The Alamo
Analysis of two Armies
The commanders
Why the Alamo?
The Siege of the Alamo
The Mexican Army
► The
infantry is made
up of mostly
conscripts. Conscripts
are people forced to
become soldiers
► Their weapons are old
and most officers are
inexperienced
► They are not well
trained to fight
The Texian Army
► Mostly
made up of
volunteers fighting for a
reason
► Texians are not disciplined
but they have a strong
sense of individualism
► Choose their commanders
and are deadly shots
► Most of Texan army are
from the South?
Santa Anna
► Commander
of Mexican
army who is experienced
in fighting rebellions
► Mean because it keeps
him in power in Mexico
► He wants to end the
Texas revolt because he
wants to show he is in
charge in Mexico
William B.Travis
►
►
►
Commander of Texans
army while James Bowie
commands Texas
volunteers
He is ambitious, has a
sense of honor and is
seeking a place in history
Mistakenly believes that he
can hold off army because
of walls and cannons
Santa Anna’s Advance
► The
Mexican army will
march several
hundred miles and
endure a Northern
► Commanche’s will kill
Mexican soldiers who
fall behind on march
► Solderas are camp
followers who assist
Mexican soldiers
Gregorio Esparza
►
►
►
San Antonio resident who
fought at the Battle of San
Antonio, 1835
Led a cannon crew at the
Alamo, 1836 and was
killed
Brothers requested
permission to bury their
brother and provide a
Christian burial
Why the Alamo?
► Mexican
reasoning:
 Santa Ann needs a
victory to help his
image in Mexico
 It is located in central
Texas making it a
resting spot for
Mexican army and
supplies.
 San Antonio is largest
city in Texas.
► Texians
reasoning:
 Alamos sits on an
important road
 Travis and Bowie felt
that they could hold
the Alamo and felt
safe there
 Alamo could slow
down the Mexican
army because it is in
the middle of Texas
The Siege of the Alamo
The siege begins on
February 26, 1836
► Texans are outnumbered 8
to 1
► It is a fortified area which
covers three acres and has
several cannons
► Texans believe that
reinforcements will come,
also have racists beliefs that
can defeat large force
►
The Siege of the Alamo
► Cannons
are fired
everyday at the Alamo
walls
► The Mexican army
surrounds the Alamo
► Line in the sand never
happened but Travis
did make a short
speech
Mexican Artillery pound the
Alamo walls daily.
The Battle of the Alamo:
Phase One
► The
assault begins on
March 6, around 5:00
► Mexican infantry
attacks the Alamo
from three sides
► Brave Mexican infantry
advance under cannon
fire which bunches
them towards the
North Wall
The Battle of the Alamo:
Phase Two
► Mexican
infantry
breaches North wall
► 80 Texans make an
attempt to escape by
running out of Alamo
► The Mexican cavalry
will catch them and
kill all the escaping
Texans
The North Wall is breached!
The Battle of the Alamo:
Phase Three
► Mexican
infantry inside
the Alamo turn
cannons on the
buildings
► Crockett and several
make last ditch effort
at mission but are
captured
► The fighting is vicious
hand to hand combat
The Aftermath
► All
Alamo defenders are
killed but family members
are spared
► Crockett and 5 survivors
are ordered hacked to
death by Santa Anna
► The Alamo will give the
Texian army
determination to fight to
beat Mexico
So what does this all mean?
► Compare
and contrast the strengths and
weaknesses of the Mexican and Texian
armies?
► Compare and contrast Santa Anna and
William B. Travis as leaders.
► Why did the Texians feel the need to stay
and fight at the Alamo?
► Pretend that you are an eyewitness to the
siege of the Alamo. Write a report about the
battle to inform the people of Texas as to
what you have seen.