Star State" and made its story a
tradition of American heroism.

Soon after the insurrection began a force of Texans had taken San
Antonio, driving out its Mexican garrison. Santa Anna, the president of
Mexico, quickly marched north with an army, breathing vengeance against
the rebels. This town, which lay well towards the western border, was
the first he proposed to take. Under the circumstances the Texans would
have been wise to retreat, for they were few in number, they had little
ammunition and provisions, and the town was in no condition for defence.
But retreat was far from their thoughts, and when, on an afternoon in
February, 1836, Santa Anna and his army appeared in the vicinity of San
Antonio, the Texans withdrew to the Alamo, the strongest building near
the town, prepared to fight to the death.

There were less than two hundred of them in all, against the thousands
of the enemy, but they were men of heroic mould. Colonel Travis, the
commander, mounted the walls with eight pieces of artillery, and did all
he could besides to put the place in a state of defence. To show the
kind of man Travis was, we cannot do better than to quote his letter
asking for aid.

"FELLOW-CITIZENS AND COMPATRIOTS,--I am besieged by a thousand or
more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna. The enemy have commanded a
surrender at discretion; otherwise the garrison is to be put to the
sword if the place is taken. I have answered the summons with a
cannon-shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the walls. I
shall never surrender or retreat. Then I call on you in the name of
liberty, of patriotism, and of everything dear to the American
character, to come to our aid with all despatch. The enemy are
receiving reinforcements daily, and will no doubt increase to three
or four thousand in four or five days. Though this call may be
neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible,
and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own
honor or that of his country. Victory or death!"

"W. BARRETT TRAVIS,
Lieutenant-Colonel Commanding."

"P.S.--The Lord is on our side. When the enemy appeared in sight we
had not three bushels of corn. We have since found, in deserted
houses, eighty or ninety bushels, and got into the walls twenty or
thirty head of beeves."

"T."

The only reinforcements received