The Alamo defenders came from a total of twenty-eight different states and countries. The youngest defender was 16 year-old Galba Fuqua of Alabama; the oldest was 57 year-old Gordon Jennings of Connecticut. Most probably had never heard of the place called Washington on the Brazos and most of them probably had no knowledge of what was going on there. At Washington, on March 2, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. Even to have known this would have done nothing to help the situation at the Alamo.

A cold front had blown through San Antonio. There were cold temperatures during the day and near freezing temperatures at night. Throughout the thirteen-day seige, there would be forays by the defenders to accomplish different goals against the enemy. Supplies within the Alamo had to be rationed.

Colonel William Barrett Travis was originally from the area of Saluda, South Carolina, but he had spent most of his life in Alabama. He was among the best formally educated of the men at the Alamo, having attended schools and colleges in Sparta, Alabama and Claiborne, Alabama. He was also experienced in military matters. He had been a member of the Alabama State Militia and after moving to Texas, led the charge in running the Mexican army out of the old fort at Anahuac. He was twenty-six years of age and the father of two. He arrived at the Alamo on February 3, 1836 with twenty-nine volunteers. Travis was ordered to assume command from Colonel James Neill, who had to leave due to family illness. He was to have returned in twenty days.

Colonel James Bowie was believed to have been originally from Kentucky. He had achieved fame through the use of a large knife. The Sand Bar fight, which occurred on a sandbar in the Mississippi River, near Natchez brought him fame. There, he had been knifed several times and shot several times, but he still won the fight by pulling his opponent down onto the awaiting blade of the Bowie knife. Riding with him into the Alamo that day was a younger James Bonham, an acquaintance of William Travis from South Carolina and Alabama. James Bowie was forty years old. James Bonham was twenty-nine years of age. On February 12, 1836, Bowie was given command of all the volunteer forces within the walls of the Alamo. Travis was given command of the regular army forces, such as the New Orleans Greys.

Colonel David “Davy” Crockett was born in Greene County, Tennessee. He had been in many military roles through the Indian Wars, plus he had political experience as a senator from Tennessee on several occasions. He was forty-nine years of age. He arrived at the Alamo on February 8, 1836 with the 12-man, “Tennessee Mounted Volunteers“. He refused any rank above that of a private, though he was known nationally as a colonel.

At about 1 am on March 1, 1836, thirty-two men, led by Captain George Kimbell and John Smith of Gonzales managed to slip through the lines to reach the Alamo. They would become known as the “immortal thirty-two.” These would be the only reinforcements to reach the Alamo. Later that day, at approximately 11am, James Bonham returned from Goliad and his meeting with Colonel Fannin.

For thirteen long days the defenders endured an almost continuous cannonade. Music was played loudly throughout each night, the Deguello, which was the signal of “no quarter” was played by Santa Anna’s buglers. In addition to the lack of sleep, there was the cold weather, plus the constant repair to the walls following cannonball strikes. Each night, Santa Anna's army moved a bit closer to the Alamo, creating a tightening noose around it. Skirmishes had left many dead enemy bodies outside the walls of the Alamo.

On March 2, a carefully aimed cannon shot from the Alamo hit the house in which General Santa Anna was staying. The defenders fired very carefully in an effort to save their limited ammunition. Each shot had to count.