The Texas Declaration of Independence: 3/2/1836

The Alamo mission at San Antonio was in its 7th day of being assaulted by thousands of Santa Anna's troops. By the 13th day, Santa Anna's "take-no-prisoner" policy had all 189 defenders killed, including Jim Bowie and former U.S Congressman Davy Crockett. The only Texas army left in the field was Col. James Fannin's. It departed Goliad to rescue the Alamo but was surrounded in open ground and captured. Santa Anna ordered all 350 prisoners executed. When the Mexican officer hesitated, Santa Anna sent another officer who carried out the order. Had Fannin's troops been left in prison, Texas would have been disheartened, but instead Santa Anna's cruelty aroused world outrage.

The Texas Declaration of Independence, signed MARCH 2, 1836, stated: "General Antonio Lopez Santa Anna...demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defense-the rightful property of freemen-and formidable only to tyrannical governments...has, through its emissaries, incited the merciless savage, with the tomahawk and scalping knife, to massacre the inhabitants of our defenseless frontiers...We fearlessly...commit the issue to the...Supreme Arbiter of the destinies of nations."

American Minute with Bill Federer

The Alamo: 2/24/1836

"Remember the Alamo!" The battle began FEBRUARY 24, 1836, when General Santa Anna's 3,000 troops attacked 189 Texans and Tejanos at San Antonio.

In 13 days, all defenders were dead, including William Travis, Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie. Only Susanna Dickenson, her baby, and Travis' servant survived.

Fifteen years earlier, Mexico won independence from Spain and set up a democratic Federal Constitution. In 1833, Santa Anna rejected the Constitution, became dictator and suppressed Mexican Federal States which rebelled: San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Durango, Guanajuato, Michoacán, Yucatán and Jalisco. In Zacatecas, Santa Anna defeated Francisco Garcia, took 3,000 prisoners and let his army ransack the city 48 hours.

Mexican Federal General José Antonio Mexía marched from New Orleans to Tampico to fight Santa Anna, but was defeated. Santa Anna executed every prisoner.

The Texas Declaration of Independence stated "General Antonio Lopez Santa Anna...having overturned the constitution of his country, now offers, as the cruel alternative, either abandon our homes...or submit to the most intolerable of all tyranny...He denies us the right of worshipping the Almighty according to the dictates of our own conscience."

American Minute with Bill Federer