Today marks the 189th anniversary of the start of the infamous 13-day siege of the Alamo by Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna during the Texas War for Independence. On February 23, 1836, Santa Anna’s army entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas, and surrounded the Alamo Mission, which was defended by a small force of Texians and Tejanos, led by William Barrett Travis and James Bowie.
The defenders of the Alamo, including famous figures like Davy Crockett, were vastly outnumbered by the Mexican army. Despite being given the opportunity to surrender, Travis chose to open fire on the Mexican forces, sealing their fate. Over the next 13 days, the Mexican army bombarded the Alamo with artillery fire, while the defenders fought bravely, but ultimately, the Alamo fell on March 6, 1836.
The loss was a pivotal moment in the Texas War for Independence, galvanizing support for the Texian cause and inspiring the famous cry “Remember the Alamo!” The bravery and sacrifice of the Alamo’s defenders have become an enduring symbol of heroic resistance in Texas history.
