March 6, 1836 – Ballad of the Alamo
In the southern part of Texas, in the town of San Antone
There’s a fortress all in ruins, that the weeds have overgrown
You may look in vain for crosses andÊ you’ll never see a one
But sometimes between the setting and the rising of the sun
You can hear a ghostly bugle, as the men go marchin’ by
You can hear them as they answer to the roll call in the sky
Colonel Travis, Davy Crocket, and a hundred eighty more
Captain Dickinson, Jim Bowie, present and accounted for
Back in eighteen thirty-six, Houston said to Travis
Get some volunteers and go, fortify the Alamo
Well, the men came from Texas and from ol’ Tennessee
And they joined up with Travis, just to fight for the right to be free
Indian scouts with squirrel guns, men with muzzle loaders
Stood together heel and toe, to defend the Alamo
You may ne’er see your loved ones, Travis told them that day
Those who want to can leave now, those who’ll fight to the death, let ’em stay
In the sand he drew a line, with his army saber
Out of a hundred and eighty-five, not a soul to cross the line
With his banners a dancin’, in the dawn’s golden light
Santa Anna came prancin’, on a horse that was black as the night
Sent an officer to tell Travis to surrender
Travis answered with a shell, and a rousin’ rebel yell
Santa Anna turned scarlet, play Deguello, he roared
I will show them no quarter, everyone will be put to the sword
One hundred and eighty-five holdin’ back five thousand
Five days, six days, eight days, ten Travis held and held again
Then he sent for replacements for his wounded and lame
But the troops that were comin’, never came, never came, never came
Twice he charged and blew recall, on the fatal third time
Santa Anna breached the wall, and he killed them one and all
Now the bugles are silent, and there’s rust on each sword
And the small band of soldiers, lie asleep in the arms of the Lord
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’, and the cannon used to roar
And his eyes turn sorta misty as his heart begins to glow
And he takes his hat off slowly…to the men of Alamo
To the thirteen days of glory…at the siege of Alamo
Now the bugles are silent, and there’s rust on each sword
And the small band of soldiers, lie asleep in the arms of the Lord
Lie asleep…in the arms…of the Lord
By Marty Robbins
Around 5:00 A.M. on Sunday, March 6, [Santa Anna] hurled his columns at the battered walls from four directions. Texan gunners stood by their artillery. As about 1,800 assault troops advanced into range, canister ripped through their ranks. Staggered by the concentrated cannon and rifle fire, the Mexican soldiers halted, reformed, and drove forward. Soon they were past the defensive perimeter. Travis, among the first to die, fell on the north bastion. Abandoning the walls, defenders withdrew to the dim rooms of the Long Barracks. There some of the bloodiest hand-to-hand fighting occurred. Bowie, too ravaged by illness to rise from his bed, found no pity. The chapel fell last. By dawn the Centralists had carried the works. The assault had lasted no more than ninety minutes. As many as seven defenders survived the battle, but Santa Anna ordered their summary execution. Many historians count Crockett as a member of that hapless contingent, an assertion that still provokes debate in some circles. By eight o’clock every Alamo fighting man lay dead. Currently, 189 defenders appear on the official list, but ongoing research may increase the final tally to as many as 257.
From – http://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/online/articles/AA/qea2.html