The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1911-05-11

NEAR TBE SPOT
By Tragic DEEDS
Americans In Texas Re-
belled Against Mexico
In 1895

the last man was dead. He drew a
line with his sword on the adobe floor
and said:
ST propose to stay here until am
killed. All who will be with me will
come to this side of the line; all who
wish to surrender remain on that side"
Davy Crockett leaped across, with
triumphant wave of his cap. Every
man in the file Joined him. 1t was
grim decision, the garrison lessening
in number every day: the food supply
was almost exhausted, and only few
rounds Of ammunition were left for
the survivors. Bowie, almost from the
beginning of the siege, was Ill with
typhoid In little adjoining room he
lay on rude bed attended by Mex
lean woman. Hearing the speech Of
Colonel Travis, he feebly called to his
companions and begged them to pick
up his cot and carry it over the line
A few hours later he became delirious
and never recovered consciousness.
The morning of the final attack was
q warm, bright Sunday. Colonel Bowie
died about o'clock. Death had be-
come so common that no one paid any
attention to the dying pioneer. They
were blackened with gunpowder; they
looked wild from lack Of sleep and
food; they seldom spoke, and all their
words and acts were those of men
most terribly in earnest. The sole idea
- ks 70 nc
as possible. Santa Anna determined
to take the Alamo by assault. The
band struck up "Duguelo" (Assassin),
| and amid a boom Of cannon ladders
were brought, the walls of the build
ing were scaled by 1900 caValrymen,
| while battering rams beat In the doors.
| The Texans ran to the roof. where
! several cannons had been stationed.
| AS fast as the Mexicans mounted they
were stabbed and the ladders over
| turned. Meanwhile the Mexican rifle
men on the ground shot down the
Texans on the roof, and the battle rag
/ ed with the few Texans who stayed
on guard behind the barricade.
Americans Died Fighting.
After an hour the Mexicans had over
powered the Texans and were swarm
ing to the roof. The defenders re-
| treated down the stairs. fighting every
inch of the way. Then the doors be-
! low were beaten down with huge. tim
bers, and with yell the frenZied sol.
| diers poured in the opening. The lit,
| tie band of Texans was pitifully insig.
nificant against the horde of Mextcans
There were yeIls and gunshots and
/ groans in one long hideous chorus
Not one Of the Texans sank to death
till he had exhausted all his strength
Colonel Crockett stood in the corner OF
the main room and with cutlass
slashed all who attacked him. His
shirt was soaked with blood, and 8
bullet had pierced his cheek. Shot By
a man in front of him, he Iunged for
ward, selling his life as dearly as pos
sible. Colonel Travis was shot through
the head while defending the stairs.
No one was spared, and every one o.
the Texans sank to the door fighting
So ended the Alamo.
Remember the Alamom
Nearly all the information that his
torians have concerning the events In
side the Alamo during the siege ha
come from Sonora Dona Andrea Cas-
tarion de Dillanueda, the nurse o
Colonel Bowie and the sole survivor
The state of Texas pensioned her 70
forty years.
From that day the words "Remem
Der the Alamor were the slogan of tn
, campaign throughout Texas. In les
than two weeks more than 900 fron
tiersmen. maddened by the massacre
joined Sam Houston's army. A mont
later Houston, with force OF TOO Tez
ans, faced Santa Anna, with 1900 so
diers, on the banks of the San Jacintt
, The battle was only an hour long. Th
I Texas force, with mighty and exult
r ant yell, Remember the Alamoi
) routed the enemy and captured SAINT
/. Anna, who barely escaped death. Te1
i an independence then was established
!