Beneath The Stars All Alone

In the early 1800s, a Spanish calvalry unit was stationed the Misión San Antonio de Valero. The mission, originally constructed in 1724, was refered to by the soldiers as the Spanish word for "cottonwood" in honor of their hometown Alamo de Parras, Coahuila.

During the Texas Revolution, the Alamo was taken from Mexican General Marín Perfecto de Cós and occupied by Texian and Tejano volunteers.

In February 1836, the army of General Antonio López de Santa Anna laid seige on the Alamo. Caught by surprise and greatly outnumbered, the Alamo was successfully defended for almost 13 days under the command of William B. Travis.

Travis had sent out couriers to seek help and on the eighth day 32 volunteers from Gonzales arrived. Lore holds that this brought the count of defenders to 180 vs. over 2000 Mexican troops.

The legend continues that Travis drew a line in the sand with his sword, challenging any man willing to stay and fight to cross over, with 179 doing so, including Jim Bowie, renowned knife fighter, and David Crockett, famed frontiersman and former congressman from Tennessee.

Details concerning the battle are a subject of much debate. Mexican casualty estimates range from 70 to 1600. Modern Alamo historians set the Mexican casualties at 600 killed and wounded. All of the defenders were killed, not including a few family members and servants, save one. A former Mexican soldier, was apparently spared execution by claiming he was an unwilling prisoner.

The first song written by Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys in 1927, Spanish Two Step, was rearranged and retitled San Antonio Rose in the 1930s.

Contrary to other information you may have received, there is no basement at the Alamo.