Fall of the Alamo
by Mort Kunstler

By late February 1835. General Santa Anna was laying siege to the old Franciscan mission of the Alamo where a small contingent of 187 Texans-including Colonel William Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett-had taken refuge. On the morning of March 5th, the Mexicans, under orders from Santa Anna to show no quarter, began their final assault. Hundreds of Mexicans died before the gallant defenders ran out of ammunition. Retreating from room to room, fighting with swords and bayonets, they were massacred to a man; their bodies later stacked against the walls of the Alamo and burnt. "Remember the Alamo" became the battle cry of Texans fighting for independence. That battle was soon won, for on April 21, at San Jacinto, Sam Houston captured Santa Anna himself and all but annihilated his army - at the cost of only sixteen Texans.