This famous cry was used during the Battle of San Jacinto, which was a major victory for the fledgling army of the self-proclaimed Republic of Texas in 1836. It also could be used as a warning to unsuspecting tourists, who decide to visit the Alamo.

I say this because most of the Alamo that existed in 1836 is gone. The only parts that remain are the church and the building known as the Long Barracks. The rest of the modern Alamo was added later after the historical buildings had had several different roles before they became a state historic site.

The Alamo began as one of the five Spanish missions along the San Antonio River. Mission San Antonio de Valero was built in 1724 and was home to Catholic missionaries and their Indian converts for 70 years. In 1793, the Spanish colonial government of Mexico secularised the mission and granted the land to the Indians. It was later garrisoned by a cavalry unit, which named it the Alamo (Spanish for cottonwood) after their hometown of Alamo de Parras in Coahuila, which is south of the Rio Grande from Texas.

During the ten-year war for Mexican independence (1811-1821), the Alamo was used by Royalists (Spanish) and rebel (Mexican) troops. Its most famous role occurred during the independence struggle between Mexico and the inhabitants of Texas (Texians and Tejanos). The Alamo was first occupied by the Mexican Army in 1835, but was captured by about 400 Texans in December. Members of the small army of Texas under Colonel Neill established a garrison and strengthened the fortifications started by the Mexicans.

General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the ruler (or dictator) of Mexico, responded by leading an army to quell the rebellion. His forces arrived in the area on 23 February, 1836 and occupied the San Fernando Cathedral (founded in 1738). A red flag was hung from the cathedral to indicate to the Alamo garrison that Santa Anna would give no quarter to the rebels. This policy ensured that the garrison and other supporters of Texans independence would fight tenaciously against Santa Anna. In retrospect not a wise decision by the general as it garnered more support rather than discouraging it for the Republic of Texas.

Command of the Alamo was divided prior to the siege with Colonels James Bowie (of the volunteers) and William Travis (Army of Texas). For much of the siege Bowie was bed-ridden so Travis exercised overall command. The garrison numbered about 250 by the end of the siege including David Crockett, a former Congressman and resident of Tennessee. Less than 200 are known by name, and some of the unknowns may have escaped during the final assault.

After 12 days of siege, Santa Anna launched a major assault in the pre-dawn hours of 6 March, 1836. The battle lasted until early morning with most of the garrison dead as well as hundreds of Mexican casualties. The bodies of the defenders were gathered and burned with a special pyre for Bowie, Crockett and Travis.

What took place during the 13-day period remains hotly debated; however, the event is still remembered like Thermopylae (480 BC) as a heroic stand against overwhelming odds to ensure freedom.

There are several places of interest in and around the Alamo. The San Fernando Cathedral is the resting place of the three well-known leaders, who are entombed in a single stone casket near the entrance to the left wing of the cathedral. The IMAX theatre of the Rivercenter Mall, located just down the street, features the 48-minute movie " Alamo: The Price of Freedom". The film was made at the same location as the 1960 John Wayne movie near Brackettville, Texas with over 500 re-enactors participating in the summer of 1987. It won the Cowboy Hall of Fame 1988 Wrangler Award for Best Historic Western Film.

Finally, the Alamo itself hosts the museum, Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT) research library and gift shop. There are two models of the 1836 Alamo to provide visitors with an understanding of the final assault and the layout of the compound. The first is located in the centre of the gift shop along with other exhibits. The second is located in the Long Barracks, which is the main museum of the Alamo. This museum is set-up to provide a chronological series of exhibits of the complete history of San Antonio up to the founding of the Republic of Texas and its entry into the USA.

Remember the Alamo 1836

Introduction
Siege and Battle of the Alamo Feb. 23-March 6, 1836
Battle of San Jacinto 21 April, 1836
Alamo Myths and Misconceptions
Daughters of the Republic of Texas (DRT)