The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933 Page: 265
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A Critical Study of the Siege of the Alamo
from New Orleans on January 7, "I now think the time has
come for Texas to assert her natural rights, and were I in the
convention, I would urge an immediate declaration of independ-
ence."' Fortunately, the consultation had authorized the pro-
visional government to provide for the election of a convention,
and so the Council on December 10, 1835, had passed over the
governor's veto a call for such a meeting to be convened at
Washington, March 1. But the quarrel between the governor and
the council had produced bitter political factions among the
Texans. Even the soldiers in the army took sides, and party
contentions were prominent in all questions. Governor Smith
and General Houston were openly champions for an immediate
declaration of independence, but those pledged to the Matamoras
campaign opposed such a step, as it would surely cut off all hope
of getting aid from the Mexican Liberals, south of the Rio
Grande.
By this time it had become a well-known fact in Texas that
Santa Anna would lead an army into Texas in the effort to sub-
due the rebellious spirit of the colonists. He had marched
against, and had utterly crushed Zacatecas in May, and as early
as June, 1835, it was common talk in the cafes and other public
places of the capital that the President's next achievement would
be the subjugation of Texas.39 Now, rumors were daily arriv-
ing that he was actually advancing with a large army to retake
Bexar.
3. The Assembling of the Garrison of the Alamo
But what of Bexar ? San Antonio de Bexar, called indiscrim-
inately San Antonio, and Bexar, is situated on the San Antonio
river, the San Pedro creek lying on its southern side. To the
northeast of the town, and on the opposite side of the river, was
the old fortified mission of the Alamo. The ground was gener-
ally level in the neighborhood of the mission, though somewhat
"Stephen F. Austin to Henry Austin, January 7, 1836, Austin Papers,
II, 297.
8E. C. Barker, "Stephen F. Austin and the Independence of Texas,"
Texas Historical Association Quarterly, XIII, 273; Austin to Mrs. Mary
Austin Holley, August 21, 1835, Austin Papers, III, 101-103. In this
letter Austin writes his cousin, Mrs. Holley: "General Santa Anna told
me he should visit Texas next March as a friend. His visit is uncer-
tain . .. his friendship more so"; see also H. H. Bancroft, North
Mexican "States and Teas, I, 202-203.265
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 36, July 1932 - April, 1933, periodical, 1933; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101093/m1/291/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.