The Alamo, built in 1724, served as a mission and home for
Indian converts and missionaries. Seventy years later, Spanish officials secularized San Antonio missions, including the Alamo, and
distributed land to remaining Indian tribes.
With church leaders praying and the Native Americans watching in the background this would probably have been a common scene prior to the Spaniards secularization in 1793. Photo courtesy of The Alamo by Tamara L. Britton.
At the dawn of the 19th Century, the Spaniards became the Alamo’s new occupants stationing a cavalry unit at the mission fondly calling
the site “cottonwood” or Alamo reminding them of their hometown, Alamo de Parras, Coahuila. In years to come, the Alamo would be home to
Revolutionaries and Royalists in Mexico’s fight for independence. Once Mexico’s Independence was gained, in 1821, the Alamo was a station
for military forces (Spanish, Rebel, and Mexican) who occupied the former mission until the Texas Revolution.
In December 1835, a group of Texan and Tejano volunteers, led by Ben Milam, fought against Mexican forces to win control over the Alamo.
After five days of “house to house fighting” the volunteers were successful in defeating General Martin Perfecto de Cos’ troops. Milam’s
soldiers triumphantly occupied the Alamo and began to work on strengthening defenses. Suddenly, on February 23, 1836 General Antonio Lopez
de Santa Anna’s army arrived outside San Antonio, ready for battle.
 
Lieutenant Colonel Jose Enrique de la Pena wrote both sets of letters shown. It is said that he wrote the letters to the citizens of Texas informing them of the Battle of the Alamo. In these letters, Pena discusses the death of key figures
such as Davy Crockett and William Travis. Photos courtesy of The Alamo: A Primary Source History of the Legendary Texas Mission by Janey Levy and The Alamo by Dennis Fradin.
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