join the Texans. They soon learned that a
great Mexican army was marching on San Antonio, and that the defenders
of the place had gathered in the old mission called "The Alamo." There
were only a hundred and fifty of them, while the Mexican army numbered
four thousand; but they had made up their minds to hold the place, a
mere shell, utterly unable to withstand artillery, or even a regular and
well-directed assault. It was plain enough that to attempt to defend the
place against such an overwhelming force was desperate in the extreme,
but Crockett and his companion kept straight on, and were soon inside
The Alamo. A few days later, Santa Anna's great army camped around it.

In command of The Alamo garrison was Colonel Travis, a young man of
twenty-five; an Alabaman, admitted to the bar there, but driven out of
his native state by financial troubles, and casting in his lot with the
Texas revolutionists, among whom he soon acquired considerable
influence. The third of the trio, Colonel Bowie, was a native of
Georgia, but had settled in Louisiana, where, nine years before, he had
been a participant in a celebrated affray. Two gentlemen, becoming
involved in a quarrel, decided to settle it in approved fashion by a
duel, and, accompanied by their friends, among whom was Bowie, adjourned
to a convenient place and took a shot at each other without doing any
damage. They were about to declare honor satisfied and to shake hands,
when a dispute arose among their friends, and before it was over,
fifteen were killed and six were badly injured. Bowie distinguished
himself by stabbing a man to death with a knife made from a large file.
The weapon was afterwards sent to Philadelphia and there fashioned into
the deadly knife which has ever since been known by his name. The
prospect of trouble in Texas naturally attracted him, he was made
colonel of militia there, and dispatched to The Alamo with a small force
by General Houston early in 1836.

Here, then, in this old and crumbling Spanish mission, toward the end of
February, were gathered a hundred and fifty Texans, a wild and
undisciplined band, impatient of restraint or control, but men of iron
courage and the best shots on the border, with Travis in command; while
without was the army of Santa Anna. On February 24th, Travis, in a
letter asking for reinforcements, announced the siege and added that he
would never surrender or retreat. Early in March, thirty-two men from
Gonzales, k