The Fall of the Alamo ~ page 15

E’er ⁹ daylight dawned on the following morning, the enemy advanced stealthily upon the stronghold hoping to complete the escalade before the garrison was aroused, but they were disappointed. Being discovered by a wakeful sentinel the alarm was given, when the Texians were at their posts in a moment. Yet the Mexicans had arrived so close to the walls that there could be no halting, saving more than to advance the more rapidly. The ordnance on the walls, and the rifles both opened upon them with such severity that they were forced to give way. A brief interval passed, and they summoned their stifled courage for a second effort, which, though vigorous, was also repulsed without damage to the garrison. By this time the darkness, which had hitherto enveloped all things, began to recede before the approaching light of the day. This enabled the enemy to operate to more advantage. They rallied their broken columns and made a third charge, which proved successful. This time they reached the walls, erected their scaling ladders and as Travis’s boy, "Joe," expressed it, "commenced pouring over the walls like sheep." The Texians met them with the sword and many a one, as he leaped from the wall, fell lifeless upon the ground. Then it was that those hardy sons of freedom felt the responsibility which rested upon them. They knew well the strength of the enemy and divined that surrender or defeat meant death. Resistance until death was the motto of each and none knew the limit of his strength.

The conflict continued some time near the outer barrier, but the area became so crowded that the Texians found it advantageous to retreat near the wall of the long barracks, where the enemy fell in heaps. Finally their number became so diminished that they retired into the church and rooms of the barracks. Here each stood as a lion in his lair, felling his assailants at his feet as they advanced upon him, but they too followed their comrades, one by one, until all had shared the same fate.

The struggle did not last longer than half an hour, yet in that half hour, more blood was drawn perhaps, than ever issued before at the hands of the same numbers in the same length of time and under like circumstances.

Travis and his boy cut their way through the thickest of the ranks of the enemy and finally came near the northeast corner of the church, when Travis, seeing that the enemy were still rushing over the wall, mounted it, cheering his men to the conflict. After discharging his pistol he continued the slaughter with his sword, dealing blow after blow. As fast as they loosed their holds, they tumbled to the ground beneath him. But he was not long to occupy so conspicuous a place. Receiving a ball through the head, he fell on the inside. His boy, ever faithful, had continued near him, doing good service, but seeing the fate of his master and thinking that all was of necessity, lost, concealed himself in one of the small rooms of the barracks where, after the action was over, he and another man were found by an officer. The former’s life was spared because he was a negro. The latter was promised protection if he would show the bodies of Travis and Bowie which he did, but Santa Anna soon rode within the walls and seeing him asked, "What’s that fellow doing here?" On being informed of the condition upon which he had been spared, he replied that they had "no use for any such men," and ordered him shot. A file of soldiers executed the order at once.

So soon as the bodies of Travis and Bowie were shown by this man, they were brutally mutilated by the sword and bayonet. Colonel Bowie, being yet sick, was confined to his room, indicated, on the diagram, which he had occupied from the beginning of the siege. It was there while suffering the tortures of disease, unable to lift his head from his pillow, that he was butchered. He was shot several times through the head , his brains spattering upon the wall near his bed-side.¹⁰