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Texas Heritage Society - The Travis Letter - "Victory or Death"

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Collection: Wide Crawl started March 2011

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Crawl start date: 09 March, 2011
Crawl end date: 23 December, 2011
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Number of hosts: 29,032,069

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The Travis Letter - "Victory or Death"

The Alamo

February 24, 1836

The world famous "Victory or Death" letter was penned by Lt. Col. William Barrett Travis while besieged within the Alamo by the Mexican army in San Antonio de Bexar. The Travis letter is universally regarded as one of the most heroic letters ever written. Facing almost certain death, Travis vowed never to surrender or retreat and to "die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country ? Victory or Death ."

The Travis letter is dated February 24, 1836. Some have mistakenly referred to this as Travis' last letter from the Alamo. He wrote at least four more letters. Travis wrote a letter to General Sam Houston dated February 25, 1836 and three letters dated March 3, 1836. One of Travis' letters dated March 3, 1836 which urgently requested aid for the Alamo was received by the Convention at Washington, Texas on March 6, 1836. The delegates to the Convention at Washington had declared the independence of Texas four days before on March 2, 1836.

Travis never did surrender or retreat. After a thirteen day siege by thousands of Mexican soldiers under the command of Mexican President Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, the Alamo fell on March 6, 1836. All of the Alamo's 189 defenders, including William Barrett Travis, were killed. The country he and the others died for, the Republic of Texas, was only four days old.

The original "Victory or Death" letter written by William Barrett Travis on February 24, 1836 is located in the Texas State Library and Archives in Austin, Texas.

The Travis Letter

Commandancy of the The Alamo

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World?

Fellow Citizens & compatriots?

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna ? I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man ? The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken ? I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls ? I shall never surrender or retreat . Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch ? The enemy is receieving reinforcements daily & 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 & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country ? Victory or Death .

William Barrett Travis.

Lt. Col. comdt.

P. S. The Lord is on our side ? When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn ? We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.

Travis

The Travis "Victory or Death" Letter

Located in the Texas State Library and Archives, Austin, Texas

First Page

Travis Letter

Second Page

Travis Lette r- Page 2

Document transcribed by Marisa A. Searle.

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