The Alamo

Santa Anna

In 1834, Santa Anna made himself the dictator of Mexico. Texans didn’t want to be controlled by Santa Anna, so they declared independence from Mexico. 

Sam Houston

In December 1835, Texans captured the Alamo, a fort outside San Antonio, from Mexican forces. Sam Houston believed it would be impossible to defend San Antonio and the Alamo, so he ordered Colonel William Travis to destroy the Alamo and return with the soldiers. Instead, Travis decided to protect the Alamo. Colonel William Travis and Lieutenant Colonel James Bowie led the forces at the Alamo. 

The Alamo

Colonel William Travis

On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna’s troops arrived to take the Alamo back. On February 24, 1836, Travis wrote a letter to the people of Texas and all Americans pledging victory of death at the Alamo. As Travis’s messenger, John Smith delivered the letter to the army in Gonzales, Texas. The Mexicans laid siege to the Alamo for 11 days before they attacked on March 6, 1836. 

Although women, children, slaves, and servants were allowed to escape, the Mexicans killed every last soldier they could find in the fort. After this, Sam Houston led the Texans to victory against the Mexicans in the battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836. Their rallying cry was, “Remember the Alamo.”