Welcome to Call to Decision 

   American Minute with Bill Federer
 
  March 2
 
  The Alamo mission at San Antonio was in its 7th day of being
  assaulted by thousands of Santa Anna's troops.
 
  By the 13th day, Santa Anna's "take-no-prisoner" policy had all 189
  defenders killed, including Jim Bowie and former U.S. Congressman
  Davy Crockett.
 
  The only Texas army left in the field was Col. James Fannin's.
 
  It departed Goliad to rescue the Alamo but was surrounded in open
  ground and captured. Santa Anna ordered all 350 prisoners executed.
 
  When the Mexican officer hesitated, Santa Anna sent another officer
  who carried out the order.
 
  Had Fannin's troops been left in prison, Texas would have been
  disheartened, but instead Santa Anna's cruelty aroused world outrage.
 
 
  The Texas Declaration of Independence, signed MARCH 2, 1836,      stated:

 
  "When a government...becomes an instrument in the hands of evil
  rulers for their oppression....(it is) the inherent and inalienable
  right of the people to...take their political affairs into their own
  hands...to secure their welfare and happiness....
 
  The government (of) General Antonio Lopez Santa Anna...demanded us to
  deliver up our arms, which are essential to our defense- the rightful
  property of freemen- and formidable only to tyrannical governments...
 
  has, through its emissaries, incited the merciless savage, with the
  tomahawk and scalping knife, to massacre the inhabitants of our
  defenseless frontiers...
 
  We fearlessly...commit the issue to the...Supreme Arbiter of the
  destinies of nations."