This Day In Texas History - February 23

[joe817]

1836 - Santa Anna's army arrives at the Alamo. He hoists a blood-red flag, a Mexican symbol of no quarter, no surrender, no mercy. The siege at the Alamo begins. As Texans gathered in the Alamo, Travis dispatched a hastily scribbled missive to Gonzales. [This letter will be posted in a follow up post. ]

1836 - Sam Houston and John Forbes signed a treaty giving the Texas Cherokee, Choctaw, Quapaws and Biloxi indian tribes the rights of land between the Angeline River and Sabine River. After the war between Texas and Mexico, the government of the Republic of Texas sought to reduce friction between Texas and the Cherokees -- who had been on land north of San Antonio since 1819 -- so the tribe would not get angry and collaborate with Mexico. The treaty was submitted to the Texas Senate in December 1836 but was rejected on the grounds that it exceeded its powers in extending land rights to the tribe. Despite the rejection, Houston honored the commitment to the Cherokees. His policy honoring the treaty was reversed by Republic of Texas President Mirabeau B. Lamar. Lamar insisted the Cherokees and Comanches be driven out of Texas, even if their tribes became extinct.

1837 - The steamboat Laura left Columbia loaded with government officials and furniture heading for the new capital at Houston.

1848 - The Texas legislature formally created Gillespie County out of Bexar and Travis counties.

1861 - Voting in a statewide election, Texans voted by 46,153 to 14,747 in favor of secession from the Union. Governor Houston was against secession, having worked his whole life to get into the Union. Governor Sam Houston has consistently refused to take a loyalty oath to the Confederacy, and following this overwhelming vote by the people, was forced to resign. He returned to his home in Huntsville where he later died.

1911 - Quanah Parker, the last fighting chief of the Comanche in Texas, died from an undiagnosed illness in Oklahoma.

1944 - Roderick Random Allen was promoted to major general, Army of the United States. An army officer who served in three wars. Allen was born in Marshall, Texas, and spent his youth in Palestine, Texas. He graduated from Texas A&M in 1915.

[joe817]

The commander of the Alamo garrison, William B.Travis, wrote 2 letters on February 23. The first of Santa Ana's invasion consisted of what is reported to be 1.500 calvary, with infantry following close behind. Travis starkly realizes that his position is untenable, and sends out couriers with these letters, pleading for reinforcements.
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About 4 PM on 23 Feb 1836, Launcelot Smithers left the Alamo and made the 76 mile ride to Gonzales where he announced the arrival of the Mexican army in San Antonio de Bexar with a note from Alamo Commander, Col. William B. Travis, to alcalde Andrew Ponton appealing for reinforcements:

William Barret Travis - Alamo Letters

To Andrew Ponton, Judge and Citizens of Gonzales February 23, 1836

" COMMANDANCY OF BEXAR, 3 o'clock p.m.: The enemy in large force are in sight. We want men and provisions. Send them to us. We have 150 men and are determined to defend the Alamo to the last. Give us assistance.

P.S. Send an express to San Felipe with news night and day. "

(On the same day of arrival of the message, Acting Commissioner and Aide-de-Camp to the Provisional President of the Republic of Texas Byrd Lockhart completed the muster of 23 into the Gonzales Ranging Company of Mounted Volunteers which he had been commissioned to be in Gonzales on 4 Feb. The Gonzales Rangers were officially attached to Col. Travis' command within the provisional Republican Army. The official muster roll was completed on 23 Feb, however most individuals who joined the Gonzales Alamo Relief Force on 24 Feb and thereafter are often listed as members of the company even though no official muster roll is available.)

--

From W.B. Travis and James Bowie
To James W. Fannin (at Goliad)
February 23, 1836

" COMMANDANCY OF BEXAR: We have removed all the men to the Alamo where we make such resistance as is due our honor, and that of a country, until we can get assistance from you, which we expect you to forward immediately. In this extremity, we hope you will send us all the men you can spare promptly. We have one hundred and forty six men, who are determined never to retreat. We have but little provisions, but enough to serve us till you and your men arrive. We deem it unnecessary to repeat to a brave officer, who knows his duty, that we call on him for assistance. "

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{This account appeared in the San Antonio Light newspaper on Sunday March 6, 1907.}

""The fall of the Alamo has but one peer in the brilliant son of its glory. Thermopylae and the Alamo are side by side on the imperishable tables of history; the names of Leonidas and Travis are synonymous for heroism. The modern altar of liberty almost casts its shadow upon the majority of the readers of The Light.........It is, therefore, the purpose, not so much to give history as to recall and keep green in memory all the patriots who died to give us one of the fairest lands the sun ever shone on, and the free and liberal government under which we enjoy it. Fifty years, a half century, have passed since that awful sacrifice was made. Few men are now alive who then took part in that almost hopeless struggle against the perfidious and bloody tyrant of Mexico, General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, and they are old and decrepit. None of the defenders of the Alamo escaped. The most concise account is that of Francisco Antonio Ruiz, published in the Texas Almanac for 1860. Ruiz was the alcalde of this city. Following is the account given:

"On the 23rd of February, 1836, at 2 p.m., General Santa Anna entered the city of San Antonio with a part of his army. This he effected without any resistances, the forces under the command of Travis, Bowie and Crockett having on the same day, at 8 a.m. learned that the Mexican army was on the banks of the Medina river, and concentrated in the Alamo. ""