A Line in the Sand The Alamo in Blood and Memory [Paperback]

In late February and early March of 1836, a Mexican army led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna lay siege to a mission known as the Alamo, held by a small band of rebels that included Davy Crockett, James Bowie, and William Travis. In the dark early morning of March 6, all inside the fort were dead -- and one of America's most enduring legends was born.
Randy Roberts and James S. Olson retell the story of the Alamo from both the Mexican and the American perspectives, delving into the historical accuracy of such myths as Bowie's famous line in the sand, Crockett's celebrated fight to the death, and the common portrayal of the Mexicans as ruthless killers. Separating fact from fiction, they trace how and why those fictions grew, from the rapid spread of the rallying cry Remember the Alamo! to the patriotic depictions of battle in American films and television to the potency of the Alamo as a symbol in Texas politics and American culture today.Randy Robertsis professor of history at Purdue University and lives in Lafayette, Indiana.Contents

Preface

Map

Prologue

1. In the Footsteps of History
   
2. The Free Born Sons of America
   
3. The Bones of Warriors
   
4. Those Proud Tow'rs
   
5. VICTORY or DEATH
   

INTERLUDE

6. In Search of Davy's Grave
   
7. Retrieving the Bones of History
   
8. King of the Wild Frontier
   
9. Only Heroes, Only Men
   
10. De la Peña's Revenge
    
11. The Third Battle of the Alamo
    

Epilogue

Notes

Bibliographic Essay

IndexDan RatherThe Wall Street JournalRich in historical and biographical detail...one of the strongest accounts I've read of the drive for Texas independence.David UhlerSan Antonio Express-NewsA rare overview of historic Alamo controversies and a thorough examination of the reasons why the Shrine of Texas Liberty has beel³=