Ebook: Exodus from the Alamo: the anatomy of the last stand myth

Contrary to legend, we now know that the defenders of the Alamo in the war for Texas independence were killed in a predawn attack, forcing a wild melee inside the fort before many of its defenders had even awoken. Tucker examines the prelude to the conflict, reveals that many of the Alamo's defenders staged breakouts from the fort, and provides a realistic interpretation of one of the seminal events in North American history.;Introduction: from fact to fantasy -- Golden prizes: land and slaves -- Napoleonic influences -- The ultimate folly: defense of the Alamo -- Lull before the storm: fatal overconfidence -- An ineffective siege -- The predawn assault -- Flight rather than fight -- The Alamo's most bitter legacies -- Flames rising high.