A Line in the Sand: River of Blood

“Men, I have asked you here to give you news of our situation. I know that we have withstood an endless bombardment; and many times during Santa Anna’s siege of this beleaguered fort, you have asked yourselves: When will help arrive? When will we be set free from this trap? When can we fight in the open and have some chance to live? I don’t have answers to these questions because I fear that help will not be coming to relieve us. The men from Gonzalez and those who have ridden here from Goliad are our only relief. Those here who are Mexican by birth have stood fast knowing they will be dealt with the most severely by Santa Anna. Those of us who have come here from other parts of the United States have been labeled as pirates, and we will be killed upon our capture, or if we had surrendered. No, there was no peace to be made with Santa Anna because blood is on his hands, and he is deaf to our petitions. I can only offer you a choice, and it falls upon your shoulders to make this choice. Soon there will be more Mexican troops than we can possibly defend against. We have been outnumbered since the first day of their arrival. This you all have seen and thought about through these long, cold nights of the bombardment. Death seemed to visit us nightly, but we have remained strong against the number of troops and what I fear will be the death that we will face. But now, I offer you life, at least a chance at life, by asking all of you to make a decision. That decision is to remain here as I will and face the onslaught of the attack by Santa Anna or to leave. Those of us who decide to remain will provide as much cover and fire so those of you who decide to leave can make an attempt to get through the Mexican lines and make your way to escape the cavalry patrols to reach Sam Houston and the Army of Texas. Life is what the decision is about: to take your chances outside these battered walls or to stay and fight Santa Anna and break the spirit of his army. We have inflicted many casualties on his army, and he cannot go around us because he will look weak to his generals and the people of Mexico. But what others feel is not our concern. All of us have to look into our hearts to see what the right course of action is. We cannot defeat Santa Anna, but we can take such a heavy toll on his army that Sam Houston can meet him with equal force and crush this enemy of freedom. It is hard to believe that freedom is at the heart of this fort’s defense, and now you are faced with the freedom of choice between staying to fight here and taking your chances outside these walls. You have all fought beyond the limits that any commander can ask of his men. You have not flinched in the face of pain, wounds and the shortage of food and ammunition. You have served not only your adopted country but your command with bravery and with selfless abandon. You have done more than anyone or Texas could ask of its soldiers. I ask only that you serve and fight with those of us who will remain to bring our cause, which is no less than freedom, to its conclusion. I ask that in your choice you see Texas and all that we stand for. I ask that you cross this line and fight and die, not only as Texans, but as soldiers whose duty it is to give all for the cause of their country. I ask you to stand and fight.” William Travis March 3, 1836 The Alamo