then commenced
the fiercest, blOodiest onslaught; the
nOOlest, LlOst heroic defence; the clos
est, deadlisst struggle. recorded in his
tory.
Travis fell, encouraging with his
falling breath his devoted comrades
Bowie and Crockett fell amid heap OF
bleeding MexicansI each one having
slain four or five assailants Capt.
Evans fell while firing a train to blow
up the fort, and. of the $50 brave men
who stood up that morning to battle
for liberty and Independence, all lay
cold in death Thermopylae had her
messenger. of defeat the Alamo not one.
Bodies Burned.
Santa Ana denied the rudest form OF
sepulture to these noble martyrs and
their bodies, gathered and piled I'D by
his order. were covered with lime
and burned. their ashes beng scattered
abroad
Whether Travis had surrendered or
not was questioned at the time, but the
opinion prevailed that, knowing with
WhOm be had TO deal, he neither asked
for, nor expected mercy. The massacre
or Fannin and his men at Gonad. and
OF Kings party at Refugio, though
ooth had surrendered. and had been
promised the treatment awarded pris-
oners OF war, succeeded the fall of the
Alamo Fannin and King had been or
dered by Houston, who had been an
pointed by the provisional goyernmen,
OF Texas commanderinchief OF the CO.
Ionial army, to join his command but
hoping to maintain their positions. they
delayed executing the order until too
late.
Santa Ana's Boast
santa Ana, elated by these victories
marched westward, insolently boastine
tnat ne would not Ieave an Anglo
American in Texas, and that Houston
ana MS army would be even more sum
marty dealt with than Travis Fanu,no
OF King he crossed the Brazos April
IL and reached Lynchss Ferry on the
san Jacinto, April 81, having burned in
passing several Texas villages and ser
Elements He had an able. exnertenced
star and 1900 we'll armed. wen drilled
men Houston's army. numbering 7S2
had Matted in grove about a mile from
Lyncns Ferry Expecting a Mexican
atldck, ne made speedy but careful
disposition of his force. assigning 70
each division its proper place ana 70
eacn soldier his allotted duty His men
unoaunted by their inferior numbers
ana burning to avenge their murdered
comrades, awaited inpatientIy the sig
nal to move.
At p m the officers were ordered
TO parade The First regiment. under
Col Burieson. occupied the center: the
Second. under Col Sherman. formed tbo
Iert wing; the artillery, under Col.
hockey, were on Burleson's right. four
infantry companies, under Col. Willard
supported the artillery, and the cavalry.
under Col. Lamar, formed the extreme
right.
Houston had lately visited a friend
whose pretty yfung daughter had a
sweet musical voice She sang for him
10 guitar accompaniment a number
OF songs, one Of which deeply impressed
him. For days it rang in his ears an
nature seeming to swell the chorns-
III you come to the bower I bavs
shaded for your
Music for the Attack.
When the order to parade was give,
the bandmaster asked what air he
wished played, and Houston promptly
replied: VIII you come to the bower
nave prepared for your The Next
cans began the attack. the Texans
calmly received the first fire. then. when
ordered to charge, the watchwordLRe
MEMBER the Alamo-Was shouted along
the hne' and such was the force of the
appeal, such the ferocious, desperate
rage 1t aroused, that in less than 40
minutes the Aaexicans, completely rout
60, lied IN dismay- a Texas private
said afterward:
remember headlong rush for
ward then an insatiate craving 10 kin
ana passionate delight on seeing
every bullet take effect. and the Mexi-
cans, like cornstalks In a -lIrrricana
blown to the ground"
Houston lost two killed. Is wounded
no prisoners; Santa Ana 500 killed 9oS
wounded and $50 prisoners. incIndine
every general officer.