The Alamo was a mission founded in 1718. It ceased to function as a church in 1793. At the time of the famous siege the mission chapel was a roofless ruin, but a high rock wall about three feet thick enclosed an area around the chapel large enough to accommodate 1,000 men. Within that enclosure the battle of the Alamo was fought, with a last stand in the chapel.

In 1835, during the battle for Texas Independence from Mexico, San Antonio had been captured by the Texans. Only 144 soldiers, most of them volunteers, were left to guard the city. They were under the command of Lt. Colonel W. B. Travis. On February 22, 1836, a Mexican force of almost 5,000 troops under Santa Anna arrived at San Antonio. Travis and Colonel James Bowie (another great Southerner who gave us the Bowie knife) believed that the Alamo must be held to prevent Santa Anna's march into the interior. On February 23, they and their forces went into the fort and prepared to withstand attack by the Mexicans.

Santa Anna hoisted a flag of deguello (no quarter) and demanded unconditional surrender. This was answered by a cannon shot from the fort. (Now, doesn't that sound like something that a bunch of Southerners outnumbered 28-1 would do)?

Meanwhile, on February 22, David Crockett and his Tennessee volunteers had arrived to help in the defense. On March 1, 32 more brave volunteers were brought from Gonzales by James Butler Bonham.

The siege lasted 12 days. On the morning of March 6, several thousand Mexicans stormed the fort with orders to butcher them all. Our men fought until they ran out of ammunition. 180 brave Southerners died that day and managed to kill about 1600 Mexicans - about 9-1.

It is said that Davy Crockett killed more Mexicans with the butt of his rifle, after running out of ammunition, than when he was firing.

I have to tell a funny story about when I first took my oldest son to visit the Alamo. At the time he was about 6 years old. As we were touring the grounds we were looking at paintings on display of the great men that fell there in battle. After a few minutes my son asked, "Where's the picture of John Wayne?"

I tried to explain to him that John Wayne only played the character Davy Crockett in the movie about the Alamo and that he wasn't really there. My son didn't buy it.

As we were leaving the facility through one of the side doors, my son shouted out and pointed to a large painting of John Wayne there displayed on a stand - and said, "See, I told you so." What could I say?