1836 - Travis writes from the Alamo to the convention at Washington-on-the-Brazos that he had lost faith in Colonel Fannin at Goliad(for sending reinforcements).
1836 - James Bonham returns to the Alamo, bearing through the Mexican lines a letter from Robert M. Williamson assuring Travis that help was on its way and urging him to hold out.
1836 - The Texas Navy vessel, Liberty captured the Mexican ship the Pelican in a battle off the coast of the Yucatan Peninsula. Taking fire from the nearby fortress Sisal, the Texas Marines boarding party from the Liberty captured 300 kegs of black powder and other military supplies. Much of the bounty was concealed inside cargo belonging to a New Orleans merchant. Upon reaching Matagorda Bay, the Pelican ran aground in poorly charted waters, but the cargo was salvaged, and put to good use at the Battle of San Jacinto.
1836 - The Texas Navy schooner, the Invincible captured the American brig Pocket which under a false manifest, was found to be carrying contraband to the Mexican Army.
1836 - Moses Rose chooses to leave the Alamo rather than stay and fight.
1837 - The United States officially recognized The Republic of Texas as an independent nation exactly one year and one day after the Texas Declaration of Independence was adopted. In all, three countries will recognize Texas: the U.S. Britain, and France.
1837 - President Andrew Jackson appointed Alcée Louis La Branche to be the first diplomat from the United States to the Republic of Texas. As United States chargé d'affaires, La Branche negotiated the settlement of the cases concerning the brigs Pocket and Durango and a temporary commerce agreement. He aggressively defended the United States claim to disputed territory in Red River County.
1871 - Congress granted a charter to the Texas Pacific Railroad Company and by an Act of Congress the name was changed to the Texas and Pacific Railway Company on May 2, 1872. The Texas and Pacific Railway Company was the only railroad in Texas, and one of the few in the United States, to operate under a federal charter.
1855 - Congress, with the urging of the War Department, made $30,000 available to the War Department for the purchase of camels and the importation of dromedaries, to be employed for military purposes. Later, Camels would be transported to Camp Verde in the Texas Hill Country to assist the military in its ongoing defense of the Texas frontier again Indian attack.
1899 - A congressional act authorized the formation of the Thirty-Third Infantry Regiment, better known as the "Texas Regiment," one of the most famous American combat units of the Philippine Insurrection. The regiment was raised specifically for duty in the Philippines, and served there from October 27, 1899, until March 2, 1901. The regiment was organized at Fort Sam Houston. A third of the company officers as well as a third of the enlisted men were from Texas. The Thirty-third distinguished itself in the battles at Magnataram, Tirad Pass, Vigan, and Taguidin Pass. After the insurrection, some of the men chose to remain in the Philippines to serve with the Philippine Constabulary. The rest were mustered out of U.S. service in San Francisco on April 17, 1901.
1906 - First native-born Governor of Texas, James Stephen Hogg dies in Houston. He will be buried in Austin. While Governor, he established the Texas Railroad Commission, and was a staunch support of Greer County as part of Texas (it's now in SW Oklahoma).
1910 - While hundreds watched, dare devil flying ace, Otto Brodie flew his famous wire and canvass biplane over Fair Park in Dallas. This was the first time Dallas had ever seen an airplane.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Travis' last letters from the Alamo:
"To the President of the Convention
March 3, 1836
COMMANDANCY OF THE ALAMO, BEJAR: In the present confusion of the political authorities of the country, and in the absence of the commander-in-chief, I beg leave to communicate to you the situation of this garrison. You have doubtless already seen my official report of the action of the 25th ult. made on that day to General Sam Houston, together with the various communications heretofore sent by express. I shall, therefore, confine myself to what has transpired since that date.
From the 25th to the present date, the enemy have kept up a bombardment from two howitzers (one a five and a half inch, and the other an eight inch) and a heavy cannonade from two long nine-pounders, mounted on a battery on the opposite side of the river, at a distance of four hundred yards from our walls. During this period the enemy has been busily employed in encircling us with entrenchments on all sides, at the following distance, to wit -- in Bexar, four hundred yards west; in Lavilleta, three hundred yards south; at the powder-house, one thousand yards east by south; on the ditch, eight hundred yards north. Notwithstanding all this, a company of thirty-two men from Gonzales, made their way into us on the morning of the 1st inst, at three o'clock, and Col. J.B. Bonham (a courier from Gonzales) got in this morning at eleven o'clock without molestation. I have so fortified this place, that the walls are generally proof against cannon-balls; and I shall continue to entrench on the inside, and strengthen the walls by throwing up dirt. At least two hundred shells have fallen inside our works without having injured a single man; indeed, we have been so fortunate as not to lose a man from any cause, and we have killed many of the enemy. The spirits of my men are still high, although they have had much to depress them. We have contended for ten days against an enemy whose numbers are variously estimated at from fifteen hundred to six thousand, with Gen. Ramirez Sesma and Col. Bartres, the aid-de-camp of Santa Anna, at their head. A report was circulated that Santa Anna himself was with the enemy, but I think it was false. A reinforcement of one thousand men is now entering Bexar from the west, and I think it more than probable that Santa Anna is now in town, from the rejoicing we hear. Col. Fannin is said to be on the march to this place with reinforcements; but I fear it is not true, as I have repeatedly sent to him for aid without receiving any. Col. Bonham, my special messenger, arrived at Labahia fourteen days ago, with a request for aid; and on the arrival of the enemy in Bexar ten days ago, I sent an express to Col. F. which arrived at Goliad on the next day, urging him to send us reinforcements -- none have arrived. I look to the colonies alone for aid; unless it arrives soon, I shall have to fight the enemy on his own terms. I will, however, do the best I can under the circumstances, and I feel confident that the determined valour and desperate courage, heretofore evinced by my men, will not fail them in the last struggle, and although they may be sacrifieced to the vengeance of a Gothic enemy, the victory will cost the enemy so dear, that it will be worse for him than a defeat. I hope your honorable body will hasten on reinforcements, ammunition, and provisions to our aid, as soon as possible. We have provisions for twenty days for the men we have; our supply of ammunition is limited. At least five hundred pounds of cannon powder, and two hundred rounds of six, nine, twelve, and eighteen pound balls -- ten kegs of rifle powder, and a supply of lead, should be sent to this place without delay, under a sufficient guard.
