For only the second time in history, Col. William Barrett Travis’ “Victory or Death” letter will return to the Alamo for an exhibition.
Texas history will be on display in 2024 at the Alamo mission in San Antonio, where the letter was first written on February 24, 1836, as reported by The Texan. Travis drafted the letter to garner aid for his Alamo defenders, battling against the much larger force of Mexican General Antonio López de Santa Anna.
The letter was reportedly sold to the State of Texas in 1896 by a descendent of Travis’. The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) is responsible for preserving the historic document.
Roughly ten years ago, in 2013, the letter briefly returned to the Alamo. The TSLAC now plans for a second return, working with the General Land Office to prepare the display, which will run from February 23 to March 24.
“William B. Travis’ passionate words from the Alamo garrison transformed a frontier rebellion into a world-renowned struggle against tyranny. Travis ended his letter in three immortalized words, ‘Victory or Death,’ which was the only possible outcome of this battle. I am proud to bring this historic letter to the Alamo and have it displayed for all to see,” Land Commissioner Dawn Buckingham told The Texan.
Buckingham hopes the opportunity to view the letter will not only help reinforce the importance of historic preservation but also inspire others never to give up and fight for freedom.
Tickets for the exhibit can be reserved on the Alamo website.
