SAN ANTONIO – Did you know that this month 182 years ago the Battle of the Alamo took place?
That’s right - on this day in 1836, Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón - aka general Santa Anna was making his way to the Alamo with about 4000 soldiers.
Also on this day - volunteers in support of the Texas revolution arrived at the Alamo to help defend the fort. Commanders William Travis and James ‘Jim’ Bowie along with folk hero Davy Crockett were part of the nearly 200 combatants defending the Alamo.
The siege on the Alamo started on February 23 and lasted only 13 days.
On March 6 - the Mexican army breached the wall, and the Alamo fell.
Santa Anna’s army overpowered the outnumbered Alamo defenders, and the siege ended with a majority of the volunteers deceased.
After Santa Anna’s victory - the Alamo became occupied by Mexican forces as Santa Anna marched to what is today Houston.
Sam Houston, commander-in-chief of the Texan forces, and about 800 Texans battled the Mexican troops on April 21, 1836.
During the battle - the Texans shouted: “Remember the Alamo,” as they attacked Santa Anna’s army.
General Santa Anna lost the battle near San Jacinto that day - was captured - and came to terms to end the war.
After the war, the Alamo became a storage facility, got purchased by the state and got a renovation and is now visited by nearly 2.5 million tourists each year.
Just recently, the San Antonio missions, including the Alamo, were added as world heritage sites. Being on this list will preserve their legacy and guarantee that the world will remember the Alamo.