THIRTEEN DAYS OF GLORY

JFK+50:  Volume 6, No. 1880

THE ALAMO FELL 180 YEARS AGO

San Antonio, Texas (JFK+50) One century and eighty years ago this morning, March 6, 1836, Mexican troops under General Santa Anna stormed the walls of the Alamo compound near San Antonio de Bexar*.

The Alamo was defended by less than 200 Texan rebels led by Col. William B. Travis**, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett.

The Alamo fell on the 13th day of a siege that began in late February.  With shouts of "Viva Santa Anna" and music from buglers, the Alamo's walls were penetrated by Mexican troops.

All the Texan defenders were "put to the sword" and then Santa Anna continued his march northward into Texas.

"Remember the Alamo" would become the battle cry of Sam Houston's Texas army which would later defeat Santa Anna at San Jacinto and win the independence of Texas.

*San Antonio de Bexar had been captured by Texan forces in December 1835.  The Alamo mission had 21 pieces of artillery and most of them were installed on the walls by chief engineer Green B. Jameson.  When Jim Bowie arrived on January 18, 1836, he saw the Alamo as a necessary buffer between the Mexican army and the Texan settlements to the north.

**William Barrett Travis (1809-1836) was born in South Carolina and studied law in Claiborne, AL.  WBT founded the Claiborne Herald & passed the bar in 1829.  His law practice foundered and he fell into debt. 

 WBT left for Texas, joined the rebel forces and commanded forces at the Alamo.  He responded to Santa Anna's demand to surrender with a cannon shot.  He gave his men the option to attempt escape but only one man took him up on the offer.

SOURCES

"ALAMO, BATTLE OF THE," Texas State Historical Association, www.tshaonline.org/

"13 Days of Glory," The Alamo:  The Shrine of Texas Liberty, www.thealamo.org/

Dred Scott Decision

COURT RULED ON DRED SCOTT CASE 157 YEARS AGO TODAY

Washington, D.C. (JFK+50) Chief Justice Roger B. Taney announced 157 years ago today, March 6, 1857, the majority decision of the United States Supreme Court in the case of Dred Scott v Sandford.

Dred Scott, a slave who had been taken into the free state of Illinois and the free territory of Wisconsin, was denied his freedom by the high court's ruling.

The Court upheld the right of slave owners to take their slaves into the western territories and in doing so nullified the popular sovereignty ruling in the Missouri Compromise of 1850.

Taney wrote that Scott was not a citizen of the United States under the Constitution and therefore was the property of his master.

The decision met with opposition in the North and support in the South.

Dred Scott

ALAMO FALLS AFTER 13 DAY SIEGE

San Antonio, Texas (JFK+50) At 5:30 a.m. this morning, 178 years ago, March 6, 1836, Mexican troops under General Santa Anna stormed the walls of the Alamo compound near San Antonio de Bexar.

The Alamo was defended by less than 200 Texan rebels led by Col. William B. Travis, Jim Bowie and Davy Crockett.

This was the 13th day of a siege that began in late February.  

With shouts of "Viva Santa Anna" and music from buglers, the Alamo's walls were penetrated by Mexican troops.

All Texans were "put to the sword."  Santa Anna's army then marched northward.

"Remember the Alamo" would become the battle cry of Sam Houston's Texas army which would later defeat Santa Anna at San Jacinto and win the independence of Texas.

"In the southern part of Texas, near the town of San Antone,

Like a statue on his Pinto rides a cowboy all alone.
And he sees the cattle grazin' where a century before,
Santa Anna's guns were blazin' & the cannons used to roar.

And his eyes turn sort of misty, and his heart begins to glow,
And he takes his hat off slowly to the men of Alamo.
To the 13 days of glory at the seige of Alamo." 

From "The Ballad of the Alamo" by Marty Robbins

The Alamo, San Antonio de Bexar, 1836