Web of Destiny

As the brilliant light of the Texas sun appeared on the eastern horizon on the morning of March 6, 1836, the Alamo was a tumultuous bedlam of barking rifles, roaring cannons, and shouting men. The acrid smell of burned gunpowder filled the smoky air. Lifeless bodies of Mexican soldiers lay scattered outside the Alamo's battered stone walls. Others, still alive, lay on the ground in agony, their bodies torn by bullets and shrapnel. Inside the walls, many of the Alamo's defenders already lay dead and wounded as the battle went on. While firing their cannons and rifles, the Texans atop the stone walls could see Generalissimo Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna as he rode his white horse back and forth out of cannon range, shouting encouragement to his troops. Along the walls, determined Mexican soldiers were raising ladders, leaning them against the walls and scrambling upward to gain entrance into the Alamo. Many were successful, and once inside they were met by gallant defenders wielding rifles, bayonets, revolvers, and bowie knives. Both Texans and Mexicans were going down, dead or wounded. At other places along the walls, the stubborn men of the Alamo met the Mexicans with rifle butts, striking their heads and faces savagely, sending them to the ground outside the walls. With the Alamo cannons firing into the swarms of charging Mexican infantrymen on all four sides, the Texas riflemen at the parapets on the walls had relatively easy targets to pick off with their rifles. But it seemed that no matter how many of the Mexicans fell, hundreds more took their places. From where he stood atop one of the walls, Alan Kane could see Santa Anna's cavalrymen charging at a full gallop while firing their rifles at the men who controlled the cannons and occupied the parapets. The Texans were taking their toll on the enemy, but fear touched Alan's heart as he saw thousands more Mexican troops running across the Texas plains toward them. A tight knot formed in his stomach.The few men defending the Alamo don't have a chance. A cold shiver slithered down Alan's back as he ran his gaze over the dauntless fighting men of the Alamo and recognized most of them. He saw Captain Almeron Dickinson standing a few yards inside the west wall, where it was possible to scale the stones and drop down within the confines of the Alamo. Dickinson was blasting away with his revolver to defend his position. Alan saw Colonel William Travis, sword in hand, standing on the south wall shouting orders to his men. Davy Crockett was on the ground near the north wall, firing his rifle at Mexicans who had made it over that wall. Suddenly Alan's eyes focused on his brother Adam, who was atop the wall several yards from him, loading a cannon. Alan recalled that Adam had been trained to fire the big cannons. Alan tried to rush to his brother's aid, but his feet would not move. Adam was ramming gunpowder and a cannonball into the mouth of the cannon so he could fire it into the hordes of Mexican troops that were coming in waves across the prairie.. Alan blinked as he saw six or seven Mexicans scale the wall from ladders, aim their guns at Adam, and fire. Alan's eyes bulged with terror as the bullets ripped into Adam's body. Still, his feet would not move. Adam fell to his knees clutching his midsection, which had taken most of the slugs. The Mexicans who had shot him laughed as one of them kicked him in the face and sent him rolling to the edge of the wall, where he lay flat on his back. Alan saw Texans charging toward the Mexicans who had shot Adam, firing their rifles. Three Mexicans were hit and peeled headfirst over the wall. The others jumped to the ground inside the wall, trying to get away. The Texans dashed past the fallen Adam Kane, intent on killing the Mexicans. [read more]