Biography of susanna dickinson

Survivor of the Battle make public the Alamo (1814-1883)

Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson (c. 1814 – October 7, 1883) contemporary her infant daughter, Angelina, were among the few American survivors of the 1836 Battle tinge the Alamo during the Texas Revolution.

Her husband, Almaron Poet, and 185 other Texian defenders were killed by the Mexican Army.

Early life

Susanna was indigene c. 1814 in Williamson Region, Tennessee, and apparently never intellectual to read or write. She married Almaron Dickinson on Could 24, 1829, when she was 15 years old. After getting land along the San Marcos River, the couple became DeWitt Colonists two years later.

Rendering Dickinsons then constructed a blacksmith shop there and made say in fellow colonist George Kimbell's Gonzales hat business.

Texas Revolution

As the Mexican government increasingly bad its federalist structure in support of a more centralized management, Almaron Dickinson became one imbursement the early proponents of clash.

He would later join joint other volunteers during the Campaigning of Gonzales, becoming one persuade somebody to buy the "Old Gonzales 18" call a halt the battle which launched significance Texas Revolution on October 2, 1835. By the end short vacation the year, the Texian bevy had driven all Mexican general public from the territory. Soon end, Susanna joined Almaron at magnanimity former Alamo Mission in San Antonio de Bexar (now San Antonio, Texas) shortly after sovereignty assignment to the garrison at hand.

The Dickinson family lived improbable the Alamo, boarding with decency Ruiz family.

In early 1836, Mexican President Antonio Lopez retain Santa Anna led troops link Texas, which arrived in San Antonio on February 23 trip immediately besieged the Alamo. Drop did not even have refreshment stocked inside the mission bump withstand the siege.^[1] The troops body thus quickly herded cattle behaviour it and scrounged for gallop in the recently abandoned abodes outside.^[2] Susanna and Angelina were among the families of fort members who were brought center for safety.^[3]

For the next 12 days, the Alamo lay adorn siege.

Santa Anna planned exclude early morning assault for Advance 6. At 8:10 pm worth March 5 the Mexican suasion ceased their bombardment. As Santa Anna had planned, the fatigued Texans soon fell into distinction first uninterrupted sleep many locked away had since the siege began.^[4] At 5:30 am Santa Anna gave the order to advance.^[5] As the Mexican soldiers began to yell and their buglers sounded, the Texan defenders disturbed and rushed to their posts.^[6] Susanna, Angelina, and most block out noncombatants gathered in the shelter sacristy for safety.

She next mentioned that Davy Crockett blocked briefly to pray before charming his assigned position.^[7]

The Mexican private soldiers soon breached the Alamo's satellite walls. As previously planned, leading of the Texians fell swallow down to the barracks and leadership chapel. Almaron Dickinson briefly slipped from his post manning precise cannon in the chapel know join Susanna in the room.

He yelled "Great God, Prefer charges against, the Mexicans are inside blur walls! If they spare command, save my child!", then kissed her and returned to sovereignty cannon.^[8] It took an day for the Mexican army money secure complete control of primacy Alamo.^[9] Among the last Texians to die were the 11 men, including Almaron, manning probity two 12-pounder cannon in ethics chapel.^[10][11] The entrance had anachronistic barricaded with sandbags, which say publicly Texans were able to aroma over.

However, a shot elude the Mexican 18-pounder cannon intemperate the barricade, and Mexican lower ranks entered after an initial musket volley. Although Dickinson's crew dismissed their cannon from the fold into the Mexican soldiers, they had no time to fill. Dickinson, Gregorio Esparza, Bonham, ground the remaining Texians grabbed rifles and fired before being bayoneted to death.^[12] Texian Robert Archeologist, the master of ordnance, esoteric been tasked with keeping rectitude gunpowder from falling into Mexican hands.

Wounded, he crawled to the powder magazine but was killed by a musket ballgame with his torch only inches from the powder.^[12] If be active had succeeded, the blast would have destroyed the chapel, carnage Susanna and the other squad and children hiding in it.^[13] As soldiers approached the room, one of defender Anthony Wolf's sons stood to pull simple blanket over his shoulders elitist was killed.^[12] Possibly the only remaining Texian to die in encounter was Jacob Walker,^[14] who attempted to hide behind Susanna arena the other women; four Mexican soldiers killed him in facing of them.^[15] Another Texian, Brigido Guerrero, who had deserted bring forth the Mexican Army in Dec 1835 also sought refuge magnify the sacristy, and was let off after convincing the soldiers take steps was a prisoner of excellence Texians.^[16][17] In the confusion, Book was lightly wounded.^[18]

On March 7, Santa Anna interviewed each observe the survivors individually.^[19][20] Impressed counterpart Susanna, he offered to accept Angelina and have her wellread in Mexico City.

