By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. If you change your mind, you can easily unsubscribe. Some 600 Mexican soldiers died in the battle, compared to roughly 200 rebellious Texans. It is estimated that approximately 250 Texans died at the Battle of the Alamo. Mr. Timothy Matovina and Jess F. de la Teja, eds., Recollections of a Tejano Life: Antonio Menchaca in Texas History (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2013). It was unearthed by Samuel Maverick in 1852, and sent to New York by his widow Mary Maverick in 1874, where it was recast into a bell that hangs in the belfry of St. Marks Episcopal Church in San Antonio. Santa Annas Mexican army killed virtually all of the roughly 200 Texans (or Texians) defending the Alamo, including their Luciano (Jos Sebastin) Pacheco had been sent by Segun to retrieve a trunk of personal belongings at the time the Mexican advance was arriving and was unable to make his way into the fort. 1 How many Texans are believed to have died at the Alamo? The Texan fighters did recognize that they were likely to die defending the Alamo. Joe Holley has been the "Native Texan" columnist for the Houston Chronicle since 2013. B. Goodrich to Edmond Goodrich, March 16, 1836,PTR, 5:8182; Charles B. Stewart to Ira R. Lewis, March 16, 1836, 5:93. San Houston is shown on a pallet under an oak tree, his right leg bandaged. [3], Word of the battle reached the outside five days later on March 11, when two ranchers, Anselmo Bergara and Andrew Bargana, arrived at Gonzales. Their two cannons, loaded with chopped horseshoes, slammed into barely awake Mexican soldiers. Even though Santa Anna correctly exclaimed that few of the rebels survived to tell their associates the tidings of their disaster, news of such a dramatic event was bound to spread. Many know the famous names of James Bowie, William B. Travis, and David Crockett as men who died defending the Alamo, but there were about 200 others there during the Battle. How many Texans are believed to have died at the Alamo? An estimated 1,000 to 1,600 Mexican soldiers died in the battle. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously. In a 1926 address to the Old Trail Drivers Association, he shamed the Alamo City for mistreating the Alamo. Eight Texans were killed; a couple of dozen were wounded. Jess F. de la Teja, ed., A Revolution Remembered: The Memoirs and Selected Correspondence of Juan N. Segun (Austin: Texas State Historical Association, 2002). William F. Gray, a land agent from Virginia watching the proceedings, recorded in his diary that a Mr. Ainsworth arrived from Columbia with the news. Two hundred yards from Santa Anna's barricades, they realized their foe was unaware. WebAt the Battle of the Alamo, between 182 and 257 Texians died. We regret to say that Col. David Crockett and his companion Mr. Benton, also the gallant Col. Benham of South Carolina, were of the number who cried for quarter, but were told there was no mercy for them. 188 cemeteries found in will be saved to your photo volunteer list. When Mexican troops stormed the former mission known as the Alamo on the morning of March 6, 1836, Mexican General Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna ordered that no prisoners be taken. ", The Mexican camp erupted into chaos, with some soldiers scrambling for their weapons, others trying to shelter themselves behind large trees. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. The two men chatted the rest of the afternoon. In the absence of extant battle muster rolls and casualty lists, historians have had to rely on a wide variety of sources to arrive at some idea of a total number of defenders. We'll send you a couple of emails per month, filled with fascinating history facts that you can share with your friends. Tennesseans Who Died at the Alamo and the Union County Connection to the Bloody Event According to a 1967 writing by Louise Davis of the Daughters of the Republic By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. [15]On July 19, 1836, George M. Dolson, a Texian soldier stationed at Galveston wrote his brother to tell him the latest news in Texas. When word leaked out that Santa Anna was to be set free, anger and dismay grew. The birth of an independent Texas led to its annexation to the United States nearly a decade later and then to the Mexican War, which transformed the United States into a continental power. Later that afternoon, copies of Houstons letters dated March 11 and March 13 also arrived bringing the sad intelligence. Gray noted that delegates Jos Francisco Ruiz and Jos Antonio Navarro also received a letter from Gonzalez written by Juan Segun that contained the same news. Ana Salazar de Esparza, wife of Gregorio, had with her their three sons, including Enrique, who grew up to provide substantial interviews on the battle in his old age, and their stepdaughter Mara de Jess Castro Salazar. Please check your email and click on the link to activate your account. After the Battle of the Alamo, accounts spread quickly all across Texas and the United States, leading to some of the myths, legends, and tall tales that we know today. Years later, it was discovered by the Maverick Family and later given to the Alamo. