The Siege of Fort-Alamo (February to March 1836) is l major event in the Revolutionary War of the Republic of Texas and a symbol of desperate resistance, as well as a great moment in the expansion of the United States in the 19th century.
The subject of several films more or less close to historical reality, the siege of Fort Alamo is a major historical event in Texas. In 1836, barely 200 volunteers, including the legendary David Crockett, took refuge in the fort and decided to resist to the death the Mexican Army commanded by General Santa Anna and several thousand strong. The siege, which lasted 13 days until the assault on March 6, considerably delayed and weakened the Mexican army (about 600 Mexican soldiers killed and wounded) which lost Texas a few weeks later...
Already at the time of the Spanish colony the United States sought to annex Texas by way of settlement by American citizens. The independence of Mexico dates from 1821. After an attempt at Empire, the Republic was proclaimed in 1823. At the time of the events in Texas, Mexico was then under the presidencies of Miguel Barragan (from January 28, 1835 to March 1, 1836) and José Justo Corro (from March 2, 1836 to April 18, 1837). In 1836 Texas was a Mexican province where for several years a large number of settlers from the United States had settled (they formed 85% of the population). These colonists most of the time were unaware of the habits and customs of the country, having little respect for its laws and institutions (in particular the prohibition on owning slaves) and wanting to live as they saw fit. Feeling the unity of the country threatened, the Mexican government decided to repeal all the favorable measures granted to them, which set fire to the powder. Skirmishes broke out forcing the Mexican army to abandon certain strategic places. Santa Anna (Antonio de Padua Maria Severino Lopez de Santa Anna) was responsible for restoring order and preserving national integrity, with an army of 6,000 men mostly recruited by force (leva) and little experienced, poorly equipped and above all equipped with obsolete armament. On the side of the insurgents in Texas, an important man, General Sam Houston, instructs a certain James Bowie (inventor of the famous Bowie-knife and notorious slaver) to destroy Fort Alamo. The objective is to prepare an army further north. Arrived on the spot, Bowie and a hundred volunteers take their time thinking the Mexican army is still far away. To these hundred men are added about thirty soldiers under the orders of the young William Travis, lieutenant-colonel of the young Texan army in training. These two men who will heroically write one of the greatest pages in the history of their country, are joined by the (already) legendary Davy Crockett (citizen of the United States) in search of a new beginning after his defeat in congressional elections.
The seat
The Mexican army arrived much earlier than expected and, surprised, the insurgents hastily entrenched themselves in the fort. General Santa Anna offered an unconditional surrender (a generous offer most of the fort's defenders were foreigners to Mexico) otherwise the garrison would have been shot. Travis responded not without panache with a cannon shot. It was then that the Red Flag was hoisted from the top of the town church steeple. All of the Alamo defenders understood then that none of them would be spared during the assault, which was imminent. Colonel Travis sent missives all over the country (read:in the United States which for the Mexicans constituted treason) asking for reinforcements. He warned that he would prefer death to capitulation in his famous letter to the government of the revolution. The siege was marked by intense cannon shelling and a failed two-hour assault that mobilized more than 500 Mexican soldiers. Santa Anna then decided to throw a good part of his forces into battle and attack from all four sides of the Fort. As for the defenders, they obtained almost no reinforcements, except for about thirty men, bringing the number of besieged to 189.
The situation was totally hopeless for the insurgents. An important moment of extraordinary intensity was about to take place. It was the moment of choice. All defenders chose to stay and fight. According to legend, Travis gathered his men and drew a line in the sand, inviting all who wished to stay by his side to fight to the death and sacrifice themselves for the fledgling republic of Texas dissident in Mexico. All the defenders crossed the line thus sealing their fate towards a certain but heroic death. There is a legend indicating that only one person refused, preferring to try his luck by fleeing during the night. It would be a soldier of French origin (a certain Louis Rose) who would have known the Napoleonic wars.
The Final Assault
Around 5 a.m., the Mexican army, in position, attacked Alamo with several thousand soldiers. If the assault only lasted a little over an hour, it was extremely violent. At first, the insurgents, supported by their artillery, caused terrible losses to the Mexicans. Entire battalions were decimated and a General was even wounded in combat. Drawing on his reserves, Santa Anna managed to open a breach in the fort and the battle continued inside with a terrible hand-to-hand combat. Travis was killed early in the onslaught by a bullet to the head as he fired from atop a wall. Bowie, who fell seriously ill during the siege, lost his life in bed (it is also said that he hid under a mattress). As for David Crockett, some believe that he died in combat while others, supported by the testimony of a Mexican officer, believe that he was taken prisoner and executed as required by law. Alamo had fallen...
The toll of the assault was dramatic, the Mexican Army paying dearly for this victory:if the 189 defenders of the Fort were killed, Santa Anna saw his army amputated by several hundred soldiers.
Conclusion
To the chagrin of General Santa Anna and the central government, the fall of the Alamo did not scare the insurgents. On the contrary, its defenders became martyrs whose death could not remain in vain. Travis, who led his men to certain death, not only caused heavy casualties weakening the Mexican army, but he also delayed it in its advance north to clear Texas of all insurgents. Further north, this delay allowed General Sam Houston to receive reinforcements in men, food, weapons, ammunition and money from the United States and to constitute an army which defeated that of Santa Anna a few weeks later in San Jacinto whose valley still echoes the rallying cry "Remember Alamo!" ". Prisoner, the Mexican general (who was not then President of the Republic) had to resolve to order his troops to leave Texas in exchange for his life. An order that should not have been applied by an army whose leader was a prisoner. We must not forget that the Mexican government by sending an army to defend the integrity of its territory was only doing its duty. In front of the emerging power of the United States that a Mexico lagging behind in a war could do (the Mexicans were using weapons that had been used at Waterloo). Napoleon I understood this well when he sold Louisiana. Later the Mexican-American war will confirm it.
It would also be abusive to sanctify the Alamo, because the desire of Texas to free itself from Mexico also proceeded from a refusal on its part to abolish slavery as Mexico had decided in 1829.