Final Assault on the Alamo (3 Viewers)

[Paul J. Lyon]

At first, all is quiet...

...to the east, we hear some shouting and shooting...

...the merging companies of infantry approach the east wall...

...the cannons in the church and corral are loaded...

...half a company in one shot...

...they draw in close to avoid the cannons...

Meanwhile, at the northwest ramp, Col. Travis carefully goes to the edge...

The view from Travis' quarters up to his post on the ramp...

The main gate in the south wall, defended by New Orleans' Greys...

 

[Paul J. Lyon]

Some defenders have chosen to leave the south wall and try to get to the safety of the church...

The south wall buildings are being overrun by select companies of Cazadores, the Mexican equivalent of Ranger or Sharpshooter units...

Some of the cavalry has been ordered to approach the fort on the south side, near the church, "within pistol-shot..."

The Cazadores are killing the wounded defenders-- Crockett and another man (who is wearing a blanket in the cold dawn) carry a wounded Greys back toward the church...

The inside of the main gate...

A Mexican cavalry officer duels a defender who was trying to reach the church along the outer abatis defensive work...

The old Alamo church as the sun is rising...

 

[Paul J. Lyon]

Cazadores overrun the gate area...

The fight rages on the east side...

On the north wall, the press is on to get through or over the weakened wall...

...the casualties increase without getting into the fort...

Everyone fires all of their ammunition as quickly as possible...

Santa Anna doesn't want to order in the reserves-- about 400-- to make the final push inside...

So far, about a thousand men have not been able to get through or over...

Firing cannons from the back of the church...

After Travis is killed, Joe looks out from Headquarters and sees this...

They have broken into the plaza now and it is not a very safe place to be...

 

[Paul J. Lyon]

In the foreground, some defenders have moved a small gun loaded with shrapnel down from its ramp on the west wall...

An officer leads the charge to break into the west wall houses, including Headquarters...

Crockett looks down to the north wall to see how bad it is...

...he can't quite make them out, but it's obvious they've gotten into the fort...

 

[Denver]

Really Excellent, Paul.
Mine will never be as grand as your Alamo.

 

[GICOP]

Wonderful pictures {bravo}}{bravo}}{bravo}}

Cheers

Martyn

 

[Ragnar]

Great stuff i enjoyed the pics and story line!

 

[Mitch]

Excellent pictures and informative narrative
Mitch

 

[Scott]

Great mix of figures and figure conversions. I like the sunrise effect in the last photos.

 

[mestell]

Oustandng Paul {bravo}}{bravo}}
Mike

 

[johnnybach]

I' m normally not one for diaoramas Paul - but this one is a bit special. Simply great work - and I love the way you mix plastics with any sort of metal figures - and yet keep the whole thing together. Bet you have a bit of a laugh when you see others agonising over whether X maker's products will go with Y!

Simply Out - Standing............johnnybach

 

[wds0855]

Outstanding!!!

Walt

 

[Paul J. Lyon]

Really Excellent, Paul.
Mine will never be as grand as your Alamo.

Nonsense. Mine will never be as grand as I want it to be. Besides, what we do is very peculiar, you know, and we ought to make up the rules as we go along. For example, I've just scored some original rubber Auburn pioneers-- they've all got coonskin caps, one is swinging Ol' Betsey, and they are giants compared to some of the Marx "54 mm," some of which are in fact closer to 45mm. These frontiersmen just have to go into the model, one way or another. Call me crazy.

It seems pretty sure that there was only one coonskin cap at the Alamo, and they've even tried to debunk that. If you look at the current "history" of the battle, you'll find that they claim that "most of the defenders" ran away from the fight. So there was not only no heroic battle, there was no battle at all.

There are many of us with Alamo models in our garages and basements, etc., and simply by modeling it we are defending it to this day against the antiheroic sentiment.

P.S. I am very grateful for all of the compliments! It makes me want to go work on the model some more.

 

[Iron Brigade]

It is nearly 5:30 a.m. on Sunday, March 6, 1836, across the river from the town of San Antonio de Bejar.

The final assault on the Alamo has been timed to gain the cover and surprise of darkness without risking its confusion, the danger of friendly fire, the opportunity to flee to the rear.

The north wall is broken down by artillery; in the northeast angle, three cannons on a ramp built into the dilapidated adobes; a thousand men mob into the breach...

Once they break through, they are seen to swarm into the plaza "like sheep."

The units are mixed, and include the Zapadore battalion reserves, brought up to push the mass through the wall.

The NE angle artillery position cleared of defenders...

Dear Paul:

Great photos of a splendid diorama!

"Iron Brigade"

 

[sprueman]

Only thing missing is John Wane