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/* American colonists */
In December 1835, a force of Texians, Tejanos, and other volunteers under Ben Milam took Bexar after five days of fighting and compelled the surrender of Cós. The Alamo, strengthened considerably, was then occupied as a fortress.
==Battle of the Alamo==
====Preparations====
Colonel James Clinton Neill was placed in command of the Alamo, and he immediately set to improving the defenses; however, both himself and his superior, General [[Sam Houston]], knew that it was only a matter of time before Centralist troops arrived in force. On January 17, 1836 Houston informed provisional governor Henry Smith that an abandonment of the Alamo was necessary. "I have ordered the fortifications in the town of Bexar to be demolished," he wrote, "and, if you should think well of it, I will remove all the cannon and other munitions of war to Gonzales and Copano, blow up the Alamo and abandon the place, as it will be impossible to keep up the Station with volunteers, the sooner I can be authorized the better it will be for the country." Regular soldiers stationed within Bexar were few - about thirty men - and there were a slightly larger number of volunteers. Smith decided against abandoning the Alamo.
On the same day Houston wrote his message another group of volunteers arrived under the command of Colonel [[James Bowie]], a proven fighter whose favorite weapon was a massive knife which bears his name. Neill soon convinced Bowie to stay, convincing him that the Alamo was the only defensive fortification along the camino real between Santa Anna's forces and the Anlgo settlements to the north. Bowie's letter to Smith describing the nature of the defences and his resolve to never surrender the fort may have played a role in turning down Houston's request; nevertheless the governor managed to send additional troops and provisions.
On February 3, a unit of cavalry arrived in Bexar under orders from Smith and reported to Neill; it's commander was Lt. Colonel [[William B. Travis]], who was made second-in-command; he would himself be in command - albeit temporarily - when Neill left on an emergency furlough on February 14. Despite being sent to Bexar against his wishes, Travis was soon committed to the Alamo, calling it "the key to Texas". During this time other volunteers trickled in, some from Goliad, others from Gonzales, and one large group from [[Tennessee]] under a one-time United States Congressman and frontiersman who was a legend in his own lifetime, [[Davy Crockett]]. The number of fighting men swelled to 189.
====Seige====
Santa Anna was not expected to cross the Rio Grande until the middle of March, yet he arrived in the area on February 23 with more than 2,000 men. A courier was sent to the Alamo to demand the surrender of the garrison; the reply came from a cannon lit by Travis. Knowing that their only hope at withstanding a seige came from reinforcements, Travis penned a letter: [http://www.lsjunction.com/docs/appeal.htm]
:''Commandancy of the Alamo''
:''Bexar, Fby. 24th, 1836''
:''To the People of Texas & all Americans in the world''
:''Fellow Citizens & Compatriots''
:''I am besieged by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. I have sustained a continual bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man. The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise the garrison are to be put to the sword if the fort is taken. I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I shall never surrender nor retreat.''
:''Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism, & of everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country.''
:''Victory or Death''
:''William Barret Travis''
:''Lt. Col. Comdt.''
:''P. S. The Lord is on our side. When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn. We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels & got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.''
:''Travis''
==Survivors==
