John McGregor, bagpiper and Alamo defender, was born in Scotland. McGregor lived in early 1836 in Nacogdoches. He took part in the Siege of Bexar and later served in the Alamo garrison as a second sergeant of Capt. William R. Carey’s artillery company. It is said that during the siege of the Alamo, he engaged in musical duels with David Crockett, McGregor playing the bagpipes and Crockett the fiddle. McGregor died in the battle of the Alamo on March 6, 1836.
Martin, Albert
Albert Martin was born 1808 in Rhode Island and died March 6, 1836 defending the Alamo. He arrived in Gonzales, Texas in 1835 and ran a general store. At the outbreak of the Texas revolution, he was one of the “Old Eighteen,” defenders of the Gonzales “Come and Take It” cannon. He served as a officer and was part of the Texas force that besieged San Antonio de Béxar in the autumn of 1835. By December 19, 1835, he was back in Gonzales recovering from a foot injury and returned to Bexar sometime before the Alamo siege. On February 23, 1836, the first day of the siege, he was sent by Lieutenant Colonel William B. Travis as an emissary to the Mexican force. He met General Antonio López de Santa Anna’s adjutant, Colonel Juan N. Almonte, who rejected Martin’s invitation to come to the Alamo and speak directly to Travis. On the following day, he left the Alamo carrying Travis’s famous letter “To the People of Texas.” He passed the message to Lancelot Smither in Gonzales, returned to the Alamo with the relief force from Gonzales, arrived on March 1, 1836 and died five days later in the battle of the Alamo.
Handbook of Texas Online
findagrave memorial by John “J-Cat” Griffith
Marshall, William
William Marshall was born 1808 in Tennessee and died March 6, 1836 defending the Alamo. He was a resident of Arkansas at the time of the Texas revolution and came to Texas as a member of Captain Thomas H. Breece’s company of New Orleans Greys. He took part in the Siege of Bexar, later served in the Alamo garrison as a member of Captain William Blazeby’s infantry company and died in the battle of the Alamo.
Handbook of Texas Online
findagrave memorial by John “J-Cat” Griffith
Main, George Washington
George Washington Main was born 1807 in Virginia. He took part in the Siege of Béxar in 1835 and was severely wounded in the battle. He remained in San Antonio de Béxar as a Second Lieutenant in Captain Robert White’s infantry company, the Béxar Guards. His wounds prevented him from playing an active role in the battle of the Alamo, in which he died.
findagrave memorial by John “J-Cat” Griffith
Handbook of Texas Online
Losoya, José Toribio
José Toribio Losoya was born 1805 in San Antonio de Bexar and he died March 6, 1836 defending the Alamo. He grew up with his family in an old Indian dwelling in the Alamo barrio near the southwest corner of the mission compound. By 1830, he was a Private in the Álamo de Parras military company, serving under Lieutenant Colonel José Francisco Ruiz. In September 1832, that company built and occupied Fort Tenoxtitlán. He was one of many Mexican soldiers who opposed Antonio López de Santa Anna’s despotic rule. By 1835 he had deserted the Mexican army to enlist as a Private in Captain Juan N. Seguín’s company of Tejanos and in December of that year he participated in the Siege of Bexar. As Santa Anna’s troops converged on San Antonio in February 1836, he entered the Alamo garrison with other Tejanos, his wife and three children. He died in the battle of the Alamo. His wife, son, and two daughters survived the siege.
Handbook of Texas Online
findagrave memorial by John “J-Cat” Griffith
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