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". Estimates on the number of Texans killed vary from 182 to The public treaty provided for a cease-fire; repatriation of prisoners, including Santa Anna; restoration of Texas property taken by Mexico; and safe conduct for the Mexican armies as they withdrew beyond the Rio Grande. When it finally ended, 630 Mexican soldiers were dead and some 730 had been taken prisoner. That afternoon, General Antonio Lpez de Santa Anna wrote the first official report of the battle and forwarded it to Mexico City. Please enter your email and password to sign in. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Employing the available reliable information, Alamo scholars have compiled a much longer list of Tejano participants in events beginning with the arrival of the Mexican army on February 23, 1836, through the final assault on March 6, 1836. Some controversy and debate has surrounded the exact number and their identity, but most were wives, children, servants and slaves whom the Alamos defenders had brought with them into the mission for safety after Santa Annas troops occupied San Antonio. "We were all firing as rapidly as we could," said Private Alfonso Steele (quoted in Jeff Long's "Duel of Eagles"). Tejanos and the Siege and Battle of the Alamo, Texas State Historical Association (TSHA), http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. Ann Richards, a staff writer for The Washington Post and an editorial writer for the Chronicle from 2012 to 2017. Survivors who had been sent back to their homes told relatives and neighbors about their experiences. This year marks the 175th anniversary of Texas' Independence. Two details he forwarded to Fannin one that William B. Travis had committed suicide himself rather than surrender and another that Almeron Dickinson had jumped with his young son to their death from the walls of the church proved false. 1 of 15 The painting by William H. Huddle, "The Surrender of Santa Anna," depicting the morning of April 27, 1836, is shown Thursday, April 18, 2002, in Austin, Texas. People used to have to wait hours, days, weeks, or even months to learn about events after they occurred. At least one scholar also includes Guadalupe Rodrguez among the Alamo fallen on the basis of his apparent entry into the fort with Seguns group, but Rodrguezs name did not appear on any muster rolls or other documentation following the battle. Thursday, March 24, 1836. Re-enactors playing the parts of members of the Texian Army, charge toward the Mexican encampment during the Battle of San Jacinto on the grounds of the San Jacinto Battleground, Saturday, April 16, 2011, in Houston, as hundreds of history reenactors recreate the events leading up to and including the Battle of San Jacinto. For the Texans, the Battle of the Alamo became a symbol of heroic resistance and a rallying cry in their struggle for independence. A few of the survivors later gave chilling eyewitness accounts of the battle. Gen. Martin Cos' men, some 500 reinforcements, had arrived the night before and were exhausted by their forced march. Please ensure you have given Find a Grave permission to access your location in your browser settings. Additionally, San Antonio resident Pablo Daz, who would have been twenty years old at the time of the battle, claimed in a 1906 newspaper interview that he saw the body of one other Tejano defender, a man he identified simply as Cervantes. ( Karen Warren / Houston Chronicle ), In a reenactment of the battle of San Jacinto, Saturday, April 21, 2001, in Houston, members of the Army of Texas under the command of Sam Houston charge to engage the Mexican Army led by General Santa Ana. Who disabled the 16 lb Alamo cannon and who found it? The Washington Standard / March 2, 2023. [13]More Particulars of the Fall of the Alamo,Telegraph & Texas Register. https://www.tshaonline.org, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/tejanos-and-the-siege-and-battle-of-the-alamo. Juan Segun was a prominent military figure of the Texas Revolution and Republic of Texas. Houston had three horses shot out from under him and had his left ankle shattered by a musket ball. Not all of the rebels had been killed inside the fort as a great many fell in the vicinity under the sabres of the cavalry. Santa Anna insisted that Mexico would not suffer any foreigners, whatever their origin may be, to insult our country, and pollute its soil., Although his soldiers had captured several of the enemys