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The Alamo: An Illustrated History
Defended by 188 brave freedom fighters and assaulted by an overwhelming force of arms, the Alamo became a galvanizing symbol for the Texans fighting against Mexican rule in the early nineteenth century. The Alamo not only recounts the stirring tale of the legendary defense of the mission by a small band of larger-than-life heroes, but also chronicles the site's history from the 1820s through the immediate aftermath of its history-making days in 1836.
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1999
About the author
Edwin P. Hoyt
237 books30 followersEdwin P. Hoyt was a prolific American writer who specialized in military history. He was born in Portland, Oregon to the publisher Edwin Palmer Hoyt (1897–1979) and his wife, the former Cecile DeVore (1901–1970). A younger brother, Charles Richard, was born in 1928. Hoyt attended the University of Oregon from 1940 to 1943.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
In 1943, Hoyt's father, then the editor and publisher of The Oregonian, was appointed by President Franklin Roosevelt as the director of the Domestic Branch, Office of War Information. The younger Hoyt served with the Office of War Information during World War II, from 1943 to 1945. In 1945 and 1946, he served as a foreign correspondent for The Denver Post (of which his father became editor and publisher in 1946) and the United Press, reporting from locations in China, Thailand, Burma, India, the Middle East, Europe, North Africa, and Korea.
Edwin Hoyt subsequently worked as an ABC broadcaster, covering the 1948 revolution in Czechoslovakia and the Arab-Israeli conflict. From 1949 to 1951, he was the editor of the editorial page at The Denver Post. He was the editor and publisher of the Colorado Springs Free Press from 1951 to 1955, and an associate editor of Collier's Weekly in New York from 1955 to 1956. In 1957 he was a television producer and writer-director at CBS, and in 1958 he was an assistant publisher of American Heritage magazine in New York.
Starting in 1958, Hoyt became a writer full-time, and for a few years (1976 to 1980) served as a part-time lecturer at the University of Hawaii. In the 40 years since his first publication in 1960, he produced nearly 200 published works.
While Hoyt wrote about 20 novels (many published under pseudonyms Christopher Martin and Cabot L. Forbes) the vast majority of his works are biographies and other forms of non-fiction, with a heavy emphasis on World War II military history.
Hoyt died in Tokyo, Japan on July 29, 2005, after a prolonged illness. He was survived by his wife Hiroko, of Tokyo, and three children, Diana, Helga, and Christopher, all residing in the U.S.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
September 22, 2020
Fun, quick read as Mr. Hoyt’s book is only 181 pages long and filled with 120+ pictures and maps. The Alamo is a fascinating event in American history that is seared into our national consciousness as a heroic stand against insurmountable odds that has been glorified in numerous movies, books, & TV shows; some more accurately than others.
Mr. Hoyt does a good job of explaining the overall milieu surrounding the Mexican province of Texas, the combative relationship with the native peoples in the region (especially the Comanche), as well as the arrogant leadership and over-sized ego and ambitions of General Antonio De Lopez De Santa Anna.
Interesting tidbits learned:
James Bowie, a hero at the Battle of the Alamo, was born in Kentucky and was famous for the knife that was actually the invention of his BROTHER! He had become a Mexican citizen, converted to the Church of Rome, and was very active in local affairs and an early supporter of General Santa Anna and the Mexican Constitution of 1824, as well as Texas remaining a province of Mexico.
General Sam Houston (Houston, TX) & Jim Bowie were close drinking buddies and liked to drink to excess and carouse on a regular basis.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was actually a very liberal democratic document that was well-received and broadly supported by early Texan settlers and citizens. Santa Anna deceptively said he was a loyal supporter of that document and had the wide backing of Texans when he overthrew the anti-constitutional Mexican President Anastasio Bustamante.
Stephen Austin (Austin, TX & considered the “Father of Texas”) originally arrived in the area in 1821 and was initially a dove and a staunch supporter of remaining a part of Mexico. He was actually a leader of what was known as the Peace Party. However, he was later jailed in Mexico in 1833 and returned to Texas two years later very embittered and committed to Texan independence.
As soon as Santa Anna ousted Bustamante, instead of embracing the Mexican constitution he had said he supported, he made himself a dictatorial supreme leader of the country, which resulted in the very independent-minded Texans feeling rightly betrayed.
Davy Crockett arrived at the Alamo on February 8, 1836 with ONLY 12 Tennessee riflemen.
William Barrett Travis was a born South Carolinian and was the Commander of the Alamo and is probably most famous for his fiery response to General Santa Anna’s original demand for unconditional surrender of the garrison – a shot fired from the largest cannon in the fort.
The siege of the Alamo began on February 21, 1836.
On the morning of February 23, 1836 Santa Anna ordered that the blood-red Deguello flag be raised signaling “no quarter asked, no quarter given.”
There were only 183 men in the Alamo that opposed the Mexican Army of over 2,500 troops.
Before dawn on March 6, 1836 the Mexican soldiers rushed the Alamo and began scaling the walls, and before the day was finished, the structure had been captured. Following the battle, in one of the most misguided and egregious understatements in American history; General Santa Anna said of the encounter, “It was but a small affair.”
