American Minutewith
Bill Federer
The Alamo mission at San Antonio was in its 7th day of being assaulted by thousands of Santa Anna's troops.
By the 13th day, Santa Anna's "take-no-prisoner" policy had all 189 defenders killed, including Jim Bowie and former U.S. Congressman Davy Crockett.
The only Texas army left in the field was Col. James Fannin's.
It departed Goliad to rescue the Alamo but was surrounded in open ground and captured.
Santa Anna ordered all 350 prisoners executed.
When the Mexican officer hesitated, Santa Anna sent another officer who carried out the order.
Had Fannin's troops been left in prison, Texas would have been disheartened, but instead Santa Anna's cruelty aroused world outrage.
The Texas Declaration of Independence, signed MARCH 2, 1836, stated:
"General Antonio Lopez Santa Anna...demanded us to deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defense-the rightful property of freemen-and formidable only to tyrannical governments...has, through its emissaries, incited the merciless savage, with the tomahawk and scalping knife, to massacre the inhabitants of our defenseless frontiers...
We fearlessly...commit the issue to the...Supreme Arbiter of the destinies of nations."
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