Important People
Colonel William Barret Travis August 1, 1809 - March 6, 1836 William Travis was born in the Edgefield District of South Carolina. He studied to be a lawyer and briefly was a teacher in Alabama. In 1931, he fled with his wife and children and opened a small law office in Anahuac, Texas. He quickly grew disgust of Mexican rule. He then became the leader of the "War Party." In mid-1835, he gathered a small militia of 25 volunteers and captured the captain of forces of Anahuac. Soon after, the Texas Revolution erupted and he joined the army. Samuel Houston promoted him to Lieutenant Colonel of Cavalry and in January of 1836, he was ordered to take reinforcement volunteers to the Alamo. When he arrived, he immediately took control of the soldiers alongside James Bowie. He arrived on February third and within a month, Santa Ana and his 7,000 Mexican troops had come to regain control of the Alamo. He refused to surrender and fought valiantly until March 6, when Santa Ana successfully acquired the Alamo and slaughtered all of the soldiers, including Travis. |
Antonio López de Santa Anna February 21, 1794 - June 21, 1876 Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna was a Mexican statesman, politician and army officer. He was the center of Mexico's politics during times such as the Texas Revolution and the Mexican American war. He started his time in the army as a soldier, and quickly rose to the position of captain. He had many accomplishments and was a hero to Mexicans. Between 1833 and 1855, Santa Anna gained the presidency 11 times. However, he became widely infamous in America. He is credited with starting the Texas Revolution by repealing the Mexican Constitution in 1824. At the Battle of the Alamo, he showed up with 7,000 soldiers and slaughtered every single American in the mission, leaving only a few survivors. He died in Mexico City as a hero to some, and a villain to many. |
James Bowie
March 10, 1796 - March 6, 1836 James Bowie is arguably one of Texas' greatest heroes. He was a Frontiersman, a slave trader, a smuggler, Indian Fighter and a soldier in the Texas Revolution. Like many frontiersman of the time, Bowie was intrigued with the idea of Texas. He moved there and found plenty to keep him busy. In 1835, open war broke out and he was elected leader of the local militia, alongside Samuel Houston. He became a hero for the Texans that wanted independence. He led a variety of victories throughout the war, and had a tendency to disobey orders. In December of 1835, Houston ordered Bowie to demolish the Alamo and retreat from the city. He, of course, disobeyed and mounted a defense to fortify the Alamo. In February, when Travis arrived, he took over the nominal command of the forces. However, many of the members were not enlisted, but volunteers who answered to no one, so Bowie took loose control over the group. He did not care for Travis until Davy Crockett arrived and defused the tension between the two. In late February, he became very ill and was confined, delirious to his bed. After two weeks of siege, Santa Anna attacked and Bowie was not able to fight. He died in his room, still feverish, when Mexican forces made their way inside the mission and he was killed mercilessly. |