The battle of the Alamo

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The story of the Alamo began on the morning of February 23, 1836, when around 4,000 soldiers from the Mexican army, led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna, approached San Antonio. Inside the city, a small group of about 150 American settlers had taken refuge in the old Franciscan mission of El Alamo. How did things escalate to this point?

The origins trace back to the Mexican government’s efforts to attract settlers to its territories. In 1823 and 1825, Mexico passed laws offering attractive incentives to Americans willing to settle in Texas. The terms were simple: settlers had to become Catholic, follow Mexican laws, and free of enslaved people. In return, they received land for farming and livestock, a six-year tax exemption, and even more land for those who married Mexican women.

Before long, a significant number of American settlers moved to Mexican Texas, but tensions with the central government quickly emerged. The situation boiled over when settlers began discussing the possibility of Texas breaking away from Mexico. In response, the Mexican government passed a law restricting further immigration from the United States, and key leaders of the growing rebellion were targeted for arrest. As a result, the insurgents seized control of San Antonio, setting the stage for the confrontation at the Alamo.

This brings us to the morning of February 23, 1836. The siege of the Alamo lasted for 13 grueling days, culminating on March 6 when the Mexican forces finally broke through after fierce combat, including intense hand-to-hand fighting. Two dozen women and children, along with two slaves, were spared and released from the fort. The rest of the rebels either died in battle or were executed after the fall of the mission.

The news of the Alamo's bloody outcome didn’t reach Washington until March 11, but when it did, it sent shockwaves across the nation. It stirred many Americans to rally to the cause, with volunteers from across the United States joining the Texan army, determined to avenge the fallen.

This wave of support culminated on April 21, 1836, at the Battle of San Jacinto, near present-day Houston, where Santa Anna’s forces were decisively defeated. This victory paved the way for the establishment of the Republic of Texas, which would eventually join the United States in 1845.