To those within the walls of the Alamo, help was probably on its way. Colonel Travis had sent several riders out to tell of his men’s situation and recruit help, among them, his friend from South Carolina and Alabama, James Bonham. Bonham had success in Gonzales, where thirty-two men were quickly mustered and rode to the Alamo in San Antonio. He had delivered a letter from Colonel Travis to Colonel Fannin of Goliad, who would muster a 320-man force and start the trip to San Antonio on February 28th; it was aborted due to transportation problems. Information of Fannin’s departure would be received by Santa Anna in San Antonio on the same day of Fannin’s departure. There would be no more help arriving, though the defenders didn’t know it until almost the very end of the siege.

Since their arrival in San Antonio on February 23, 1836, the forces of General Antonio de Santa Anna grew, with reinforcements arriving almost daily. With them were four 7-inch howitzers and seventeen cannons ranging from 4-pounders to 12-pounders. Reinforcements continued to arrive, building his ranks to thousands.

Inside the Alamo, were approximately 185 defenders, consisting of Anglos and twenty-four Tejanos who were then trapped. Accompanying them were some family members and one of Travis' slaves, Joe.

Santa Anna ordered that a blood red flag be flown above Mission San Juan Capistrano, indicating death to all the defenders of the Alamo.

Colonel Bowie was injured while helping place a cannon on February 24, 1836. While bedridden with the injury, he became ill with pneumonia. Bowie then gave complete command to Travis, though Bowie frequently would have his bunk moved outside to speak to the men and offer them encouragement.

On February 25th, Santa Anna personally crossed the river with a battalion, in hopes of setting up a battery directly in front of the Alamo gate. So intense was the fire from the Alamo defenders that the entire battalion retreated, losing eight men. However, they returned at night and taking advantage of old houses that partially blocked the view between the river and the Alamo, completed the project. They also established a battery near the powder house, about a thousand yards to the east and posted cavalry at the old Casa Mata, located on the Gonzalez Road. During the same night, Travis’ men burned the old wooden houses near the Alamo.

That night, Captain Juan Seguin, a Tejano who spoke fluent Spanish only, left the Alamo to seek help. Captain Seguin commanded the twenty-four Tejano defenders in the Alamo. By the time he returned, the Alamo had fallen. Sequin was the only member of the Alamo defenders who would live to see any revenge against Santa Anna. Several weeks later, he commanded a company of Tejano volunteers at the Battle of San Jacinto.