Alamo, The

When Texas was still part of Mexico, a former Spanish mission known as "The Alamo" was captured by rebel forces. Those rebels were known as "Texians." Many had accepted the Mexican government’s offer of land and citizenship in the Texas territory.

Independence was in the air. America, to the north, had thrown off British rule in 1776. Mexico, long a Spanish possession, was free of Spain of Spain by 1824. On March 2, 1836, while less than 200 Alamo defenders were nearing the fatal end of a siege personally led by Mexico’s new president (Generalissimo Antonio Miguel Lopez de Santa Anna), Texians declared their independence from Mexico.

Some of the rebels were Americans who had become Mexican citizens. Others (from Ireland, Scotland, England and Wales, from France, Germany and other parts of the world) were recent arrivals to the Texas territory.

Why did they resist Santa Anna? What were they fighting for? How did they plan to form a new country (the Republic of Texas) a mere fifteen years after Stephen Austin (an American) received permission to colonize a portion of Mexico? And ... why did so few men aid the besieged Alamo garrison?

Answers to some of these questions are still shrouded in mystery. Answers to others depend on one’s point of view.

Author: Carole D. Bos, J.D.