The Alamo

Although the Alamo fell on March 6, 1836, the death of the Alamo defenders has come to symbolise courage and sacrifice for the cause of liberty. The memories of James Bowie, Davy Crockett, and William B. Travis are as powerful today as when the Texan Army under Sam Houston shouted 'Remember the Alamo!' less than two months later, when it routed Santa Anna at the battle of San Jacinto. This book is more than a tribute to those heroic few who fell defending the mission to give Houston time to consolidate his forces. It is a thoroughly researched, vividly illustrated, objective description of the circumstances building up to and leading from that vital stand. Using contemporary writings, and the reported views of those whose help was repeatedly begged for, and also of those who wanted desperately to help but arrived just too late to relieve the Alamo, it describes the political and military organizations of both sides. The weapons and equipment available to them, and the enduringly famous personalities involved are all evoked in wonderful detail, and the author describes the dramatic battle with painstaking clarity. Beautifully illustrated, The Alamo builds an accurate picture of one of the greatest periods in American history.