The Alamo

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The following article is taken from the Commercial Journal and Advertiser, Sydney Australia, 9/14/1836. The image of the article is temporarily unavailable due to periodic maintenance on the website.

We learn by the passengers of the
schooner Cumanche, eight days from Texas,
that on the 25th of February the Texian
garrison in Bexar, of 150 men, commanded
by Lieutenant Col. B. Travis, was attacked
by the advance division of Gen. Santa
Ana's army, consisting of 2,000 men, who
were repulsed with the loss of many killed,
between 500 and 800 men, without the
loss of one man of the Texians. About the
same time Col. Johnson, with a party of
70 men, while recorinoitering the westward
of San Patricio, was surrounded in the
night by a large body of Mexican troops.
In the morning the demand, of a surrender
was made by the Mexican Commander,
unconditionally, which was refused ; but
an offer of surrender was made as prisoners
of war, which was exceeded to by the
Mexicans; but no sooner had the Texians
marched out of their quarters and stacked
their arms, than a general fire was opened
upon them by the whole Mexican force.
The Texians attempted to escape, but only
three of them succeeded— one of whom
was Col. Johnson,
Between the 25th February and 2d
March, the Mexicans were employed in
forming intrenchments around the Alamo
and bombarding the place. On the 2d of
March, Colonel Travis wrote that 200
shells had been thrown into the Alamo,
without injuring a man. On the 1st of
March the garrison of Alamo received a
reinforcement of 32 Texians from Gon
zales, having forced their way through the
enemy's lines, making the number of Ala-
mo 182 men. "
On the 6th March, about midnight, the
Alamo was assaulted bv the whole force of
the Mexican army, commanded by Santa
Ana in person; the battle was desperate
until daylight, when only seven men be
longing to the Texian garrison were found
alive, who cried for quarter, but were told
that there was no mercy for them ; they
continued fighting until the whole were
butchered. One woman, Mrs. Dickinson,
and a negro of Travis, were the only per
sons whose lives were spared. We regret
to say that Col, David Crocket, his com
panion Mr. Benton, and Col. Bonham, of
South Carolina, were among the number
slain. Gen. Bowie was murdered in his
bed, sick and helpless. Gen. Coss, on en
tering the fort, ordered the servant of Col.
Travis to point out the body of his master.
He did so, when Coss drew his sword and
mangled the face and limbs with the malig
nant feeling of a Cumanche savage. The
bodies of the slain were thrown into a heap
in the centre of the Alamo, and burned.
The loss of the Mexicans in storming the
place was not less than 1,000 killed and
mortally wounded, and as many wouhded
—making their loss in the first assault be
tween 2,000 and 3,000 men. The flag
used by the Mexicans was a blood red one,
in place of a constitutional one.
Immediately after the capture General
Santa Ana sent Mrs. Dickinson and the
servant to General Houston's camp, accom
panied by a Mexican with a flag, who was
bearer of a note from General Santa Ana,
offering the Texians peace and a general
amnesty if they would lay down their, arms
and submit to his government. General
Houston's reply was, "True, sir, you have
succeeded in killing some of our brave
men, but the Texians are not yet con
quered" The effect of the fall of Bexar
throughout Texas was electrical. Every
man who could use a rifle, and was in a
condition to take the field, marched forth
with to the seat of war. It is believed that
not less than 4,000 riflemen were on their
way to the army when the "Cumanche"
sailed, determined to wreak their vengeance
on the Mexicans.
General Houston had burnt Gonzales,
and fallen back on the Colorado, with about
1000 men. Colonel Fanning was in the
Fort at Goliad, a very strong position, /well
supplied with munitions find provisions,
with from 400 to 500 men.
The general determination of the people
of Texas is to abandon all their occupations:
and pursuits of peace, and continue in arms
until every Mexican east of the Rio del
Norte shall be exterminated.
Colonel Crocket was in the garrison of
San Antonio, and Colonel Jessie Benton, it
was also feared was in the engagement,
and one of the victims.

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