Ballad of the Alamo

Ballad of the Alamo

 

In the southern part of Texas

In the town of San Antone

There's a fortress all in ruins

That the weeds have overgrown

You may look in vain for crosses

And you'll never see a one

But sometimes between the setting

And the rising of the sun

You can hear a ghostly bugle

As the men go marchin' by

You can hear them as they answer

To that roll call in the sky

Colonel Travis, Davy Crockett

And a hundred eighty more

Captain Dickinson, Jim Bowie

Present and accounted for

Back in 1836, Houston said to Travis

"Get some volunteers and go

Fortify the Alamo"

Well the men came from Texas

And from old Tennessee

And they joined up with Travis

Just to fight for the right to be free

Indian scouts with squirrel guns

Men with muzzle-loaders

Stood together, heel and toe

To defend the Alamo

"You may never see your loved ones"

Travis told them that day

"Those who want to can leave now

Those who fight to the death let 'em stay"

In the sand he drew the line

With his army sabre

Out of a hundred eighty five

Not a soldier crossed the line

With his banners a-dancin'

In the dawn's golden light

Santa Anna came prancin'

On a horse that was black as the night

Sent an officer to tell

Travis to surrender

Travis answered with a shell

And a rousin' rebel yell

Santa Anna turned scarlet

"Play degüello!" he roared

"I will show them no quarter

Everyone will be put to the sword!"

One hundred and eighty five

Holdin' back five thousand

Five days, six days, eight days, ten

Travis held and held again

Then he sent for replacements

For his wounded and lame

But the troops that were comin'

Never came, never came, never came

Twice he charged then blew recall

On the fatal third time

Santa Anna breached the wall

And he killed them, one and all

Now the bugles are silent

And there's rust on each sword

And the small band of soldiers

Lie asleep in the arms of the Lord

In the southern part of Texas

Near the town of San Antone

Like a statue on his pinto

Rides a cowboy all alone

And he sees the cattle grazin'

Where a century before

Santa Anna's guns were blazin'

And the cannons used to roar

And his eyes turn sorta misty

And his heart begins to glow

And he takes his hat off slowly

To the men of Alamo

To the thirteen days of glory

At the siege of Alamo