On February 24, 1836, with the fortress encircled and the Texan Army at the Alamo outnumbered, William B. Travis wrote one of the most famous letters in American history. He began the letter as follows: "Dear Friends: As we cannot expect to be rescued by any ship from this place, we think it best to make our peace with God by confessing our sins before him."
Travis went on to ask others in the army to take responsibility for their own sins and those of the men under their command. He also asked them to pray for themselves and for the people of Texas. After making these requests, Travis signed the letter "Your friend and comrade in arms, William Barret Travis, commander-in-chief, Austin's army."
The Alamo was located in San Antonio de Bexar at the time. It is now a museum that receives hundreds of thousands of visitors each year. Travis's letter was found among his papers after his death in 1834.
Travis's letter was not intended for public distribution but rather for family members after his death. However, because it was written by such a well-known person, many people believe it to be important for what it says about the men who died at the Alamo.
Travis's well-known letter from the Alamo Travis penned a letter to "the People of Texas and All Americans in the World" on February 24, 1836, during Santa Anna's siege of the Alamo: "Fellow citizens and countrymen, I am besieged by a thousand or more Mexicans under Santa Anna." He went on to say that although "a few soldiers have been allowed to come in so far as was possible," most had refused at first due to the high price of provisions. He also lamented the fact that "our women and children are still in the town." Finally, he asked for help.
Travis's letter was widely published after the fall of Mexico City and was used by many as encouragement to support their Texan allies during the war for independence from Mexico. It has been cited as an example of patriotic writing and is included in many American history textbooks.
It was written from the Alamo, which had become its own independent city-state within the larger Mexican province of Texas. The battle for the Alamo had begun on March 6, 1836, when about 150 Texans led by Davy Crockett arrived to help defend the mission against the large Mexican army that was besieging it. The siege continued for several months until October 2, when Santa Anna's army finally captured the Alamo. Of the original 152 men who had gone into the battle only 34 were left alive.
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World is an open letter addressed on February 24, 1836, to residents in Mexican Texas by William B. Travis, leader of the Texian soldiers at the Battle of the Alamo. In it, he appeals to them not to surrender to Mexican President Santa Anna, but rather to support his cause by helping him gain independence from Mexico.
Travis's letter was published in several newspapers across the United States, giving him fame outside of Texas. The original document is housed in the Texas State Library in Austin.
In it, Travis writes about how the people of Texas have been wronged by the government of Mexico and asks that they support his cause against Santa Anna so that they can be free. He also mentions other places where freedom-loving people are suffering under tyranny, such as Cuba and Haiti. This shows that even though Texas was once part of Mexico, it is now part of America and therefore should be free.
Travis ends his letter by asking those who love liberty to help him fight for their country. This letter is considered one of the most important documents in Texan history because without its publication many people would have never known what happened to the men at the Alamo.
Side 2 of the Travis Letter. On February 24, 1836, William Barret Travis, leader of the Texian rebels at the old mission known as the Alamo, made a request for assistance as they were encircled by enemy troops led by Mexican tyrant Santa Anna. He asked that two American ships, now in San Antonio harbor, be sent at once with more soldiers to join their cause.
Travis's plea for help was delivered by James Fannin, who had been appointed military commander of Texas after the death of Sam Houston at the battle of San Jacinto a few days before. At the time, Fannin was at Goliad trying to hold off an attack by Santa Anna. The message was delivered by courier to San Antonio, about 80 miles away, and then carried to Washington City by one Captain Moore as part of a convoy carrying supplies to the Alamo.
When he received news of the siege, President Andrew Jackson ordered the supply ships to be turned around but they were captured by the Mexicans en route. There were only seven Americans left at the Alamo - four soldiers and three civilians - and they were outnumbered by hundreds of Mexican soldiers. After several days of fighting, the Texans lost the battle and fled the town. Only Jim Fannin and two others escaped alive. They were taken prisoner but were later released when Mexico entered into a peace agreement with America.
Travis. "To the People of Texas and All Americans Throughout the World," it was addressed. This letter was a heartfelt request for assistance for the Alamo garrison. He finished the message with "Victory or Death," the only possible conclusion of this conflict.
After finishing the letter, he ordered it not be mailed because the post office had been closed by the Mexican army. But he did give explicit instructions that it be delivered in person to anyone who would take it up north.
The letter was found after his death at the Alamo. It is now in the archives of the Texas Historical Commission in Austin, Texas.
Travis penned the letter on February 24, 1836, as an appeal for assistance while the Alamo's defenders were encircled by thousands of Mexican forces; it has already been 177 years. According to Mark Loeffler of the Texas General Land Office, the letter barely made it to one town before the war started owing to slow transit and distance. However, after reaching its destination, it soon reached many others through newspaper accounts, so it can be said that the letter was effective in spreading awareness about the siege.
In the letter, Travis asked for help in defeating "the enemy that now surrounds us." He also pleaded for supplies to be sent from Mexico so their occupants could return home. Finally, he offered his own life in exchange for those of all the men in the fort. After writing the letter, he went out to meet his fate with courage and conviction.
The main message that the victory/death letter spreads is that of hope. Although the men at the Alamo were outnumbered by Mexicans, they believed that they would be victorious because they knew that they were fighting for freedom. Also, they knew that more people were going to join their cause so they had hope that help would come. This gives everyone a reason to keep fighting even when things look bleakest.
As you can see, the victory/death letter is full of meaning but there are several other important facts about the battle of the Alamo you should know before taking this test.
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