On the arrival of this division, Santa Anna took possession of the town, and demanded an unconditional surrender of the fort, or the whole garrison would indiscriminately be put to the sword. The intrepid Col. Travis answered this demand by a cannon shot. Immediately, a bombardment from a five inch howitzer, and a heavy cannonade commenced, which was continued for twenty-four hours. This was sustained by the Texians without the loss of a single man, while they made a terrible slaughter in the ranks of their besiegers. From five to six hundred of the enemy are reported to have been killed and wounded.
About this time, a party of seventy men, under the command of Col. Johnson, while reconnoitering to the westward of San Patricio, were surrounded in the night, by a large body of Mexican troops. In the morning, the commander sent in a summons to surrender at discretion, which was refused; but an offer was made to surrender as prisoners of war. This was acceded to by the Mexican officer; but no sooner had the party marched out of their encampment, and stacked their arms, than the mean, cowardly, blood-thirsty Mexicans commenced a general fire upon the defenceless prisoners! An attempt was made to escape by flight—three only effected it, among whom was Col. Johnson—the others were shot down and basely murdered.
On the twenty-fifth of February, an assault was made upon the fort, an account of which, we give in the words of Col. Travis' despatch to Gen. Houston:—
"To-day at ten o'clock, A.M. some two or three hundred crossed the river below, and came up under cover of the houses, until they arrived within point blank shot, when we opened a heavy discharge of grape and canister on them, together with a well directed fire from small arms, which forced them to halt and take shelter in the houses about eighty or a hundred rods from our batteries. The action continued to rage for about two hours, when the enemy retreated in confusion, dragging off their dead and wounded.
During the action, the enemy kept up a continual bombardment, and discharge of balls, grape and canister. We know from observation, that many of the enemy were killed and wounded—while we, on our part, have not lost a man. Two or three of our men have been slightly scratched by pieces of rock, but not disabled. I take great pleasure in stating, that both officers and men, conducted themselves with firmness and bravery.—Lieut. Simmons of the Cavalry, acting as Infantry, and Captains Carey and Dickerson and Blair of the Artillery, rendered essential services, and Chas. Despallier and Robert Brown, gallantly sallied out and set fire to the houses, which afforded the enemy shelter, in the face of the enemy's fire. Indeed the whole of the men, who were brought into action, conducted themselves with such undaunted heroism, that it would be injustice to discriminate. The Hon. David Crockett was seen at all points, animating the men to do their duty. Our numbers are few, and the enemy still continues to approximate his works to ours. I have every reason to apprehend an attack from his whole force very soon. But I shall hold out to the last extremity."
On the first of March, thirty-two men from Gonzales, forced their way through the enemy's lines, and entered the fort—increasing the number to one hundred and eighty-two. Between the twenty-fifth of February and the fifth of March, the Mexicans were employed in erecting breastworks around the fort, bombarding the place and battering the walls. On the second of March, Col. Travis wrote, that more than two hundred shells had been thrown into the fort without injuring a man.
In the mean time, the Mexicans continued to receive re-enforcements. The whole force amounted to about forty-five hundred men. It consisted of forty companies of Infantry, numbering about seventy men each, under Generals Sesma and Cos; and fifteen hundred Cavalry, under Gen. Felisolas; and the whole commanded by Santa Anna in person.
On the sixth of March, about midnight, a general assault was made upon the fort by the entire Mexican force. The walls were weak, the balls from the batteries had passed through them, and, in some places, had become somewhat dilapidated. The cavalry surrounded the fort, and the infantry, well supplied with scaling ladders attempted to enter the fort on all sides at the same time.