Pompeo Cioppinni's magnificent white marble cenotaph gives names and faces to the men who fought and died at the Alamo.
Blasterz favorite Alamo story features Col. Travis' famous last letter from the Alamo, which we were able to see in person once at the Texas State Archives. That's the kind of artifact that makes EVERY Texan walk a little taller.
From the Texas Heritage Society website: (
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"The Travis Letter - "Victory or Death"
News Flash: The world famous "Victory or Death" letter written by William Barrett Travis will be available for public viewing at the Alamo between February 23 and March 7, 2013. Read the actual letter on the grounds of the Alamo itself. You do not want to miss this one! Texans and Texas history fans are planning on making the pilgrimage to this once in a lifetime event.
The world famous "Victory or Death" letter was penned by Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis while besieged within the Alamo by the Mexican army in San Antonio de Bexar. The Travis letter is universally regarded as one of the most heroic letters ever written. Facing almost certain death, Travis vowed never to surrender or retreat and to "die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death."
The Travis letter is dated February 24, 1836. Some have mistakenly referred to this as Travis' last letter from the Alamo. He wrote at least four more letters. Travis wrote a letter to General Sam Houston dated February 25, 1836 and three letters dated March 3, 1836. One of Travis' letters dated March 3, 1836 which urgently requested aid for the Alamo was received by the Convention at Washington, Texas on March 6, 1836. The delegates to the Convention at Washington had declared the independence of Texas four days before on March 2, 1836.
Travis never did surrender or retreat. After a thirteen day siege by thousands of Mexican soldiers under the command of Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the Alamo fell on March 6, 1836. All of the Alamo's 189 defenders, including William Barrett Travis, were killed. The country he and the others died for, the Republic of Texas, was only four days old.
The original "Victory or Death" letter written by William Barrett Travis on February 24, 1836 is located in the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin, Texas.
THE TRAVIS LETTER:
Commandancy of the The Alamo
Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World—
Fellow Citizens & compatriots—
I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death.
William Barrett Travis.
Lt. Col. comdt.
P. S. The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.
Travis"
Travis and the heroes fought valiantly, but outgunned and outnumbers, eventually were overrun by Santa Anna's Mexican Army. A few servants and women with children who had taken refuge in the Alamo were freed, but all combatants who had not already died in battle were summarily executed.
From the Handbook of Texas Online, you can read MUCH more about the Texas Revolution, which gained Texas her independence from Mexico and created the Republic of Texas which existed from 1836-1845. See (
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"TEXAS REVOLUTION. The Texas Revolution began with the Battle of Gonzales in October 1835 and ended with the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21, 1836; but there were earlier clashes between official forces and groups of colonists, so that it is impossible to set dogmatic limits in speaking of military episodes alone, to say nothing of the development of social and political differences that were a part of the revolution.The seeds of these differences were planted in the national habits and experiences of Mexican rulers and Anglo-American occupants of Texas. Misunderstanding was aggravated in the minds of Mexicans by the conviction that the United States government was not above making use of the colonists to cause trouble in the hope of acquiring Texas by purchase or revolution. Military incidents occurred in 1826, 1832, and 1835 preceding the decisive movement in the fall of 1835.
. . .
The war was concluded by the two treaties of Velasco, one public, the other secret. The first was published as soon as possible, and its contents held conditions very favorable to Texas. By its terms, Texas independence was recognized, hostilities were ended, the Mexican army was retired beyond the Rio Grande, confiscated property would be restored, and prisoners would be exchanged. The secret treaty agreed to Santa Anna's release in exchange for his promise that he would do all he could to secure within the Mexican government all the provisions of the public treaty without exception, as well as the enforcement of them. Santa Anna agreed, as was his perceived prerogative, since by destroying the Constitution of 1824 he had assumed authority over Mexican foreign policy. The remaining Mexican government refused to accept these terms, however. Nevertheless, Texas became not only a de facto state but also a de jure state in the eyes of many nations. See also GOLIAD CAMPAIGN OF 1835, GOLIAD CAMPAIGN OF 1836, REPUBLIC OF TEXAS."