TRAVIS' APPEAL FROM THE ALAMO. Photographed from the original in possession of John Henry Brown. CHAPTER XXXV.

SIEGE AND FALL OF THE ALAMO.

By the middle of February, 1836, the plans of Santa Anna for a general invasion of Texas became positively known: to enter in three divisions—Sesma, Filisola, and Cos to take San Antonio; Urea and Garay to take Goliad, and march by the lower route through Victoria to Nacogdoches; and Santa Anna to penetrate into the heart of the country—the object being to exterminate the Americans.

The siege of the Alamo was made Travis, February 2

THE ALAMO.

known to the country by an appeal from 5d, to Andrew Ponton, judge, and the citizens of Gonzales, for men and provisions. Tbe enemy wore then in sight. He added: "Send an express to San Felipe night and day." The express hastened forward with the news to Washington, on the Brazos; Governor Smith, by proclamation, made a most stirring and earnest appeal to the patriotism of the country for aid in supplies and men for the relief of the Alamo.

On the 24th Travis wrote: "I am besieged by a thousand or more Mexicans under Santa Anna. 1 have sustained a continued bombardment for twenty-four hours and have not lost a man." He adds: "The enemy have demanded a surrender, otherwise the garrison is to be put to the sword if the place is taken. I have answered tbe summons with a cannon

shot, and our flag (the federal flag of Mexico) still waves proudly from the walls.” Travis had no doubt of reënforcement from Fannin and other sources.

In response to Travis' appeal, at three o'clock on the morning of the 1st of March, thirty-two brave and daring men from Gonzales, under Captain Albert Martin, made their way into the fort.

On the 3d of March-the convention having met on the 1st-Colonel Travis wrote to the convention that, from the 25th of February, he had sustained a constant bombardment from two howitzers, and a heavy cannonading from a battery on the other side of the river ; at the same time the enemy were employed in encircling them with entrenched encampments. He said : “At least two hundred shells have fallen inside our walls without having injured a single man ; indeed, we have been so fortunate as not to lose a man from any cause, and we have killed many of the enemy.” He adds : “The spirits of my men are still high, although they have had much to depress them.” Travis was still faintly hoping for aid from Fannin.

Travis wrote the convention his views as to the final battle-ground, which explains what might otherwise seem like obstinate recklessness.

“ If large reënforcements are hastened to this frontier, this neighborhood will be the great and decisive battleground. The power of Santa Anna is to be met here or in the colonies ; we had better meet it here than to suffer a war of desolation to rage in our settlements. Though this call may be neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible, and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor or that of his country. “ God and Texas! Victory or death!

TRAVIS.”

Colonel Fannin predicted what afterwards became true : "A victory for the Mexicans at this time will cost them more than a defeat."

On the morning of the 3d Colonel James Butler Bonham of South Carolina, whom Travis had commissioned with a last appeal to Fannin for aid, reentered the walls, under a shower of balls from the enemy and amid acclamations of welcome from the men in the Alamo.

When the siege began they were almost destitute of food; but in some deserted houses they found about ninety bushels of corn, and before the siege advanced they had driven within the walls twenty head of beeves.

On the 4th the Mexicans kept up a constant bombardment. It seemed to be their purpose to wear out the physical strength of the garrison, so that, at the last, victory would be easy.

Santa Anna, after a council in which there was a difference of opinion as to waiting for some heavier guns, determined to make the final assault on Sunday morning, the 6th of March. The order for the attack was full and precise in all its details, and the movements of the attacking columns were so planned as that the advance should reach the walls quietly, just at daybreak, supposing that the worn-out Texans would at that hour be seeking repose. Five bodies of infantry were combined into three bodies of attack. Some of the men were furnished with scaling ladders and axes; in the rear of these was a regiment of dragoons. The command of the attack was given to General Castrillon, a gallant and brilliant officer of Spanish birth. Santa Anna took his station, with a part of his staff and all the regimental bands, at a battery south of the Alamo and near the old bridge, from which a single bugle blast was the signal for attack upon Various parts of the wall. The charge of the three columns was almost simultaneous. That of Toluca made a breach on the north, but from a gun on the northwest angle of the wall, and the deadly fire of the Texas riflemen, this

column was thrown into disorder, halted, aid was kept from flight by the cavalry, which pressed closely upon them in the rear. Here the leader, Colonel Duque, fell, dangerously wounded. The other columns rushed, or were pushed, through the battered gateway, and, after being three times driven back, tumbled over the walls. The outer wall, enclosing an area of nearly two acres, was now indefensible. The Texans now retreated to the rooms, by which means they were divided into separate parties, each keeping up a deadly

fire with their rifles; and, at the last, when they were so pressed upon that they could not reload, they fought with clubbed guns as long as a man was left alive, and then —all was over. The body of Travis was found near the gun on the northwest angle of the wall, and around it were many dead Mexicans, showing that Travis had sold his life dearly.

Colonel James Bowie, who had at the first shared the command with Travis, had been confined to his couch with sickness; but his room was entered and

he was killed, after having killed several of the enemy, whose bodies were found lying near his couch.

“ Crockett had taken refuge in a room of the lower barrack, near the gate. He either garrisoned it alone or was left alone by the fall of his companions ; he went forth to meet his fate in the face of the foe, and was shot

JAMES BOWIE.