List of Texan survivors of the Battle of the Alamo

When the Battle of the Alamo ended at approximately 6:30 a.m. on March 6, 1836, fewer than 50 of the almost 250 Texans who had occupied the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, Texas were alive.Lord, "A Time to Stand", p. 166.] The conflict, a part of the Texas Revolution, was the first step in Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna's attempt to retake the province of Texas after an insurgent army of Texan settlers and adventurers from the United States had driven out all Mexican troops the previous year.Todish " et al", "The Alamo Sourcebook", p. 26.] As part of his preparations for marching on Texas, in late December 1835 Santa Anna had convinced the Mexican Congress to pass a resolution that all "foreigners landing on the coast of the Republic or invading its territory by land, armed, and with the intent of attacking our country, will be deemed pirates" and subject to immediate execution.Scott, "After the Alamo", p. 71.] Santa Anna led an army to San Antonio de Bexar, arriving on February 23, 1836 and immediately initiating a siege of the Alamo, which housed Texian Army troops. [Edmondson, "The Alamo Story", p. 303.] As the Mexican army had approached San Antonio, several of the defenders brought their families into the Alamo to keep them safe.Lord (1961), p. 95.] During the twelve days of the siege, Alamo co-commander William Barret Travis sent multiple couriers to the acting Texas government, the remaining Texas army under James Fannin, and various Texas communities, asking for reinforcements, provisions, and ammunition. [Edmondson, "The Alamo Story", pp. 302, 312, 345.] The siege culminated in an early-morning assault by Mexican troops which left almost all of the Texan defenders dead. Some reports claimed that several Texans surrendered but were quickly executed on Santa Anna's orders.Edmondson, "The Alamo Story", p. 373.] Of the Texans who fought during the battle, only two survived: Travis's slave, Joe, was assumed to be a noncombatant, and Brigido Guerrero, who had deserted from the Mexican Army several months before, convinced Mexican soldiers that he had been taken prisoner by the Texians. Alamo co-commander Jim Bowie's freedman, Sam, was also spared, although it is not known if he participated in the fighting.

During the battle, the women and children had gathered in the sacristy of the church.Edmondson, "The Alamo Story", p. 371.] As Mexican soldiers entered the room, a boy, thought to be the son of defender Anthony Wolf, stood up to rearrange a blanket around his shoulders. Mistaking him for a Texan soldier, the Mexican soldiers bayoneted him.Edmondson, "The Alamo Story", p. 372.] In the confusion, at least one of the women was lightly wounded.Nofi, "The Alamo and the Texas War of Independence", p. 123.] The women and children were eventually placed under the protection of an officer and escorted out of the Alamo and into San Antonio, where they were imprisoned in the home of the Musquiz family.

On March 7, Santa Anna interviewed each of the survivors individually.Edmondson, "The Alamo Story", p. 376.] He was impressed with Susanna Dickinson, the young widow of Alamo artillery captain Almeron Dickinson, and offered to adopt her infant daughter Angelina and have the child educated in Mexico City. Susanna Dickinson refused the offer, which was not extended to Juana Navarro Alsbury for her son who was of similar age.Todish "et al", "The Alamo Sourcebook", p. 55.]

Santa Anna ordered that the Tejano civilian survivors be allowed to return to their homes in San Antonio. Dickinson and Joe were allowed to travel towards the Anglo settlements, escorted by Ben, a former slave from the United States who served as Mexican Colonel Juan Almonte's cook. Each woman was given $2 and a blanket and was allowed to go free and spread the news of the destruction that awaited those who opposed the Mexican government. Before releasing Joe, Santa Anna ordered that the surviving members of the Mexican army parade in a grand review,Edmondson "The Alamo Story", p. 377.] in the hopes that Joe and Dickinson would deliver a warning to the remainder of the Texian forces that his army was unbeatable.

When the small party of survivors arrived in Gonzales on March 13 they found Sam Houston, the commander of all Texian forces, waiting there with about 400 men.Nofi, "The Alamo and the Texas War of Independence", p. 139.] After Dickinson and Joe related the details of the battle and the strength of Santa Anna's army, Houston advised all civilians to evacuateTodish "et al", "The Alamo Sourcebook", p. 67.] and then ordered the army to retreat.Lord, "The Alamo", p. 182.] This was the beginning of the Runaway Scrape, in which much of the population of Texas, including the acting government, rushed to the east to escape the advancing Mexican army.Todish "et al", "The Alamo Sourcebook", p. 68.]

urvivors

ee also

* List of Alamo defenders

Footnotes

References

*Citation|last=Chariton|first=Wallace O.|title=Exploring the Alamo Legends|publisher=Republic of Texas Press|place=Plano, TX|date=1992|isbn=1556222556
*citation|last=Edmondson|first=J.R.|title=The Alamo Story-From History to Current Conflicts|publisher=Republic of Texas Press|place=Plano, TX|isbn=1-55622-678-0|date=2000
*citation|last=Groneman|first=Bill|title=Alamo Defenders: A Genealogy, the People and Their Words|location=Austin, TX|publisher=Eakin Press|date=1990|isbn=9780890157572
*Citation|last=Groneman|first=Bill|title=Eyewitness to the Alamo|publisher=Republic of Texas Press|date=1996|isbn=1556225024|location=Plano, TX
*citation|last=Hopewell|first=Clifford|title=James Bowie Texas Fighting Man: A Biography|publisher=Eakin Press|location=Austin, TX|date=1994|isbn=0890158819
*citation|last=Lindley|first=Thomas Ricks|title=Alamo Traces: New Evidence and New Conclusions|publisher=Republic of Texas Press|location=Lanham, MD|date=2003|isbn=1556229836
*citation|last=Lord|first=Walter|author-link=Walter Lord|title=A Time to Stand|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|date=1961|location=Lincoln, NE|isbn=0803279027
*citation|last=Myers|first=John Myers|title=The Alamo|publisher=University of Nebraska Press|location=Lincoln, NE|date=1948|isbn=0803257791
*citation|last=Nofi|first=Albert A.|author-link=Albert Nofi|title=The Alamo and the Texas War of Independence, September 30, 1835 to April 21, 1836: Heroes, Myths, and History|publisher=Combined Books, Inc.|date=1992|place=Conshohocken, PA|isbn=0938289101
*citation|last=Scott|first=Robert|title=After the Alamo|publisher=Republic of Texas Press|date=2000|location=Plano, TX|isbn=9781556226915
*citation|last=Todish|first=Timothy J.|last2=Todish|first2=Terry|last3=Spring|first3=Ted|title=Alamo Sourcebook, 1836: A Comprehensive Guide to the Battle of the Alamo and the Texas Revolution|publisher=Eakin Press|date=1998|location=Austin, TX|isbn=9781571681522