The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 251

THE
SOUTHWESTERN HISTORICAL
QUARTERLY
VOL. XXXVI APRIL, 1933 No. 4
The publication committee and the editors disclaim responsibility for views expressed
by contributors to THE QUARTERLY
A CRITICAL STUDY OF THE SIEGE OF THE ALAMO
AND OF THE PERSONNEL OF ITS DEFENDERS*
AMELIA WILLIAMS
CHAPTER I
THE TEXAN OCCUPATION OF THE ALAMO
1. The Civil Government at the Beginning of the Texas
Revolution
The proposal for a general consultation of all Texas had been
made in August, 1835. It was to meet on October 15, but there
was, in the first place, some misunderstanding concerning the
place of meeting. Moreover, by October, many of the elected
delegates were in the army with Austin before Bexar, so that
those who did come together on the appointed day agreed to
postpone the meeting till November 1. In the meantime, Stephen
F. Austin had founded, at San Felipe, a sort of executive com-
mittee, composed of the representatives of the local committees
of safety and correspondence. This committee styled itself the
*Five chapters of a thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate
School of the University of Texas in partial fulfillment of the require-
ments for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. The first chapter, pre-
sented here, describes the occupation of the Alamo by the Texas forces,
following the expulsion of the Mexican troops in December, 1835. The
second chapter traces the organization of the Mexican invading army,
its march to San Antonio, and the siege and assault of the Alamo. The
third chapter consists of biographical sketches of William Barret Travis,
James Bowie, and David Crockett. The fourth presents a discussion of
the problems and historical puzzles, connected chiefly with the personnel
of the defenders of the Alamo. The fifth and final chapter gives an
annotated and documented roll of the Alamo victims.