Alamo Photograph

VO:
The seige of the Alamo has a special place in American mythology, representing on of the great stories
of the American fighting spirit and quest for freedom.

Photos of Alamo Defenders

VO:
The heroes of Alamo rank among the famous American frontiersmen and freedom fighters, with names
known to every schoolchild in the country. Well, the white defenders of the Alamo are known to every
schoolchild in the country. You don't hear much about about the brown ones.

Scenes from films of The Alamo

VO:
Several attempts to depict the events concerning the siege of the Alamo and the acquisition of the state
of Texas have been recorded on film. Most lack historical accuracy and any sense of racial perspective.
With the standard set very low, our group decided to record our own version of events, with a more
devoted sense of historical accuracy, but no less warped a view of the role of Mexican, American, and
Texan relations.

Anthony, as the heroes of the Alamo

VO:
Due to our limited casting budget, we have chosen to represent the heroes of the Alamo with one actor
and varying lengths of sideburns.
Opposite a photo of Davey Crockett
This is Davey Crockett, legendary frontiersman, litigator, and a man who grew fairly reasonable
sideburns.
Opposite a photo of James Bowie
This is James Bowie, seen here with his trademark knife and slightly longer sideburns.
Opposite a photo of William B. Travis
Finally, this is William B. Travis, commander of the Texan troops at the battle of the Alamo, and owner
of totally ridiculous sideburns.

Heather, Taylor, and Gentry as Mexican army

The rest of us will be representing the Mexican Army, seen here with offensive hats and a half-eaten
bag of Doritos.

Taylor as Santa Anna

Finally, this is General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the leader of the Mexican army. Taylor was
chosen to play him as she is the only one of us not lily-white. The wig she is wearing has no bearing
on Sana Anna's actual hair, and is more a reflection of our limited prop budget. It's also worth noting
that despite Santa Anna's effeminate name and appearance in our short movie, he was actually a dude.

Mexico, Circa 1835

Under President Santa Anna, Mexico drifted from a federalist model towards a more centralized
government. As Santa Anna attempted to gain more power for the Presidential office, many Mexicans,
used to greater degrees of individual liberty, revolted.
 The group members, flashing a thumbs-down and booing
This was particularly true in Texas, which while controlled by Mexico, had a large population of
American immigrants. Among the immigrants, a more powerful central government was particularly
unappealing.

Three group members, firing pop-guns at one member in a Sombrero

The Texians revolted, and were largely successful in driving the Mexican army south and away from
population centers.

Shot of Batting Cages

Once Mexican troops were driven out of San Antonio, the provisional Texas government set up a
garrison at a former Spanish mission called The Alamo, represented here by this baseball field.

Actual map of the Alamo

The Alamo complex was almost three acres long, and contained several buildings, including a chapel
and a set of barracks. The walls were built to withstand attacks from indigenous peoples.

Anthony, writing, as James Bowie, while Texan troops mill

While the Texas government knew it couldn't spare the troops to hold the Alamo indefinitely, a hundred
men remained in the Alamo to defend it, including James Bowie. In a letter to leaders of Texas, he
wrote

Anthony:
“the salvation of Texas depends in great measure on keeping San Antonio out of the hands of the
enemy. It serves as the frontier picquet guard, and if it were in the possession of Santa Anna, there is no
stronghold from which to repel him in his march toward the Sabine.”

Anthony, as Davey Crockett, rolling in with us as additional troops

VO:
Only roughly 30 men responded to Bowie's plea for additional troops and resources.

Anthony, as James Bowie, and as William Travis

th
On Febuarary 11 , 1836, William Travis was appointed commander of the Texan troops, as he was the
highest-ranking officer. He quarreled with Bowie, and eventually the command was split, with Travis
issuing the orders, but Bowie holding the hearts of the men.

Taylor as Santa Anna, group as Mexican army

Meanwhile, Santa Anna continued to raise troops in central Mexico. When he began the march to
retake Texas, his army was 6,000 strong.

Mexican Army camped around Anthony

rd
On February 23 , the Mexican army occupied San Antonio and surrounded the Alamo. They signaled
there would be no prisoners; the Alamo defenders responded by aggressively firing their cannon. The
seige had begun.

Hazy Filter surrounding previous shot

It is here that fact and legend become hard to discern. As the Alamo had no survivors, eyewitness
accounts of the battle are slim and lack varying degrees of credibility. Our account is drawn from the
most accepted versions of what happened.
 Anthony, writing again
On February 24th, Travis sent out a letter which read:
Anthony:
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World:
Fellow citizens & compatriots—I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa
Anna—I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man.
The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if
the fort is taken—I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from
the walls. I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism &
everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch—The enemy is
receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days.
If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who
never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country—Victory or Death.
William Barret Travis

Shot of dramatization of below

VO:
It is known fact that the siege lasted through the beginning of March. Legend and eyewitness accounts
state that on March 4th, Travis drew a line in the sand, asking anyone who would like to stay and fight
for the Alamo to cross it. Every one of the nearly 150 defenders did with the exception of Moses Rose,
who declared:
HEATHER:
By god, I'm not ready to die!
VO:
And escaped over the wall. He was declared the coward of the Alamo, despite being 51 years old at the
time of the siege and having fought in two previous wars. Meanwhile, Bowie, who was deathly ill,
asked to be carried over the line.

Various JPGs of the Alamo, altered to demonstrate military technique, with shots of running and
shooting
VO:
In the wee hours of March 5th, the Mexican army began its final push against the Alamo. Tactical
description of actual seige to follow, with JPGs to illustrate fighting. Approx. 90 sec.

Anthony as Bowie, reclining, being shot

VO:
Common accounts hold that James Bowie was executed in his bed, too weak to participate in the
Alamo defense.
 Anthony as Crockett, being executed
Meanwhile, Davey Crockett was likely executed after being captured among the survivors.

Anthony as Travis, falling from a wall

It is believed that Travis was killed while defending the North Wall of the fort.

Shot of Mexican Army, gathered, with Santa Anna

After the decisive victory, the Mexican army continued northward.

Raiding party of Texans

Only to be found and ambushed by a Texas raiding party at what would come to be known as the Battle
of San Jacinto on April 21st.

Mexicans being shot

The battle was over in less than 20 minutes, as Texans ambushed the Mexican army, shouting
“Remember the Alamo,” slaughtering the majority of the soldiers before they could take up arms.

Taylor being led away in cuffs

General Santa Anna escaped the battle, and was caught as a prisoner of war, but the reaction from the
troops gave away his rank. His capture ended the war

Map of Mexico 1837

And granted independence to a huge portion of Mexico that would eventually become part of the united
states.

Photograph that opened the video

Despite ostensibly being an enormous loss in the Texan Revolution, the siege of the Alamo had such a
galvanizing effect that it shaped the rest of the war. Few events have shaped the nature of both white
American and Latino culture as drastically as that battle in Texas.