James and Mary Ford, eds. Every Day in the Year. 1902.
March 6The Defence of the Alamo
By Joaquin Miller (18411913)
S
There was rumble of cannon; there was rattle of blade;
There was cavalry, infantry, bugle, and drum,—
Full seven thousand, in pomp and parade,
The chivalry, flower of Mexico;
And a gaunt two hundred in the Alamo!
For the siege had been bitter, and bloody, and long.
“Surrender, or die!”—“Men, what will you do?”
And Travis, great Travis, drew sword, quick and strong;
Drew a line at his feet … “Will you come? Will you go?
I die with my wounded, in the Alamo.”
Then Crockett, one hand to the sick, one hand to his gun,
Crossed with him; then never a word or a sign
Till all, sick or well; all, all save but one,
One man. Then a woman stopped, praying, and lo
Took her place to die in the Alamo.
When all men silently prayed and thought
Of home; of to-morrow; of God and the right,
Till dawn; then Travis and cannon shot,
In answer to insolent Mexico,
From the old bell tower of the Alamo.
Then the red escalade: then the fight hand to hand;
Such an unequal fight as never had name
Since the Persian hordes butchered that doomed Spartan band
All day! and all night! and the morning so slow,
Through battle smoke mantling the Alamo.
In a crescent outside! And within? Not a breath
Save the gasp of a woman, with gory gashed head,
All alone, all alone there, waiting for death;
And she but a nurse. Yet when shall we know
Another like this of the Alamo?
I say ’tis not always for the hosts to win;
I say that the victory, sudden or slow
Is given the hero who grapples with sin,
Or legion or single; just asking to know
When duty fronts death in his Alamo.