2/24/1836: Travis pens his famous letter from the Alamo

[Craig Tx]

On this day in 1836, William Barret Travis, commanding the Texans under attack in the Alamo, wrote his famous letter addressed "To the People of Texas and All Americans in the World."

In the letter, he pledged that he would "never surrender or retreat" and swore "Victory or Death." The predominant message, however, was an entreaty for help: "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." Travis knew that his men, besieged by Mexican forces under Martín Perfecto de Cos, could not hold out long without reinforcements. Inspired by his letter, more troops did make their way to San Antonio, but too few and too late to avert disaster. Travis was among the first to die in the battle of the Alamo, on March 6.

[Doc Nock]

Interesting...

I've only seen the version where JW starred and directed it and his grown son said it was pretty hard on him to do...

Thanks for the ongoing history lessons

[Butler Ford 40]

Your posts have caused me to go dig out my old two volume set of Mitchener's "TEXAS".  At first not finding them, went on line looking for replacement, got sidetracked and found a tv series "Texas Rising".  It isn't bad if you get bored during the move. 

[Craig Tx]

I tried watching Texas Rising when it came out.  I hated it.  I couldn't get through more than the first 10 minutes.