Question: Can anyone tell me if Santa Anna really ran away from Houston's forces as it shows in the movie? And was that battle really over in 18 minutes? (Not being an American or a Texan for that matter, I have very little knowledge about what happened at the Alamo, I'm just curious).
Answer: The defenders of the Alamo held off Santa Anna's troops for 13 days before a final assault on 6 March 1836, where the complex was stormed just before dawn. The battle ended by sunrise. Santa Anna was captured at the Battle of San Jacinto in April of the same year, and Texas won its independence from Mexico. Also check www.thealamo.org for detailed information and links.
Answer: In a way. Santa Anna tried to pass himself off as a common soldier, but when he was captured, his men spilled the beans by calling him by his title.
Question: In the movie, we see several women and children huddled together in a back room away from the fighting, (Almeron's wife and daughter among them). Did Santa Anna's troops kill them as well or were they let go? There was also no mention if Travis' slave (the one who was memorizing something to say in Spanish)was killed as well. While I realize that these characters were minor, one gets the impression that at the end, only Crockett was alive the next morning.
Answer: Historically the women and I believe an infant were freed by Santa Anna, who was a big believer in chivalry, etc... A TV version of the Alamo had the women wanting to fight as well and die but a Mexican officer stops them with the line "Do you only want Santa Anna's version of your husbands' deaths to be known?" One in particular becomes a valuable first person source. Historically the black servant/slave is also spared by the Mexicans. They figure he is a slave and not a willing combatant so they let him go.
Question: What's the meaning of the Mexican war cry when they charge towards the Alamo?
Answer: It is Viva Santa Ana meaning "Long live Santa Ana." Santa Ana was the leader of the army.
Question: Did the real battle for the Alamo happen during the day or during the night?
Answer: The siege of the Alamo lasted thirteen days, so events would happen both day and night. The actual final assault began at around 5am, and took no more than ninety minutes - it was over by sunrise.
Question: Is the Bowie knife named after Jim Bowie because he invented it or because he became famous for using it?
Answer: There were several versions of the knife over time - the original was believed to have been designed by his brother Rezin Bowie, but the subsequent versions were Bowie's own designs. For more information, try http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bowie_knife.
Answer: Yes, the battle of San Jacinto really did last 18 minutes. Houston's army surprised the Mexican army while they were taking an afternoon nap.