First Death at the Alamo: A Mexican Soldier in December 1835

The Siege Began Before the Famous 13 Days

The first recorded death during the Alamo conflict was a Mexican soldier killed in December 1835 — two months before the final siege (Feb 23 – Mar 6, 1836).

Context: The Prelude

• Oct 1835: Texians capture San Antonio in the Siege of Béxar (Cos surrenders Dec 9).
• Dec 1835: Texians occupy the Alamo; Mexican garrison withdraws south.
• Skirmishes, patrols, and sniper fire occurred during this interim. A Mexican soldier was killed in one such encounter — the first fatality of the Alamo campaign.

First Texian Death

The first Texian killed at the Alamo was likely during the final pre-dawn assault on March 6, 1836. No names of the very first to fall are definitively recorded; the assault was chaotic and simultaneous on all walls.

Why This Matters

• Corrects the myth that the "battle" was only the 13-day siege.
• Shows the conflict was a months-long campaign (Oct 1835 – Mar 1836).
• Highlights that Mexican soldiers died first — the Alamo was not purely a Texian sacrifice.