1836 On the western side of a large curve in the San Antonio River, lies the town of San Antonio de Bexar.
Named for the Portuguese Saint Anthony, Bexar grew to be the largest settlement in the northern Mexican province of Texas. It had a population of around 1,800 people.
And it had always had a military flavor to it. Indeed it was meant to be a fortress outpost to defend against Indian attacks. There was also a previous history with the Spanish when this territory belonged to them.
The focal point of the town was its two large plazas. One was called the "Military Plaza", and the other was the "Main PLaza". The Main Plaza was dominated by the tallest structure in all of Bexar -- The San Fernando Church.
To the east, across the river, and a few hundred yards away was an old broken down stone and adobe mission complex by the name of Mission San Antonio de Valero.
It had been around since 1758, but had been abandoned since 1798.
It had once been a Spanish military outpost occupied by "The Second Flying Company of San Carlos de Parras", also called the "Alamo company".
So now, most people simply called the place the Alamo.
In December of the previous year, culminating a Texian revolt against Mexico, a Texian force of around 300 volunteers had just ousted a 500 man Mexican force under General Martin Perfecto de Cos from Bexar and the Alamo.
Thinking the job done, most of the volunteers simply returned home. But around 100 men remained behind under Colonel J.C. Neil.
Neil was sure that the Mexicans would return, probably under the command of the President himself -- General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.
So Neil, along with his engineer Green Jameson, began fortifying the Alamo.
They were helped by two things:
First, Cos had made many improvements to the place; strengthening it in many places - particularly the north wall.
Second, when Cos left, he left behind 19 cannon, including an 18 pounder.
But the place was huge -- about 3 acres. How could 100 men even hope to hold it -- or even if he had double that number? Plus by the end of January he was now down to about 80 men due to desertions.
Neil requested another 200 men from the Texian provisional government -- or at least some advice.
General Sam Houston wanted to have the place blown up and the cannon removed, but the government failed to issue the order.
So Houston sent James Bowie to Bexar with around 30 men to assess the situation. He hoped that Bowie would agree with him that the best course of action would simply be to blow the place up and deny it to the Mexicans.
But when Bowie arrived, he fell in love with the place, and began to agree with Colonel Neil that this was the place to stop the Mexicans.
Bowie and Neil drafted a message to Governor Smith stating that there was no other outpost that could be used to stop or at least delay Santa Anna should he come north with his army.
Bowie concluded the letter with:
Colonel Neil and myself have come to the solemn resolution that we will rather die in these ditches than give it up to the enemy.
So that was that. They had decided to stay. Bowie wrote again to the government asking for reinforcements.
But the government was in no position to do so. Doing the best that they could, they sent a small cavalry detachment to Bexar under Lt. Colonel William B. Travis.
Travis was "regular army", and Bowie was a commander of volunteers. When Travis arrived, there was immediate conflict.
Colonel Neil had now decided to leave Bexar to see if he could round up some more reinforcements. He left Travis in charge.
The volunteers,under Bowie were resentful of Travis, and held a vote to see whom they would follow.
They voted for Bowie.
But Bowie and Travis called a truce in their relationship and decided on joint command.
Around this time, they received more reinforcements. It was in the form of David Crockett and a band of Tennesseans.
After being ousted from Congress in the last election, Crockett told his electorate that "They could all go to hell -- he was going to Texas."
By mid February, they figured that the Mexicans wouldn't arrive (if they came at all) until mid March at the earliest.
They were wrong.
By February 12th, Santa Anna had already crossed the Rio Grande. By February 21st, his vanguard had reached the banks of the Medina River just 25 miles from Bexar.
Travis and Bowie were unaware of this, and now events were about to play out.