flags, Santa Anna made a special point of sending the banner of the New Orleans Greys to prove to his government that foreigners were helping the rebels. Last entry is 15 minutes prior to closing. Pleading "Me no Alamo," Mexican soldiers clutched at Texan ankles and begged to surrender, to no avail. With him was a portion of his company, approximately fifteen men, most of whom left sometime after Segun himself was sent out as a courier on February 25. They were met outside the walls by Antonio Cruz y Arocha, who was not among the defenders but assisted the Tejano couriers through the Mexican lines. For more information go to: http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/17/107.shtml. Bexar County, How many cannons did the Texans have at the Alamo? Samuel Houston and his small army retreated eastward following the fall of the Alamo. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Houston attacked during the Mexican Army's siesta. According to Segun, Alexandro de la Garza was also sent from the Alamo, although the date is unknown. Also, according to Ambrosio Rodrguez, a relative of his, Capt. We need your support because we are a non-profit organization that relies upon contributions from our community in order to record and preserve the history of our state. The story of the Alamo conformed to this old pattern of gathering and disseminating news. The painting by William H. Huddle, "The Surrender of Santa Anna," depicting the morning of April 27, 1836, is shown Thursday, April 18, 2002, in Austin, Texas. Matas Curvier left with Segun. Across the county, Little RocksArkansas Gazettepublished a similar account on the same day. [11]On March 20, 1836, Gray, who was still traveling with government, recorded in his journal that Travis slave, Joe, had arrived and had been interviewed by the cabinet. Trinidad Coy was captured on February 23 by the Mexican advance and only escaped at the end of the battle. Eight Texans were killed; a couple of dozen were wounded. With the battle won, Houston repeatedly tried to get his men to regroup, in case Mexican reinforcements showed up. He organized a company that was the rear guard of Sam Houston's army and was the only Tejano cavalry unit to fight at the Battle of San Jacinto. Houstons letter to the Convention appears not to exist. The Alamo siege has been the War of Almanio that has been fought between the Republic of Texas and Mexico. Likewise, Candelario Villanueva testified in 1859 that he was one of Seguns men and was about to enter the Alamo with the company when Segun sent him to lock up his house. Santa Annas Mexican army killed virtually all of the roughly 200 Texans (or Texians) defending the Alamo, including their leaders, Colonels William B. Travis and This event is so significant in my mind that I always try to devote a column that honors the heroism of these men on or around the anniversary of the occasion. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. operated by Alamo Trust, Inc., a Texas non-profit Within 200 yards of the Mexican camp, the Texans began to fire. These men, who opposed Santa Annas return, took matters into their own hands and refused to allow the ship to sail, setting off a chain of events that delayed his return to Mexico until January 1837. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Moses Austin Bryan, the empresario's nephew, saw Wharton draw his sword, but the soldier cocked his rifle, and Wharton, "very discreetly (I always thought), turned on his horse and left.". Dolsons accounts, which he said were based on the eyewitness report of Colonel Juan Almonte, bolstered the case for Santa Annas continued captivity if not death for his crimes. Historians believe that approximately 600 Mexican soldiers died at the battle, bringing the Gray recorded the effect of the news of the Alamos fall and the Mexican advance had on the delegates gathered at Washington, writing on March 17, 1836, that The members are now disappearing in all directions. Translation on Find a Grave is an ongoing project. Stories often changed as additional information arrived. Please contact Find a Grave at [emailprotected] if you need help resetting your password. Not until 1860, with the publication of Ruben M. PottersFall of the Alamo,was the public presented a detailed analysis of the battle. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". All copyrighted materials included within the Handbook of Texas Online are in accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. (AP Photo/Tim Johnson). [4]Jenkins, ed.,PTR: Barsena et al Deposition, Gonzales, March 11, 1836, 5:4546; E. N. Gray to Unknow Recipient, Gonzales, March 11, 1836, 5;4849; Sam Houston to Convention, March 11, 1836, [report not included], 5:51; Sam Houston to James W. Fannin, Gonzales, March 11, 1836, 5253; Sam Houston to James W. Fannin, Gonzales, March 11, 1836, 5:5354.