The Birth of the Texan Identity at the Battle of the Alamo
What is a Texan, and how did the people of this land become Texans? With the help of documents housed in the Archives of the General Land Office, we can trace the Texan identity.
After gaining independence from Spain, the Mexican government began to loosen immigration restrictions for its outlying colonies. Immigrants from all over the United States and as far away as Europe arrived to stake their claims to the vast expanses of land Texas offered. Notable among the wave of new residents were William Barret Travis of Alabama, James Bowie of Kentucky, and David Crockett of Tennessee, all of whom would go on to serve in the Texan military at the Battle of the Alamo in February and March of 1836.
The Alamo and the battle that occurred represent one of the great iconic images of the Texas spirit — courage and strength in the face of overwhelming odds that perished only with the last defender. The Battle of the Alamo directly influenced the eventual creation of the Republic of Texas. When Travis wrote “to the people of Texas and all Americans in the world,” to whom was he writing? How many of those defenders were actually from Texas?
Today’s estimates suggest 180–260 men died while attempting to withstand Santa Anna’s forces. The Telegraph and Texas Register of San Felipe de Austin reported the first public account of the Texian casualties.[1] Its version of the events is reinforced by the Republic of Texas Muster Roll, as well as affidavits and testimonies associated with land donations for fallen soldiers, which provide details about the home states and dates of emigration of the enlisted men. Among those listed at the Alamo, 27 are from Texas.[2]
Evidence of the Texas roots of other known soldiers, such as Gregorio Esparza, appears throughout the Archives. Documents show that in part because he was born and raised in Texas, Esparza’s surviving family was granted permission by Santa Anna to remove his body from the Alamo and inter the remains in a Christian cemetery near San Antonio.[3] No other defender of the Alamo was allowed this treatment.
The Muster Roll and other sources reveal that approximately 80 percent of those killed came from outside Texas — primarily from the United States and Western Europe. The mixed ethnic and national makeup of those who fought at the Alamo suggests that the concept of “being a Texan” — if yet formed at all — was certainly in its infancy. However, the actions of the Texan soldiers at the Battle of the Alamo contributed greatly to the creation and development of the Texan identity.
Perhaps the Alamo’s greatest enrichment of the Texan identity came from the pen of Travis in his famous “Victory or Death” letter. He vowed that he would stand his ground no matter what, without surrender or retreat, and “die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor and that of his country.” His closing words, “Victory or Death” came true when the garrison was overrun and all its defenders killed.[4] Through this sacrifice, Travis’ words would instill a new brand of Texan patriotism that would be a crucial factor in the victory over Santa Anna, and has lived on in Texans today.
Created in 2004, the Texas General Land Office Save Texas History program is a statewide initiative to rally public support and private funding for the preservation and promotion of the GLO’s historic maps and documents.
[1] “More Particulars Respecting the Fall of the Alamo,” Telegraph and Texas Register, 24 March 1836, http://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth47891/m1/3/
[2][List of Those Who Fell at the Alamo], 6 March 1836, The Republic of Texas Muster Roll, pp. 2–4, Archives and Records Program, Texas General Land Office, Austin, TX.
[3] Court of Claims for Gregorio Esparza, 26 May 1860, File 002558, Court of Claims Records, Archives and Records Program, Texas General Land Office, Austin, TX.
[4] William Barret Travis’ letter from the Alamo, 24 February 1836, Archives and Information Services Division, Texas State Library and Archives Commission, Austin, TX. Accessed December 17, 2012.
