Alamo, The

The Mission San Antonio de Valero was established in 1718 by Franciscan Friars. The existing mission church, now known as the Alamo, was begun in 1744 and finished in 1757. During the Texan War for Independence, the chapel became the site of one of the most famous battles in the history of the United States Expansion. The death of the Alamo's 187 defenders, including the famed frontiersmen James Bowie and David Crockett won sympathy for the Texan cause in the United States and strengthened the will to throw off Mexican domination.

History

Founded in 1718 under Fray Antonio de Olivares, the Mission San Antonio de Valero was first situated on the east bank of the river. In 1724 it was moved to its present site. Construction on the famous chapel was begun in 1744 but five years after its completion in 1757, the church's twin towers collapsed, leaving it roofless and filled with debris.

In 1793 the mission was abandoned and its archives were moved to San Fernando Church. Around 1803 the Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras, a company of Spanish soldiers from Alamo del Parras, Coahuila, Mexico, arrived at San Antonio and occupied the mission for a number of years during Mexico's struggle for independence. They called the mission Fort Alamo in honor of their former station, probably giving rise to the popular name of the chapel. The Alamo was occupied by Mexican forces from 1821 to December 1835, when the army under General Martin Perfecto de Cos surrendered the fort to Texan forces.

The divided state of command and authority that afflicted the government of the Texans resulted in the tragedy at both the Alamo and Goliad. Early in January 1836, the Texans had information that Santa Anna was leading a large force to invade Texas and subdue the Americans in retaliation for the humiliating defeat the Mexicans had received earlier at the Alamo and Lipantitlan. Houston was in favor of withdrawing to east Texas to consolidate an Army. Fannin, Grant, and Johnson, who also claimed command of all Texan forces, wanted to meet the enemy on the border and keep the war out of Texas. This resulted in no positive action until it was too late. On February 23, Santa Anna appeared before San Antonio with approximately 5,000 men, where only a small garrison of about 145 men under Colonel Travis remained. Travis withdrew into the Alamo and was besieged by Santa Anna's vastly superior force.

The siege began on February 24. Travis took full command because of the illness of Bowie. On March 1, the only reinforcements, thirty-two men from Gonzales, entered the fort. For the defense of the fortifications, Travis had approximately 187 men and eighteen or more pieces of artillery. The siege lasted thirteen days with the climax occurring on the morning of March 6.

Mexican forces stormed the Alamo on all sides, overwhelming the Texans and penetrating into the interior of the fortress. Bowie was killed on his cot and Crocket died with his Tennessee men defending a position assigned to him by Travis. Within about one-half-hour, all the Texans were killed in the room-to-room combat and the bodies were burned by order of Santa Anna. Survivors, included about fifteen noncombatants, mostly women and children. According to the best historical sources, Mexican losses were 1,544.

After the fall of the Alamo, the building was practically in ruins, but no attempt was made at that time to restore it. The Republic of Texas passed an act in 1841, granting the church of the Alamo to the Roman Catholic church, In 1848 the Church leased the entire property to the United States Government which used the building and grounds for quartermasters' purposes until the Civil War when Confederate troops used the building. At the close of the war, the United States government again took over and used it until 1872.

In 1877, Honore Grenet purchased the convent portion of the mission from the Church. After Grenet's death, the convent was sold in 1886 to Hugo and Schmeltzer Company, a wholesale grocery firm.

In the meantime, the State of Texas bought the chapel from the Church in 1883 and placed it under the care of the City of San Antonio. This system continued until 1905 when the Texas Legislature passed a resolution ordering the governor to purchase that part of the old Alamo fortress occupied by a business concern and that all the property should be given to the Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

A controversy over custody of the Alamo developed between the DRT and the De Zavala Chapter of that organization in San Antonio. There was also a dispute between the DRT and Governor O.B. Colquitt, concerning restoration and demolition of the property leased by Hugo and Schmeltzer. The Alamo stands today as it was left at the end of this battle, with the chapel and one side of the lower wall of the convent left standing. The area has been landscaped and is now a park.