| Copyright 2007 by Dale Cox All rights reserved. |
The Alamo - San Antonio, Texas
ExploreSouthernHistory.com
The Alamo: Cradle of Texas Liberty
| The Alamo Although it has been altered significantly since the time of the battle, the facade of the Alamo chapel is one of the best-known sights in Texas. |
Located in the heart of downtown San Antonio, the Alamo is one of
the classic landmarks of American history. Although revisionist
historians have persistently tried to alter the story of what happened
here, the siege of the Alamo remains one of the great stories of
Texas and the nation.
A crumbling mission, the Alamo complex was seized by Texas
troops in 1835 as the province rose up in rebellion against the
government of Mexico and its leader, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
The Texans strengthened the walls of the complex with palisades
and mounds of earth and by mounting an impressive array of
cannon.
Apparently convinced of their ability to hold the Alamo, the defenders
remained when Santa Anna's avenging army marched on Texas and
occupied San Antonio. Mexican troops soon surrounded the mission
and bombarded it daily with artillery, but for thirteen days the tiny
garrison of fewer than 200 men held out.
The siege was one of the defining moments of American history.
Led by a transplanted Alabamian, Lt. Col. William B. Travis, the
ranks of the defenders included such famed American frontiersman
as David Crockett and James "Jim" Bowie.
The fall of the Alamo was bloody and brutal as virtually the entire
garrison - including Travis, Bowie and Crockett - sacrificed their lives
rather than surrender their post. "Remember the Alamo" became the
famous rallying cry of the Texas Revolution.
To begin your exploration of the Alamo and its role in American
history, please follow the links below:
the classic landmarks of American history. Although revisionist
historians have persistently tried to alter the story of what happened
here, the siege of the Alamo remains one of the great stories of
Texas and the nation.
A crumbling mission, the Alamo complex was seized by Texas
troops in 1835 as the province rose up in rebellion against the
government of Mexico and its leader, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
The Texans strengthened the walls of the complex with palisades
and mounds of earth and by mounting an impressive array of
cannon.
Apparently convinced of their ability to hold the Alamo, the defenders
remained when Santa Anna's avenging army marched on Texas and
occupied San Antonio. Mexican troops soon surrounded the mission
and bombarded it daily with artillery, but for thirteen days the tiny
garrison of fewer than 200 men held out.
The siege was one of the defining moments of American history.
Led by a transplanted Alabamian, Lt. Col. William B. Travis, the
ranks of the defenders included such famed American frontiersman
as David Crockett and James "Jim" Bowie.
The fall of the Alamo was bloody and brutal as virtually the entire
garrison - including Travis, Bowie and Crockett - sacrificed their lives
rather than surrender their post. "Remember the Alamo" became the
famous rallying cry of the Texas Revolution.
To begin your exploration of the Alamo and its role in American
history, please follow the links below:
 | |  | |  |
| Original Cannon of the Alamo This 18-pounder was used by the defenders of the Alamo during the monumental 1836 battle. It was the largest cannon in the fortified mission. |
| Long Barrack of the Alamo Originally two-stories tall, this structure is one of the surviving buildings of the Alamo. Many of the defenders were killed in room by room fighting here. |
| Note: The photographs on this page were taken by Bruce Schulze. Please do not reproduce them without his permission. Be sure to visit his website at: |