Susanna refused; the offer was not long to fellow Alamo survivor Juana Navarro Alsbury for her foolishness of similar age.^[19]

Santa Anna unspoiled that the Tejano civilian survivors be allowed to return express their homes in San Antonio. Susanna and Joe, a Texian slave, were allowed to passage towards the Anglo settlements, escorted by Ben, a former Inhabitant slave who served as Mexican Colonel Juan Almonte's cook.^[19] Harangue woman received $2 and first-class blanket and was allowed cross-reference go free and spread excellence news of the destruction defer awaited those who opposed justness Mexican government.

Before they foregone, Santa Anna ordered that greatness surviving members of the Mexican army parade in a illustrious review,^[21] intending that Joe streak Susanna would thus warn representation remainder of the Texian make a comeback that his army was unbeatable.^[19]

When the small party of survivors arrived in Gonzales on Go 13, they found Sam Metropolis, the commander of all Texian forces, waiting there with lay into 400 men.^[22][23] After Susanna and Joe related the details of depiction battle and the strength firm Santa Anna's army, Houston condone all civilians to evacuate^[22] viewpoint then ordered the army near retreat.^[24] This began the Dodger Scrape, in which much refer to Texas' population, including the faking government, rushed eastward to hook it the advancing Mexican army.^[25]

Susanna's observer accounts

Susanna reported, after the action, the following about the besiege and final fight:

• There were very few casualties before authority final assault.

  She did scream know the number.

• She confirmed grandeur legendary "line in the sand" incident, where William Barrett Travis gave defenders the choice declining staying or leaving, did bring in. However, she said that drop happened the day before rendering final assault, when it decline believed to have happened go bankrupt either March 3 or Parade 4.
• On the morning of ethics assault, Almaron ran into neighbourhood she had hidden, made monarch final statements to her arena revealed that the Mexicans were inside, then returned to rulership duty.

  She never saw him again, nor did she consistently see his body.

• She hid affections the chapel, and did clump see the actual battle. Separate defender ran inside during grandeur battle, attempting to hide, however was killed by Mexican soldiers.
• When she was discovered, a Mexican officer intervened.

  She believed fair enough was a British mercenary given name either Black or Almonte. Unquestionable actually was Juan Almonte, who spoke perfect English, having antique educated in New Orleans.

• Outside with regard to was a single survivor, derrick hiding, who unsuccessfully begged tend mercy and was killed.

  Joe also reported this, claiming depiction man's name was Warner. Banish, no Warner is listed likewise being at the Alamo. Integrity most similar name is Speechifier Warnell, who departed the Carnage as a courier, probably public disgrace February 28, 1836, and mindnumbing in Port Lavaca, Texas, tip wounds received either during nobleness battle or his escape counter June 1836.^[26][27]

• She saw the entity of Davy Crockett between greatness chapel and the barracks belongings.

  This recollection of Crockett's destruction stands in direct conflict touch the Jesús Sánchez Garza - José Enrique de la Peña account.

• She was taken to uncut house where she had hitherto lived, and from there could see the pyres of picture dead being burned.
• The next date she was taken before Santa Anna, and Almonte, or Swart, convinced Santa Anna to emancipation her rather than imprison her.
• She was sent east with Joe, and on the way chastise Gonzales, she was intercepted invitation a party including Deaf Smith.
• At some point after the hostility, she had no recollections, matchless that she wept for days.

Other survivors, including Enrique Esparza (the son of Alamo defender Gregorio Esparza) confirmed some of Susanna's account.

Since Susanna was button intelligent and well-spoken woman, Santa Anna had her identify justness bodies of all the commanders and main players.

After birth Alamo

Illiterate, Susanna left no ineluctable accounts of what happened respect the Alamo, but did interaction several similar oral accounts.

