Alamo Map

[Allen Wiener]

I photographed this Alamo battle map during my December 2006 visit to the Alamo. I can't recall where it was located, but I notice that the 3 possible breakout positions, which Mr. Tucker fixates on as some sort of new revelation, are noted on the map. Does anyone know the origins of this map?

Allen

[Rich Curilla]

Allen, I've not seen this before, but it appears to be a conjectural representation taken directly from Gen. Sesma's March 11 report to Santa Anna describing the breakout. (See Hansen, pp. 369-371), with the troop markers representing commanders whom Sesma applauded (Herrera, Barragan, Valera -- not Valero -- and Montellano) as leading the attacks on the three respective breakouts. I don't know where he got Molino, as it is not from Sesma's report. Also the designated locations of the breakouts are completely conjectural on the cartographer's part, coming only from Sesma's labeling as "from the right," the "center of the fort" and "coming off the fort from the left." No evidence has come to light yet regarding Sesma's position when he witnessed this. We may assume he stayed at the Alameda, but we have no proof. If he did, then "right, center and left" would IMO mean the corrals or the apse, the palisade and the lunette, as this would be the left, center, right view from the Alameda.

[Rich Curilla]

A thought. If "Molino" is in fact the only illegitemate name on the map, perhaps this was an illustration for a fictional book and that was an inserted fictional character's name. () Can you recall if it was simply a page in a case or might it have been a museum-type plaque on a wall. I simply haven't noticed it before in my many visits, but the Long Barrack Museum renovation has taken place since 2006 -- I believe.

[Allen Wiener]

Rich,

I honestly don't recall where I got this, and in all honesty in may not have even been in SA; I might have saved it from some other website. I just don't recall. However, it was filed with all of my photos from my Dec. 2006 visit to the Alamo. I have gone through the Long Barrack Museum at least once on each of my many visits and, frankly, I don't recall seeing this map displayed anywhere there.

Your conjecture on its origins is perfectly reasonable. We've had discussions of the breakouts and various ideas about where they occurred. It may be that one actually emanated from the tambor. If the only Mexican attack forces nearby were Morales's men at the SW corner, there may have appeared to be an avenue of escape from the tambor to the east/souteast.

Allen