Ready.Fire.Aim
02-24-15, 07:46
In recognition of brave men and women , with white, black, and brown skins, Christians & Jews, from
.
Vermont, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, Massachussetts, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Ohio, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, and Mexico,
- all fighting for Independence from a dictator that revoked their constitution and shifted from a representative government.
Lt. Col. Travis wrote the letter below on the second day of the siege that ended on March 6th.
...........
Commandancy of the The Alamo
Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World—
Fellow Citizens & compatriots—
I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat.
.
Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days.
.
If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death.
William Barrett Travis.
Lt. Col. comdt.
P. S. The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.
........
I saw the transcript of the letter on another site, and thought worthy of sharing here. My grandmother was active in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and stories of the Alamo were common growing up.
https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/texas175/travisletter.html
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h368/Aggie84/image.jpg1_zpsk3a6w1q6.jpg (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/Aggie84/media/image.jpg1_zpsk3a6w1q6.jpg.html)
........
http://www.thealamo.org/history/the-1836-battle/the-travis-letters.html
Historians know of eight letters that Alamo commander William Barret Travis sent out while the Alamo was under siege. The Alamo siege began on February 23, 1836, and continued for almost two weeks. Santa Anna used the time to encircle the old fortified mission compound, gradually cutting off entrance to and exit from the Alamo.
Couriers were evidently able to slip past though the Mexican lines while the earthworks were incomplete. No letters dated after March 3 are known to exist, although James Allen is thought to have slipped out as late as March 5.
The first six, all sent to public officials, described the dire situation faced by the Alamo garrison and called for help to come without delay. The last two letters were to personal friends in which Travis addressed his likely death in battle. In the letter to David Ayers, Travis made arrangements for his young son Charles, who was soon to be left fatherless. By far, however, the best known of Travis’ Alamo letters is the “Victory or Death” letter penned on February 24, 1836 and addressed to “To The People of Texas and All Americans In The World”.
.
Vermont, New Hampshire, Kentucky, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, Arkansas, Alabama, Illinois, North Carolina, Massachussetts, Mississippi, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Ohio, Louisiana, Pennsylvania, New York, Texas, England, Ireland, Scotland, France, Spain, Denmark, Germany, and Mexico,
- all fighting for Independence from a dictator that revoked their constitution and shifted from a representative government.
Lt. Col. Travis wrote the letter below on the second day of the siege that ended on March 6th.
...........
Commandancy of the The Alamo
Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World—
Fellow Citizens & compatriots—
I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat.
.
Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days.
.
If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death.
William Barrett Travis.
Lt. Col. comdt.
P. S. The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.
........
I saw the transcript of the letter on another site, and thought worthy of sharing here. My grandmother was active in the Daughters of the Republic of Texas and stories of the Alamo were common growing up.
https://www.tsl.texas.gov/exhibits/texas175/travisletter.html
http://i1106.photobucket.com/albums/h368/Aggie84/image.jpg1_zpsk3a6w1q6.jpg (http://s1106.photobucket.com/user/Aggie84/media/image.jpg1_zpsk3a6w1q6.jpg.html)
........
http://www.thealamo.org/history/the-1836-battle/the-travis-letters.html
Historians know of eight letters that Alamo commander William Barret Travis sent out while the Alamo was under siege. The Alamo siege began on February 23, 1836, and continued for almost two weeks. Santa Anna used the time to encircle the old fortified mission compound, gradually cutting off entrance to and exit from the Alamo.
Couriers were evidently able to slip past though the Mexican lines while the earthworks were incomplete. No letters dated after March 3 are known to exist, although James Allen is thought to have slipped out as late as March 5.
The first six, all sent to public officials, described the dire situation faced by the Alamo garrison and called for help to come without delay. The last two letters were to personal friends in which Travis addressed his likely death in battle. In the letter to David Ayers, Travis made arrangements for his young son Charles, who was soon to be left fatherless. By far, however, the best known of Travis’ Alamo letters is the “Victory or Death” letter penned on February 24, 1836 and addressed to “To The People of Texas and All Americans In The World”.