If these things are promptly sent, and large reinforcements are hastened to this frontier, this neighborhood will be the great and decisive battle ground. The power of Santa Anna is to be met here or in the colonies; we had better meet them here, than to suffer a war of desolation to rage our settlements. A blood-red banner waves from the church of Bexar, and in the camp above us, in token that the war is one of vengeance against rebels; they have declared us as such, and demanded that we should surrender at discretion or this garrison should be put to the sword. Their threats have had no influence on me or my men, but to make all fight with desperation, and that high-souled courage which characterizes the patriot, who is willing to die in defense of his country's liberty and his own honour.
The citizens of this municipality are all our enemies except those who have joined us heretofore; we have but three Mexicans now in the fort; those who have not joined us in this extremity, should be declared public enemies, and their property should aid in paying the expenses of the war.
The bearer of this will give you your honorable body, a statement more in detail, should he escape through the enemy's lines. God and Texas! -- Victory or Death!!
P.S. The enemy's troops are still arriving, and the reinforcements will probably amount to two or three thousand. "
[ Note: This letter reached the convention after the Alamo had fallen. Houston and his staff, after reading it, departed for Gonzales. ]
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Another letter sent by Travis from the Alamo:
" o Jesse Grimes
March 3, 1836
Do me the favor to send the enclosed to its proper destination instantly. I am still here, in fine spirits and well to do, with 145 men. I have held this place for ten days against a force variously estimated from 1,500 to 6,000, and shall continue to hold it till I get relief from my country or I will perish in its defense. We have had a shower of bombs and cannon balls continually falling among us the whole time, yet none of us has fallen. We have been miraculously preserved. You have no doubt seen my official report of the action of the 24th ult. in which we repulsed the enemy with considerable loss; on the night of the 25th they made another attempt to charge us in the rear of the fort, but we received them gallantly by a discharge of grape shot and musquertry, and they took to their scrapers immediately. They are now encamped in entrenchments on all sides of us.
All our couriers have gotten out without being caught and a company of 32 men from Gonzales got in two nights ago, and Colonel Bonham got in today by coming between the powder house and the enemy's upper encampment....Let the convention go on and make a declaration of independence, and we will then understand, and the world will understand, what we are fighting for. If independence is not declared, I shall lay down my arms, and so will the men under my command. But under the flag of independence, we are ready to peril our lives a hundred times a day, and to drive away the monster who is fighting us under a blood-red flag, threatening to murder all prisoners and make Texas a waste desert. I shall have to fight the enemy on his own terms, yet I am ready to do it, and if my countrymen do not rally to my relief, I am determined to perish in the defense of this place, and my bones shall reproach my country for her neglect. With 500 men more, I will drive Sesma beyond the Rio Grande, and I will visit vengeance on the enemy fighting against us. Let the government declare them public enemies, otherwise she is acting a suicidal part. I shall treat them as such, unless I have superior orders to the contrary.
My respects to all friends, confusion to all enemies. God Bless you. "
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[The bottom of this letter says it all]
"To David Ayers
March 3, 1836
Take care of my little boy. If the country should be saved, I may make for him a splendid fortune; but if the country be lost and I should perish, he will have nothing but the proud recollection that he is the son of a man who died for his country."
.
.[The letter to David Ayers is the last known letter written by Travis before the fall of the Alamo on the morning of March 6, 1836.
[William Barret Travis died at his post on the cannon platform at the northeast corner of the fortress. He was 26 years old.]
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Battle Of The Alamo - Siege Chronology
Day Ten – Thursday March 3, 1836
James Butler Bonham arrives with news of reinforcements. He reports that sixty men from Gonzales are due and that an additional 600 would soon be en route.
The Texians fire several shots into the city in celebration.
Santa Anna receives word of Mexican General Urrea's victory at San Patricio. In celebration, the Mexcians ring church bells and there is revelry in the camp.
The lead elements of General Gaona's Brigade arrive. These are reinforcements needed for a successful assault.