The Alamo

The battle of the Alamo, combined with the 13-day siege preceding it, was one of the most pivotal events in Texas history, and is certainly the most memorable. In it, a force of fewer than 200 Texians commanded by Lt. Colonel William Barret Travis were killed by an army of 3,000 to 4,000 Mexicans under the command of Generalissimo Antonio López de Santa Anna. Six weeks later, uttering the battle cry, "Remember the Alamo!" the Texian army commanded by General Sam Houston defeated and captured Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto. Since then, the Alamo has become a symbol for defiance in the face of overwhelming odds. The Alamo chapel - one of the few buildings of the original structure that still stands - is now known as "the shrine of Texas liberty."

The first set of articles in this section will present a detailed accounting of the men, women, and children who were in the Alamo from the beginning of the siege on February 23, 1836 until the battle on March 6. The first article was posted on May 29, 2023. More are anticipated.

Lists of Alamo Personnel

• Colonel Neill's Muster Roll - a list of Texian soldiers who were under the command of Colonel James C. Neill in January 1836.
• February 1, 1836 Voting Roll - a list of Texian soldiers who voted in an election in San Antonio on February 1, 1836.
• Contemporary Casualty Lists - three lists of fallen Alamo defenders made shortly after the battle.

Biographies

• Benjamin F. Highsmith is said to be the "last man alive" who talked with Bowie and Travis at the Alamo.
• Andrew J. Sowell is said to be the an Alamo courier whose name was mistakenly engraved on a monument to the fallen defenders.

Documents

• What was the name of the Alamo defender whose wife and daughter were in the Alamo with him? Was it Dickinson, Dickenson, or Dickerson? Almeron, Almerion, or Almaron? Look at these four signatures of his and see if you can settle this longstanding controversy:
  • Republic claim file 23493 (November 23, 1835) - This is the clearest specimen of his signature, and it appears to read "Almeron Dickerson."
  • Republic claim file 96260 (December 13, 1835) - Though less clear, this signature looks more like "Almeron Dickinson." But wait, is that a dot over his first name? Is it "Almerion?"
  • Republic claim file 16633 (December 13, 1835) - This one is also not as clear as the first one, but it's definitely "Almeron Dickinson," right?
  • Republic claim file 97413 (December 13, 1835) - What do you see in this one? Also note his name written in the body of the document. Are those two spellings even the same?

  The name engraved on the cenotaph in front of the Alamo reads "Almaron Dickerson." Really? Almaron?