Alamo defenders killed, bodies burned
This week in history: Though vastly outnumbered, the Alamo’s 200 Texan defenders held back thousands of Mexican troops for 13 days before all were finally overpowered and killed. On the evening of March 6, 1836, nearly all the bodies of Alamo’s defenders killed during the prolonged battle were burned by order of General Antonio López de Santa Anna. Santa Anna considered the men “pirates” not worthy of military courtesies or a Christian burial. Thus, the bodies were stripped, hauled to an area on today’s Commerce Street in San Antonio, and burned in three giant funeral pyres (as depicted in Gary Zaboly’s attached art work). The fires burned all night and the next day. The site is discussed in the articles below. Thanks to Allan Koester for his post. After Texas won its independence, it remained a sovereign nation for 10 years before being annexed by the United States. Texas sought Independence a 2nd time just 15 years later when it became one of the first states to secede from the US ...