To The People of Texas & All Americans in The World - Texian Response

Texian Response

This letter was one of several that Travis sent during the siege of the Alamo. Each carried a similar message—the Mexican army had invaded Texas, the Alamo was surrounded, and the Texians needed more men and ammunition to wage a successful defense. No assistance was forthcoming from the Texas government. By this point infighting had rendered the provisional government completely ineffective, and delegates convened on March 1 at the Convention of 1836 to create a new government. Most of the delegates believed that Travis exaggerated the difficulties he faced.

Many Texas residents disagreed with the convention's perception. As the message spread across Texas, settlers left their homes and assembled in Gonzales, where Colonel James Fannin was due to arrive with the remaining Texian Army troops. On February 27 one group of reinforcements impatiently set out on their own; as a result 32 additional Texians entered the Alamo. Research by historian Thomas Ricks Lindley indicates that an additional 50 or 60 men reinforced the Alamo on March 4.

Almost all of the Texians were killed at the Battle of the Alamo when the Mexican army attacked on March 6; Travis was likely the first to die. Unaware that the Alamo had fallen, reinforcements continued to assemble; over 400 Texians were waiting in Gonzales when news of the Texian defeat reached the town on March 11. Earlier that day, General Sam Houston, newly reappointed commander of the Texian Army, had arrived in Gonzales. On hearing of the Alamo's fall, Houston took command of the assembled volunteers. The following month, this hastily organized army defeated Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto, ending the Texas Revolution.

This letter may have influenced the election of David G. Burnet as interim president of the new Republic of Texas. After reading one of the broadsheet versions of the letter, Burnet rushed to join Travis at the Alamo. After stopping at Washington-on-the-Brazos to recruit reinforcements from the men assembled at the Convention of 1836, Burnet became so "inspired by their deliberations" that he remained as a visitor. The convention declared independence from Mexico on March 2, but delegates feared for the safety of the new country's officers. Speaking privately with many of the delegates, Burnet professed his willingness to serve as president of a new republic, even if that made him a target of Santa Anna. The most popular delegates were absent from the convention on other business for the war effort. In the absence of interest in the position from most of those remaining, Burnet was nominated for president and defeated the only other candidate, Samuel Carson, by a 29–23 margin.