The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 37, July 1933 - April, 1934 Page: 181
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A Critical Study of the Siege of the Alamo
181
of the fortress should fly over the armory-the real stronghold-
than over the decadent chapel. Especially is this thinking logi-
cal, since over the armory-the south end of the main building-
had been the location of the flag staff during the mission days,
and evidently, also, during the times (Estrada's sketch) the Mexi-
cans had used the building to house their soldiery.
10. El Deguello
All authentic accounts of the fall of the Alamo state that the
signal for the final attack was given by "a long clear blast from
a bugle, followed by the notes of the dreadful deguello."
This old bugle call has an interesting history of its own, a his-
tory that is much older than that of Texas, or even of Mexico
itself, for it is known to extend back through the centuries of
Spanish annals to the wars against the Moors. Always its notes
have meant wanton destruction of property and death without
mercy, and for this reason it is often designated as "the fire and
death call." In fact, the very word deguello in the Spanish lan-
guage signifies the act of beheading or throat cutting-utter de-
struction and ruin. Throughout its history this old call has al-
ways been the relentless signal of no quarter, no mercy to the foe.
organized at New Orleans for Texas service, participated in the "Storming
of Bexar," December 5-10, 1835. Most of the men of both companies
remained at San Antonio after General Cos evacuated the place, but by
the first of January, 1836, all of them, except some half dozen, had
deserted the Alamo, led away by Francis W. Johnson and James Grant.
Indeed, only six men from these New Orleans companies--two from the
first, and four from the second-died with Travis at the Alamo. (2) Col-
onel J. C. Neill, the commander of the Alamo after Johnson left, bitterly
resented the depletion of the Alamo fortress by Johnson, Grant, and their
men. Bowie and Travis who became the commanders of the San Antonio
troops after Neill's departure on February 12, 1836, felt this same bitter-
ness, and there is little probability that any of these three leaders at the
Alamo would have tolerated as their banner the flag of a company, all
members of which, except two, had deserted and depleted the fortress.
(3) We know definitely (see C. M. S. R., State Library) that Travis
advanced money from his private purse with which to buy a flag and other
supplies for the company that he carried to the Alamo. If any company
flag was to fly from the fortress tower it would surely have been that of
Travis's own company. I am sure that all who know Travis will readily
concede this. We have no description of the flag of Travis's company.
(4) A goodly number of Texans, contemporary with the fall of the
Alamo, tell us that the flag used by the Texan soldiers in 1835 and
early part of 1836, was the Mexican tri-color with the figures 1824
on the white bar. (See McArdle's Alamo Book, Texas State Library,
for a good summary of these authoritative statements.)
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Texas State Historical Association & Barker, Eugene C. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 37, July 1933 - April, 1934, periodical, 1934; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101094/m1/200/: accessed May 13, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.