[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 153 (2007), Part 4]
[Senate]
[Page 5152]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                         TEXAS INDEPENDENCE DAY

  Mrs. HUTCHISON. Mr. President, I wish to take a moment, as they are 
talking about the way to proceed further, to read a letter I have read 
every year since I have been in the Senate on or around March 2, which 
is Texas Independence Day. Today is the 171st anniversary of the 
signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence. This is a document 
that declares that Texas would be a free and independent republic. This 
is a tradition that was started by my colleague, Senator John Tower. It 
is a most historic time for Texas because we celebrate Texas 
Independence Day every year because we know that fighting for freedom 
has made a difference in what our State has become. We love our 
history. We were a republic for 10 years, and then we came into the 
United States as a State.
  The defense of the Alamo by 189 courageous men, who were outnumbered 
10 to 1, was a key battle in the Texas Revolution. The sacrifice of 
Colonel William Barret Travis and his men made possible General Sam 
Houston's ultimate victory at San Jacinto, which secured independence 
for Texas. Sam Houston and Thomas Rusk, who was the Secretary of War 
for the Republic of Texas, were the first two United States Senators to 
serve from the State of Texas.
  I will read the letter that was sent by William Barret Travis from 
the Alamo, asking for arms.

       Fellow citizens and compatriots: I am besieged by a 
     thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna--I have 
     sustained a continual bombardment and cannonade for 24 hours 
     and have not lost a man--the enemy has demanded a surrender 
     at discretion, otherwise, the garrison is to be put to the 
     sword, if the fort is taken--I have answered the demands with 
     a cannon shot, and our flag still waves proudly from the 
     wall--I shall never surrender or retreat.
       Then, I call on you in the name of liberty, of patriotism 
     and of everything dear to the American character, to come to 
     our aid, with all dispatch. The enemy is receiving 
     reinforcements daily and will no doubt increase to three or 
     four thousand in four or five days. If this call is 
     neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as 
     possible and die like a soldier who never forgets what is due 
     to his own honor and that of his country--Victory or Death.
                                            William Barret Travis,
                                              Lt. Col., Commander.

  As everyone knows that battle did continue. Colonel Travis did not 
receive any help, but it was the delay of those brave soldiers, 
numbering under 200, that allowed Sam Houston to reinforce his own army 
and take a stand at the battle of San Jacinto that happened April 21 of 
that year and did, in fact, determine that Texas would become an 
independent republic.

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