Davy Crockett (2)
All the men crossed the line. These men wanted to defend the Alamo. These men wanted an independent Texas.
On February 23, 1836, General Santa Anna and his army arrived. He sent a messenger to the Alamo. He wanted the people in the Alamo to leave. The men in the Alamo answered with a cannon shot! They did not want to leave. They did not want to return to the United States. General Santa Anna was furious. He showed a red flag. The red flag meant: No Prisoners! He wanted to kill everyone in the fort!
On February 24, 1836, General Santa Anna's army attacked the Alamo. The Mexicans had an enormous cannon. It shot a cannon ball that damaged a wall of the fort.
Davy said, "We must destroy that cannon. It can destroy the walls of our fort."
That night, Davy and Jim Bowie left the fort. They went to the Mexican camp. Everyone in the camp was sleeping. Davy and Jim silently passed behind the two Mexican guards. They put mud and stones in the enormous cannon. Then they returned to the Alamo.
The next morning, the Mexican army used the cannon. It exploded! The Mexicans were very surprised. Their enormous cannon was destroyed.
The men in the Alamo killed many Mexican soldiers. The Mexican army attacked many times during the day. But the Texans and the American army defended the Alamo.
Chapter eight
The Massacre
The days passed. The battle continued. There was little food and ammunition. The men in the Alamo fought courageously. Nothing stopped them!
After twelve days of fighting, General Santa Anna sent all of his army to attack the fort. On March 6, at 5 a.m., the Mexican bugles played the "Deguello." The "Deguello" was a war song. It meant "Death for everyone." The women and children at the fort were tired and afraid. The situation was desperate.
The men at the Alamo heard the "Deguello." They understood the message. General Santa Anna's army attacked the fort from all sides. It was a terrible battle. Everyone was shooting. Cannon balls were flying. A lot of men were injured. Some men were killed. Davy and the other men defended the fort. They sent back the Mexicans twice.
The third time, the Mexicans entered the fort. They killed many people: men, women and children. It was a massacre!
Jim Bowie was a great fighter. He was a strong man and he was never afraid. He fought with his famous Bowie knife. He killed many Mexican soldiers. At the end of the day, three Mexican soldiers killed Jim Bowie.
Davy and the other men fought until the end. They killed many enemy soldiers. It was a desperate battle. Four Mexican soldiers killed Davy with a long knife. The tall, courageous trapper fell to the ground!
Only two women and two children were alive after the massacre. But General Santa Anna did not kill them. These women and children returned home.
The Mexicans burnt the bodies of the dead people. It was a big victory for General Santa Anna. He lost 1,544 men at the Alamo.
On April 21, 1836, General Sam Houston and his army attacked General Santa Anna. General Houston made General Santa Anna prisoner. Santa Anna then signed a treaty. This treaty said that Texas was independent! Everyone remembered
Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie, Colonel Travis and the other men. They died for the independence of Texas. Texas became a state of the United States in 1845.
All through his life, Davy Crockett did what he believed was right. With his honesty and determination, he became a national hero. Davy Crockett was the perfect example of the American free spirit. In his life story Davy wrote, "I leave this rule for others when I'm dead:
Always be sure you're right-then go ahead!"
- THE END -
