e of the Alamo." Col. William B. Travis and 187 of his men currently held the city of San Antonio and kept post at a former mission called the Alamo. After 10 days of relentless fighting and numerous Mexican casualties, the Mexicans breached the walls of the mission. This occurred on March 6, 1836. When the Mexicans took the Alamo, they killed everyone inside, wounded or not, and torched the bodies by pouring oil on them and lighting them ablaze. Killed in this massacre were the well-known Davy Crockett and Jim Bowie.
             After this battle, Texas declared its independence from Mexico. Headed by Sam Houston (a former congressman and Tennessee Governor) the rebel army attacked at San Jacinta on April 21, 1836. Houston was said to have shouted the now infamous words among Texans-"Forward! Charge! Remember the Alamo!" Soon afterward, the Mexican Army was retreating and in October, the "Republic of Texas" was born. Sam Houston, naturally, was elected President. Not long after this, it became known that a large majority of Texans were in favor of annexation by the United States.
             Out of fear of war with Mexico, President Jackson passed up the opportunity to allow Texas to join the Union, as did President Van Buren after him. Texas then began to develop a friendly relationship with Great Britain in the way of trade practices and the unopposed imposition of British tariffs without the interference of the United States. Obviously, an independent Texas worked well for the interests of the British. This "friendship" concerned the United States, Government and citizens alike. The southerners feared that British influence in Texas would lead to the abolition of slavery and Tyler (the current President) shared these thoughts. As a result, Tyler saw the annexation of Texas as a way to not only avoid the slavery issues, but to ensure his own fortune. Both the West and Northeast were for the addition o...