Alamo Day 2023 (US): Date, History, Facts about Texas

The conclusion of the Battle of the Alamo is commemorated annually on March 6 as Alamo Day. The gruesome conclusion of the Battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836, 13 days after a sporadic battle, marked a significant turning point in the Texas Revolution. Almost all of the Texan defenders, including frontiersman Davy Crockett, were killed when the fort was recaptured by Mexican troops.

The background of Alamo Day

In 1718, the Alamo (originally known as the Mission San Antonio de Valero) was constructed by Spanish immigrants in present-day San Antonio. The Alamo Mission was attacked by Mexican General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna on February 23, 1836, after it had been seized by Texan rebels in December. Around one thousand Mexican soldiers stormed the makeshift fort and began mounting artillery.

During the next two weeks, the two opposing forces engaged in sporadic gunfire, resulting in few casualties. Even though they were vastly outnumbered, William Travis and James Bowie insisted on remaining stationary. Volunteers guarding the Alamo included physicians and farmers, as well as Davy Crockett, a member of the Tennessee militia.
On March 6, just before dawn, the final assault transpired. The north wall was breached, and Mexican forces stormed the enclosure, rousing many Texans inside. The fight lasted 90 minutes and involved considerable hand-to-hand combat.

Bowie, Travis, and Crockett were all killed, but conflicting accounts exist regarding how and when they died. There are reports that some Texans surrendered, but Santa Anna ordered the execution of all prisoners. Few people, primarily women and children, escaped the disaster alive. Historians assert that approximately one hundred Mexicans perished.

From March to May, Mexican soldiers controlled the fort, but on April 21, Sam Houston and his men defeated Santa Anna’s army at the Battle of San Jacinto. As they stormed, they yelled “Remember the Alamo,” and Houston’s victory ensured Texas independence. Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845, nearly a decade later.

After that, the United States Army stationed troops and supplies at the fort for many years. In 1883, the state of Texas purchased the Alamo and eventually acquired the property rights to the surrounding four acres of land. The Alamo attracts approximately 2.5 million visitors annually and remains a national symbol of tenacity and defiance.

5 TEXAS FACTS THAT WILL BLOW YOUR MIND

Texas was annexed by the United States in 1845.

The state of Texas produces more wool than any other U.S. state.

Texas is the only state in the United States to fly six different national flags (Confederate States, Republic of Texas, United States, Mexico, Spain, and France).

Austin, Texas is regarded as the global capital of live music.

Dr. Pepper was created in Waco, Texas, in 1885.

ALAMO DAY DATES