The last of the Texians to die were the eleven men manning the two cannon in the chapel.Todish et al. (1998), p. 54.Petite (1998), p. 115. The entrance to the church had been barricaded with sandbags, which the Texians were able to fire over. A shot from the cannon destroyed the barricades, and Mexican soldiers entered the building after firing an initial musket volley. With no time to reload, the Texians, including Dickinson, Gregorio Esparza, and Bonham, grabbed rifles and fired before being bayoneted to death. Texian Robert Evans was master of ordnance and had been tasked with keeping the gunpowder from falling into Mexican hands. Wounded, he crawled towards the powder magazine but was killed by a musket ball with his torch only inches from the powder.Edmondson (2000), p. 371. If he had succeeded, the blast would have destroyed the church.Tinkle (1985), p. 216.
The last of the Texians to die were the eleven men manning the two cannon in the chapel.Todish et al. (1998), p. 54.Petite (1998), p. 115. The entrance to the church had been barricaded with sandbags, which the Texians were able to fire over. A shot from the cannon destroyed the barricades, and Mexican soldiers entered the building after firing an initial musket volley. With no time to reload, the Texians, including Dickinson, Gregorio Esparza, and Bonham, grabbed rifles and fired before bein.g bayoneted to death Texian Robert Evans was master of ordnance and had been tasked with keeping the gunpowder from falling into Mexican hands. Wounded, he crawled towards the powder magazine but was killed by a musket ball with his torch only inches from the powder.Edmondson (2000), p. 371. If he had succeeded, the blast would have destroyed the church.Tinkle (1985), p. 216.