San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1923-03-06
Commentaries Fall of the
Alamo March
6, 1886. !
LAUD TEXAS HEROES
School Children Will Take
Part in Ceremonies
at Milam's Grave.


will probably be no memorial ser
vices conducted by the Alamo Mission
chapter of the Daughters of the Texas
Republic. The plans for holding the
services in the Alamo Tuesday after
noon We're disrupted by the illuesS of
several of the members of the chap
ter.
In conformancc with the annual Gus
tom established by Miss Adina De
Zavala, exercises will be held in Mi
lam Square, where the grave Of Ben
Milan will be decorated. The Texas
Landmarks Association will have
charge of the ceremonies 10 which
delegations of school children have
been invited.
Miss Sarah u. Adams. assisted by
Miss Mary Belle Mckenzie, principal
of the Johnson school, will preside at
the exercises. Capt. +. +. Collins,
president of the association, and Capt.
j. T.. Elgin. member of the board
of directors. will be the speakers. The
speakers will be introduced by Miss
De Zavala.
Texas songs will be interspersed
among the numbers on the program,
lif fAtINtNtS fAbN1AAL WIN AAf NAllS AllN
of The Star Spangled Banner"
Copy in Alamo.
On the day that the defenders of
the Alamo fell before the onslaughts
of the Mexican troops under Santa
Anna, Sunday morning, March q,
1896. the last message addressed by
Col. W. Barrett Travis 10 the out
side world for assistance, Nwas being
read before the convention that had
assembled at Washington on the Bra
zos. -Four days preceding the read
ing of the letter from Colonel Travis,
the convention had drawn up and
signed the declaration of independence
from Mexico. That body was still
in session for the purpose of establish
ing the government to guide the af-
fairs of the new republic.
After the body had been called to-
gether Sunday morning it was am
nounced that an urgent message had
been received by the president of the
from the Texas troops quar-
tered in the Alamo. The letter, dated
March 5. 1896. was recorded on the
minutes of the convention, a copy of
which has been in the Alamo for
many years.
The letter sent by express by Colo;
mel Travis, wildly describes the con-
ditions in Bexar just before the fall
of the Alamo. At the time the let
ter was read those who heard it did
not know that the hand that penned
the letter was stilled.
The letter is as follows:
In the present confusion of the po-
litical authorities of the country. and
in the absence of the commander-ln-
chief, | beg leave TO communicate
with you the situation of the garri-
son. You have doubtless already seen
my official report of the action of
the 2jth ult.. made on that day to
Gen. Sam Houston, together with the
various communications heretofore
sent by express, / shall therefore con-
fine myself to what has transpired
since that date.
Come Through Lines.
From the 25th to the present date
the enemy have kept up lombard
ment from two howitzers tone five
and a half-inch. and the other an
eight and heavy cannOnade from
two long nine Founders, mounted on
a battery on the opposite side of the
river, at the distance of 400 yards
from our walls. During this period
the enemy have been busily employed
in encircling us with entrenched en-
campments on all sides, at the fol-
lowing distance, to-wit: Bejar, 400
yards west: in Lavilleta. 800 yards
south. and at the powder house, 1000
yards east by south; on the ditch.
500 yards northeast. and at the old
mill 500 yards north. Notwithstand
ing all this a company of 81 men
from Gonzales made the way into MS
on the morning of the LIST inst, at 3
o'clock. and Col. Bonham Ga courier
from Gonzales) go. in this morning at
IL o'clock without molcstation. | have
fortified this place so that tie walls 4,
are generally proof against cannon
balls. and | still continue 10 cntrench !
on the inside. and strengthen the |
walls by throwing up dirt. At least I
200 shells have fallen inside OF our ]
works without having injured a sim
gle man; indeed. we have been so /
fortunate as not TO lose Il man from I
any cause. and we hare killed many |
Of the enemy. The spirits of my men !
are still high. although they have had |
much To depresS hem. We have con- |
tended for ten days against an enemy I
whose numbers are variOusly estimat- |
ed from 1900 to 5000 men with Cen
cral Rainier Siesma and Colonel Ba
iris. the aids-de-camp Of Santa Anna,
at their head. 4 report was circu- ,
lated that General Santa Anna him
self was with the enemy. but | think |
il was false. A reinforcement of /
about 1000 men is now entering Bejar
from the west and think it more
than probable that Santa Anna is
now in town, from the rejoicing VIC
hear.
Prepared for Worst.
Colonel Fannin is said to be on
the march to this place with rein
but ! fear it is not true,
as | have repeatedly sent to him for
MD. without receiving any. Colonel
Bonham. my special messenger. ar
rived at La Bahia fourteen days ago
with request for aid; and on the
arrival of the enemy in Bejar ten
lays ago. ] sent an express to Colonel
+. which arrived in Goliad the nexti
lay. urging him TO send MS reinforce
nents; none have yet arrived. / look
% the colonies alone for aid unless
. I 1