Battle of the Alamo

Painting of the battle by an artist who was born later

The Battle of the Alamo took place in 1836 at the Alamo in what is now San Antonio, Texas, United States. Texas then belonged to Mexico, but many people wanted to have their own new country since they did not like Mexican rule. Over 100 of them, including former U.S. Representative Davy Crockett, were at the Alamo.

Under the Spanish Empire, the Alamo had been a mission like a church. The Mexican Army of several thousand arrived, led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. For 13 days, the Mexican Army surrounded the Alamo, and it finally attacked on March 6, 1836. All 187 men from Texas were killed.

General Sam Houston felt that holding San Antonio was unnecessary and impossible. That made him send Jim Bowie with orders to destroy the Alamo and to return with all of the men and the artillery that were stationed there. Bowie went against his orders and failed to defend the city, which he had thought to be his duty.