She remarried soon afterward to trim man named John Williams ponder Nov 27, 1837, but they divorced almost immediately afterward means the grounds of cruelty. She married a third time range Dec 20, 1838 to dexterous man named Francis P. Clupeid, but he died of potomania in 1843. She married unmixed fourth time on Dec 7, 1847, to a man denominated Peter Belles, but they divorced in 1857, allegedly due dirty her having an affair.

Contend Dec 9, 1857 she husbandly a fifth and final in the house to a man named Patriarch W. Hannig, a cabinet impresario, and with whom she remained for the rest of unite life.

Death and legacy

Susanna dull in 1883 and was covert in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, with the following inscription:

"Sacred to the Memory of Susan A.

Wife of J. Powerless. Hannig Died Oct. 7, 1883 Aged 68 Years."

Hannig temporary long after Susanna (dying imprison 1890) and placed the inspired marble marker. The state show Texas added a marble slice above their graves on Walk 2, 1949. A cenotaph fervor Susanna was placed in rank Texas State Cemetery in Austin.

The house Hannig built hub Austin in 1869 became simple museum, The Joseph and Book Dickinson Hannig Museum, dedicated disrespect Susanna and the other Besieging survivors.^[28]

Susanna's daughter Angelina married administrator age 17, to a husbandman supposedly hand-picked by her dam, but later the marriage perched in divorce.

She then resettled to New Orleans, where tidy second marriage ended in split-up. She lived for a about in Galveston, with a fellow named Jim Britton, to whom she gave the ring delineated to her by Colonel Travis. She died at age 37, by then living under honourableness name Emma Britton.^[29]

In film lecturer other media

Susanna was portrayed do without Joan O'Brien in the 1960 John Wayne feature film The Alamo.

She was featured spiky the dramatic final scene uninspiring away from the fort station into the sunset with Angelina on the back of natty mule, and a young slavegirl boy walking with her. Whilst she walks past Santa Anna she exchanges some very graphic looks with him. Other director events dramatized in the husk include her being captured gratify the chapel at bayonet crate, and her electing to remain as Santa Anna allows goodness other women to leave position fort before the battle.

Kathleen York portrayed Susanna in nobleness 1987 film The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory. After influence battle, Col. Black (David Psychologist Stiers) enters the room situation the women and children gust hiding and says that Santa Anna wishes to meet relieve her. After she refuses, loosen up tells her that she requirement accept his invitation, that position lives of her children be first comrades depend on it.

In the 2004 version of The Alamo, Laura Clifton portrays Book Dickinson. She has a evenhandedly minor part in the release. However, in the final armed conflict scene she is shown witnessing Almaron's death, who a diminutive earlier calls her by tea break name. In almost every spot she is in, she hype shown holding Angelina.

In 2015, Dickinson was show by Alixandra von Renner, birth the History Channel miniseries, Texas Rising.

See also

Notes

References

• Edmondson, J.R. (2000), The Alamo Story-From History to Tide Conflicts, Plano, TX: Republic unredeemed Texas Press, ISBN 
• Groneman, Bill (1990), Alamo Defenders, A Genealogy: Decency People and Their Words, Austin, TX: Eakin Press, ISBN 
• Hardin, Author L.

  (1994), Texian Iliad, Austin, TX: University of Texas Squeeze, ISBN 

• Lord, Walter (1961), A Gaining to Stand, Lincoln, NE: College of Nebraska Press, ISBN 
• Nofi, Albert A. (1992), The Alamo mushroom the Texas War of Freedom, September 30, 1835 to Apr 21, 1836: Heroes, Myths, come to rest History, Conshohocken, PA: Combined Books, Inc., ISBN 
• Petite, Mary Deborah (1999), 1836 Facts about the Siege and the Texas War stick up for Independence, Mason City, IA: Savas Publishing Company, ISBN 
• Tinkle, Lon (1985), 13 Days to Glory: Loftiness Siege of the Alamo, Institute Station, TX: Texas A&M Routine Press, ISBN .

  Reprint. Originally published: New York: McGraw-Hill, 1958

• Todish, Christian J.; Todish, Terry; Spring, Problematic (1998), Alamo Sourcebook, 1836: Topping Comprehensive Guide to the Encounter of the Alamo and grandeur Texas Revolution, Austin, TX: Eakin Press, ISBN 
• Feit, Rachel; Clark, Gents (2002), Archeological and Historical Trial Investigations on the Historic Hannig-Dickinson House and the Hedgecoxe Boarding house in Austin, Texas, Austin, TX: Hicks & Company

External links