The Blood of Heroes
The 13-Day Struggle for the Alamo--and the Sacrifice That Forged a Nation
-
-
3.6 • 89 Ratings
-
-
- $11.99
-
- $11.99
Publisher Description
On February 23, 1836, a large Mexican army led by dictator Santa Anna reached San Antonio and laid siege to about 175 Texas rebels holed up in the Alamo. The Texans refused to surrender for nearly two weeks until almost 2,000 Mexican troops unleashed a final assault. The defenders fought valiantly-for their lives and for a free and independent Texas-but in the end, they were all slaughtered. Their ultimate sacrifice inspired the rallying cry "Remember the Alamo!" and eventual triumph.
Exhaustively researched, and drawing upon fresh primary sources in U.S. and Mexican archives, The Blood of Heros is the definitive account of this epic battle. Populated by larger-than-life characters -- including Davy Crockett, James Bowie, William Barret Travis -- this is a stirring story of audacity, valor, and redemption.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
In his page-turning newest, Donavan (Terrible Glory: Custer and the Little Bighorn the Last Great Battle of the American West) brings the famed Battle of the Alamo and its dynamic cast of belligerents to life. Readers are introduced to the brusquely self-assured Lieutenant Colonel William Barret Travis, the levelheaded Stephen Fuller Austin, legendary fighter James Bowie, and the Honorable David Crockett an "amiable cuss." Drawing on plenty of research and primary sources from both sides of the conflict, Donovan breathlessly recreates the 13-day skirmish between the roughly 200 men under Travis, and the nearly 2,000-strong army fighting for Mexican President Santa Anna, "The Napoleon of the West." In addition to the action-packed account of the combat, the author situates the struggle within a broader narrative of Texan and American history, explaining how the valiant efforts of the men at the Alamo provided Sam Houston, the mastermind behind Texan independence from Mexico, with enough time to prepare for Santa Anna's attacks. Were it not for the resolve of Travis and his men summed up in the fabled cry, "Remember the Alamo!" the Republic of Texas may have never come into existence. Photos & maps.
Customer Reviews
Superb
Donovan gives you the historical facts as they are. No bent just history in its finest form. Wonderfully written