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| The Alamo |
There is no more sacred ground in Texas than the site of an
early Spanish mission, Mission San Antonio de Valero, more commonly known as
The Alamo. Texans today consider it a shrine. It is an icon for the Lone Star
state.
The mission might have ended its days in peaceful obscurity
except for a bloody battle that took place there in 1836 during the Texas
Revolution for independence from Mexico. It was the turning point in the
revolution. While the Texans may have lost the battle of the Alamo, a few
months later they won their war for independence.
Located in what today is the heart of San Antonio and surrounded
by modern skyscrapers, the Alamo was built by the Franciscans in 1718. It was a
combination of mission, hospital and fortress on the banks of the San Antonio
River.
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| A tour guide points out bullet holess |
The battle for the Alamo began on February 23, 1836, when
Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna amassed 6,000 troops outside the
mission. With Texas defenders numbering only around 200, the conclusion was
foregone from the start. Still, the Texans held on for 13 days before being
overrun and massacred by the Mexican Army.
Mexican troops had been stationed at the mission since the
early 1800s, but were routed from their post by Texans in December 1835.
Getting the mission back was revenge for them.
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Davy Crockett
National Archives photo
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Among the Texas dead were William Travis, fort commander;
Jim Bowie, 40, frontiersman and inventor of the famous Bowie knife, and Davy
Crockett, 49, former Congressman and famed frontiersman. You can read about how
the trio ended up in Texas, far room their homes, in Three Roads to The Alamo
by William C. Davis. A list of the defenders who died during the battle can be found on the Alamo's official wesite.
If you visit the Alamo today, you’d be hard pressed to
imagine the bloody conflict that took place there. The setting is an oasis
filled with lush vegetation and a slow moving canal filled with vibrant orange
fish. Since Texans consider the Alamo a shrine, visitors are cautioned to dress
and behave respectfully while they’re on the grounds.
The Alamo is open daily, except for Christmas Day, at 300
Alamo Plaza. Admission is free.
