Myths still surround Alamo 179 years later

The stories surrounding the Battle of the Alamo vary from true to mythologized to uncertain. The famous battle has been idolized on the big screen, and the iconic shrine receives more than 2.5 million visitors a year. But not many tourists, or locals for that matter, really know happened during that 13-day siege, or the events that occurred afterwards. less The stories surrounding the Battle of the Alamo vary from true to mythologized to uncertain. The famous battle has been idolized on the big screen, and the iconic shrine receives more than 2.5 million visitors ... more Photo: JOHN DAVENPORT, San Antonio Express-News Photo: JOHN DAVENPORT, San Antonio Express-News Image 1 of / 71 Caption Close Myths still surround Alamo 179 years later 1 / 71 Back to Gallery

Whether if it is Davy Crockett in pop culture or the mystery surrounding the whereabouts of the Alamo defenders’ remains, the Battle of the Alamo, including all its myths, still captivates millions after 179 years.

The Battle of the Alamo is a tale of liberty and pride that Texans grow up learning in elementary, but its events continue to be sorted out and studied.

Today, historians are still researching how many Alamo defenders died during the 13-day siege and predawn battle on March 6, 1836, although figures range from 189 to 250 defender casualties. On the other hand, 300 to 500 Mexican troops are said to have been killed or wounded.

But what makes the deaths even more mysterious is the whereabouts of their graves.

According to the Alamo’s website, the Mexican soldiers were buried at the old Campo Santo, near the modern-day Milam Park.

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As for the Alamo defenders, history shows that Antonio López de Santa Anna ordered the bodies of dead Texians to be burned. The men, who either died during the battle or were executed afterwards, were burned in three funeral pyres, or outdoor crematories, near the Alamo, according to an Express-News report.

But that is where the mystery comes in play.

Texas leader Juan Seguin took ashes from two funeral pyres, entombed them and buried them near, or possibly inside, San Fernando Cathedral a year after the battle, the Alamo’s website states.

At the time, Seguin gave no record of where he buried the ashes.

But decades later on March 28, 1889, a dying Seguin wrote, "I collected the fragments, placed them in an urn and buried it in the Cathedral of San Fernando, immediately in front of the altar – that is in front of the railing near the steps," according to the book, "The Alamo Defenders: A Critical Study of the Siege of the Alamo and the Personnel of its Defenders."

Since Seguin was frail, historians were hesitant to believe such a precise description.

But an article from the Express-News in July 1889 stated that remains were found at the cathedral during an excavation, according to an article by Texas A&M University researches.

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Remains were discovered once again at the San Fernando Cathedral's altar in 1936, when construction crews were making repairs, according to the article.

The ashes were then placed in a marble tomb and displayed near the entrance of the cathedral, where they remain today.

The most recent discovery was in 1979, when a skull was found at the Alamo during an authorized excavation. Researchers discovered that the skull belonged to a male that died in the Battle of the Alamo.

Because the skull was found almost 150 years after the battle, it spurs imagination and myths to what lies beneath Alamo Plaza and the San Fernando Cathedral.

It even continues to thrill ghost enthusiasts, as spirits are believed to haunt the Alamo and the nearby Menger Hotel.

Click through the slideshow to see unknown facts about the Alamo defenders and the mysteries surrounding their deaths.

rsalinas@mysa.com

Editor's note: This story is one in a continuing series celebrating the 150th anniversary of the San Antonio Express-News. To commemorate the milestone, mySA.com is looking back at the city's rich history with stories, photos, video and graphics, remembering some of the most noteworthy events that have taken place or were covered by this publication during those 150 years. To read more stories like this, visit the 150th anniversary section of mySA.com or the 150th anniversary section of ExpressNews.com.