The controversy surrounding the death of the frontier legend Davy Crockett comes from the discovered diary of Mexican Army Lieutenant José Enrique de la Peña, who fought at the Alamo. It was translated in 1975 and sold at auction in 1998 to two unidentified Texans for $350,000. The diary purports that Mr. Crockett tried to surrender and was executed along with six others. Who knows – but you have to take into account the source, as well as the fact that the diary depiction is in complete contradiction of Mr. Crockett’s well-known reputation and documented brave character and countenance.
However, Santa Anna’s merciless “take no prisoners” strategy and the massacre at the Alamo spread like wildfire and inspired the Texans to ultimately defeat the arrogant general and his army under the fine leadership of General Sam Houston at the later Battle of San Jacinto. Impassioned shouts of “Remember the Alamo” were heard as the Mexicans were routed and soundly defeated.
Ironically, had Santa Anna only followed the democratic and liberal Mexican Constitution of 1824, a document he strongly defended and “said” he supported early in his career, Texas and that entire territory may still be a part of Mexico to this day.
For lovers of American history and/or interested readers of this colorful and important event in the development of the country, grab this beautiful book and dive in!
Mr. Hoyt does a good job of explaining the overall milieu surrounding the Mexican province of Texas, the combative relationship with the native peoples in the region (especially the Comanche), as well as the arrogant leadership and over-sized ego and ambitions of General Antonio De Lopez De Santa Anna.
Interesting tidbits learned:
James Bowie, a hero at the Battle of the Alamo, was born in Kentucky and was famous for the knife that was actually the invention of his BROTHER! He had become a Mexican citizen, converted to the Church of Rome, and was very active in local affairs and an early supporter of General Santa Anna and the Mexican Constitution of 1824, as well as Texas remaining a province of Mexico.
General Sam Houston (Houston, TX) & Jim Bowie were close drinking buddies and liked to drink to excess and carouse on a regular basis.
The Mexican Constitution of 1824 was actually a very liberal democratic document that was well-received and broadly supported by early Texan settlers and citizens. Santa Anna deceptively said he was a loyal supporter of that document and had the wide backing of Texans when he overthrew the anti-constitutional Mexican President Anastasio Bustamante.
Stephen Austin (Austin, TX & considered the “Father of Texas”) originally arrived in the area in 1821 and was initially a dove and a staunch supporter of remaining a part of Mexico. He was actually a leader of what was known as the Peace Party. However, he was later jailed in Mexico in 1833 and returned to Texas two years later very embittered and committed to Texan independence.
As soon as Santa Anna ousted Bustamante, instead of embracing the Mexican constitution he had said he supported, he made himself a dictatorial supreme leader of the country, which resulted in the very independent-minded Texans feeling rightly betrayed.
Davy Crockett arrived at the Alamo on February 8, 1836 with ONLY 12 Tennessee riflemen.
William Barrett Travis was a born South Carolinian and was the Commander of the Alamo and is probably most famous for his fiery response to General Santa Anna’s original demand for unconditional surrender of the garrison – a shot fired from the largest cannon in the fort.
The siege of the Alamo began on February 21, 1836.
On the morning of February 23, 1836 Santa Anna ordered that the blood-red Deguello flag be raised signaling “no quarter asked, no quarter given.”
There were only 183 men in the Alamo that opposed the Mexican Army of over 2,500 troops.
Before dawn on March 6, 1836 the Mexican soldiers rushed the Alamo and began scaling the walls, and before the day was finished, the structure had been captured. Following the battle, in one of the most misguided and egregious understatements in American history; General Santa Anna said of the encounter, “It was but a small affair.”
The controversy surrounding the death of the frontier legend Davy Crockett comes from the discovered diary of Mexican Army Lieutenant José Enrique de la Peña, who fought at the Alamo. It was translated in 1975 and sold at auction in 1998 to two unidentified Texans for $350,000. The diary purports that Mr. Crockett tried to surrender and was executed along with six others. Who knows – but you have to take into account the source, as well as the fact that the diary depiction is in complete contradiction of Mr. Crockett’s well-known reputation and documented brave character and countenance.
However, Santa Anna’s merciless “take no prisoners” strategy and the massacre at the Alamo spread like wildfire and inspired the Texans to ultimately defeat the arrogant general and his army under the fine leadership of General Sam Houston at the later Battle of San Jacinto. Impassioned shouts of “Remember the Alamo” were heard as the Mexicans were routed and soundly defeated.
Ironically, had Santa Anna only followed the democratic and liberal Mexican Constitution of 1824, a document he strongly defended and “said” he supported early in his career, Texas and that entire territory may still be a part of Mexico to this day.
For lovers of American history and/or interested readers of this colorful and important event in the development of the country, grab this beautiful book and dive in!
March 5, 2022
Now, at least, I know the war story behind the Alamo and the Goliad. However, the layout of the book and the reading of the events was difficult. Yes, it's an illustrated book, but the map illustrations were basically useless. The print was so small, I couldn't read anything. And there wasn't a map of the battle of San Jacinto until the end of the chapter. Each chapter had inserts about the people that were included, I had to go back to read those after so I wouldn't lose my spot in the troop movement and battle events. It would have been better to include the short bios at the beginning of the chapter in order to better stay in the moment.
July 10, 2009
It was almost exactly like being there --- very well done.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews