Postscript and Clarification: I originally wrote the following post in an ironic tone. Reviewing reader comments, I realize that I should have made this clearer. To clarify: I believe that Byron, Travis, Roosevelt, and Ambrose Bierce were all suffering from 19th century romantic nationalism. As Byron himself ultimately understood, his misadventure in Greece was comically absurd. Travis obviously should have ditched the Alamo and lived to fight another day with Houston. William Randolph Hearst produced the worst kind of jingoistic Yellow Journalism, and Teddy Roosevelt was being a ridiculous showman. The character Peyton Farquhar in "Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge" was a fool who hanged for it. The author of the story, Ambrose Bierce, "went to Mexico to die," just like Fuentes wrote. Obviously, Americans have no real interest in who governs Donetsk, Luhansk, Kherson and Zaporizhia oblasts. Please read my original post below in light of this clarification.

As a proud native Texan, my heart swelled with pride the first time I read William Barret Travis's letter that he wrote from the Alamo Mission in San Antonio, addressed to "the People of Texas and All Americans in the World."

Commandancy of the The Alamo

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World-

Fellow Citizens & compatriots-

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna – I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man – The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken – I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls – I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch – The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country – Victory or Death.

William Barret Travis.

Lt. Col.comdt.

P. S. The Lord is on our side – When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn – We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves.

Travis

At the time Travis sent his letter, the commander-in-chief of the Texas Republican Army, Sam Houston, was negotiating a treaty with Cherokee Indians who inhabited the northeast region of the territory and was unable to respond in time with reinforcements.