Key Takeaways
Most of us have find out the expression " remember the Alamo . " It ’s most often used as a conflict yell – a way to convey military posture and honor in three succinct words . But have you ever wondered exactly why we remember the Alamo ? sure as shooting , a battle was struggle at the fort , but plenty of battles have been fight down in the United States . What makes the Alamo so special ?
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The Alamo , a stone monument to Anglo westerly expanding upon , was originally built as a Catholic mission for the purpose of converting Mesoamerican Indians living near the growing town of San Antonio . The name " Alamo " come from Spanish horse cavalry members , who nicknamed the delegation after their own village of Alamo de Parras . Alamo means " cottonwood " in Spanish [ source : Winders ] .
In 1836 , Texas was in a state of revolutionary magnetic flux . War had make the former Mexican state to break away , and now , Texas was up for catch . Six dissimilar radical were queasy to get their hands on it :
On this night , the alliance of Anglos andTejanos(powerful Hispanic landholder ) were barricaded inside the Alamo . In the other hr of Mar. 6 , 1836 , these insurgents were front with represent their designs for Texas with their life . Among the group were about 200 gentleman . After nearly two weeks of gaining and losing footholds in the town of San Antonio , the Mexican Army had bewitch up to them and was at the garrison ’s door .
So even if you ’ve heard the verbalism " remember the Alamo , " have you ever wonder why the battle is immortalise ? We ’ll get to that soon . First , read the next page to find out about what happened at the famed Texas mission .
The Battle of the Alamo
From Feb. 23 , 1836 , to Mar. 6 , 1836 , San Antonio , Texas had serve as a battleground between theMexicanArmyand Texan and Tejano revolutionaries . A group of insurgents had been force to hole up in the Alamo . The Mexicans were led by the centralistGeneral Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana , a former president of Mexico noted for his military prowess and for introducingchicle(the master ingredient inchewing gum tree ) to gum maker Thomas Adams [ source : Publishers Weekly ] . Now he and his 1,800 troop were a short length away from the Alamo .
The former military mission Ithiel Town had been converted into a fortress , and the insurgents were ensnare inside without reinforcements . Among them were frontiersmenJim Bowie(who was confined to a seam and hallucinating ) andDavy Crockett , a former congressman from Tennessee . There were man from Denmark , Ireland , Scotland and England – settlers who had come to America and migrated to Texas . And there were alsowomen , children and slaves . Runners had been sent to elicit help from neighboring area , but the only response came in the contour of 32 volunteer rangers from the townsfolk of Gonzales . In sum , the struggle humankind inside the Alamo number less than 200 .
According to caption , the rebel commander of the Alamo , William B. Travis , drew hisswordand trace a melody in the moxie with its tip . He asked every man who was unforced to fend for the fort to the death to cross it . Only one man did n’t cross [ source : The Alamo ] .
When Santa Ana sent an offer for the freedom fighter to surrender pacifically , Travis shot back – literally .
It was around 5 a.m. on March 6 when the Mexicans force the Alamo . The army was forced back at first by cannonfirefrom the fort , but succeeded in breaking through . The insurgents and USA press a heated conflict with rifle and shooting iron fervor and hand - to - hand fight with fists , knife and bayonets . Travis was one of the first to die ; he was shot from his locating on the roof . The rest before long followed , as the Mexican centralists break through each barricade and strong - armed their path deeper into the Alamo . Bowie , still infirm , was killed in his bed .
By morning , the Mexicans had taken the Alamo . fair sex , children and slaves were read from the garrison . So , too , was a small group of six captured rebels . They were train to Gen. Santa Ana , who commanded their execution . Every insurgent champion had been killed . Six hundred of the Mexican troop had died in the battle [ source : PBS ] . A striver , make out to chronicle only as John , was the lone noncombatant male person who live to recount the provisional rebel government what had hap at the garrison .
Read on the next page how Gen. Santa Ana ’s U. S. Army was finally defeat .
“Remember the Alamo!”
The Battle of the Alamo became fabled almost forthwith after it ended . The insurgents ' fatal refusal to cede to the Mexican forces served to stimulate other rebels to retain fighting Gen. Santa Ana and his regular army .
In the month that followed the battle , the now - far-famed outcry of " remember the Alamo ! " was used to rally the rebels . At San Jacinto ( what is now Houston , Texas)Sam Houston , the commander of a brigade of greyback Volunteer , faced the Mexicans . Houston had lead hismenin a zag across Texas for nearly a month with Santa Ana on his tail . He ’d lose much of his flock ' confidence and the faith that the provisional government had in him . But in retreating again and again , he ’d also boughttimeto train his volunteers .
Houston saw a prospect to take Gen. Santa Ana ’s army . The full general had successfully claimed the town after his victory at the Alamo . But Houston sensed that he could move around the mesa on the general ’s army when he learned that they were isolated outside the town . On April 21 , 1836 , he contribute 910 man across the plains outside San Jacinto . When they come within sight of the Mexican force , cannonfirebroke out on both sides .
The battle was a short , fierce one . Caught off guard , the Mexicans were overwhelmed by the rebels and their cries of " think the Alamo ! " Many of the retreating Mexicans were chamfer down and massacred . The battle last only 20 minutes but is largely credited with securing Texas ' independence .
So why do we retrieve the Alamo ? The rebels at San Jacinto used the memory of the Battle of the Alamo to fuel their ire – it had taken place just a month before . But even now , the Battle of the Alamo is looked upon with veneration .
Historians point out that the men who fought at the Alamo were common citizens who lived in a culturally and politically disorderly body politic . For instance , the Tejanos and Anglos often had tense relative because the Mexicans sought to abolish slavery and did n’t approve of the whiteimmigrants ' practice of subjugating blackamoor . Both Anglos and Tejanos historically seem down on one another [ source : Patrick ] . Even while defending the Alamo , William Travis and Jim Bowie had disputes over who was in bursting charge [ source : Hardin ] .
In other words , it ’s important to remember how complex the battle was and just how many side were engage war . But while story preserves these details , they are for the most part abandoned in the public imagination . What appears to remain important after well-nigh 200 years are n’t the details but the title . The Alamo defenders remind us " why people fight for an saint , " says Alamo tour guide Rosemary Mitchell . " They manage to fight for what they believe in , no matter the price . "
For more selective information on Texas and other related to topics , visit the next page .
