Houston v1

WRITINGS OF SAM HOUSTON, 1836

363

Sunday, the 6th inst; that the Alamo (citidel) was attacked on that morning at the dawn of day, by about 2,500 men, and was carried a short time before sunrise with a loss of 520 men, Mexicans, killed and a_s many wounded. Col. Travis 1 had only 150 effective men, out of his whole force of 187. After the fort was carried, seven 3 men surrendered, and called for Gen Santa Anna and quarters. T'hey were murdered by his order. Col. Bowie 1 was sick in his bed, and was also murdered. The enemy expect reinforcements of 1,500 men under Gen. Cordiles, and 1,500 reserve to follow them. He also informed us, that Ugartechea has arrived with two million of dollars, for the payment of the troops, &c. The bodies of the Americans were burnt after the massacre, in alternate layers of wood and bodies. Lieutenant Dickinson, who had a wife and child in the fort, after having fought with desperate courage, tied his child to his back, leaped from the top of a two story building, and both were killed by the fall. 5 I have but little doubt that the Alamo has fallen. Whether the above particulars are all true may be questionable. Sam Houston. P. S. The wife of Lieut Dickinson is now in the possession of the officers of Santa Anna. The men, as you will perceive fought gallantly, and in corroberation of the truth of the fall of the Alamo, I have ascertained that Col. Travis intended firing signal guns at three different periods of each day, until succor should arrive. The signal guns have not been fired since Sunday; and a scouting party have just returned, who approached within five or eight miles of the fort, and remained for eight hours. S. H. 1 A1·kansas Gazette, April 5, 1836. 2 \Villiam Barrett Travis (August 9, 1809-March 6, 1836). For biograph- ical skekhes see Ruby Mixon, Will-ia.111. Bar1·ct Travis; His Liie and Letters (MS.), The University of Texas Library. The Southwestern Histori<'al Q11arte1·ly, XXXVII, 89-90. Dictionary of Am.aican Biography, XVIII, 630-631. 3 Ram6n Martinez Caro, l'erclc1dcra Idea de la Primera Campmia de Tcjas, 11, says: "There were five men who hid themselves, and when the action was over, General Castrillion found them arid brought them into the presence of Santa. Anna, who, for a moment angrily reprimanded the said general, and then turned his. back; at which act the soldiers alr<>ady lined up, charged the prisoners and killed them. All of us who saw this cruelty which is revolting to humanity, but it is the sacred truth, and I can prove it