Albert Martin (January 6, 1808 March 6, 1836) was a
Texian
Texians were Anglo-American residents of Mexican Texas and, later, the Republic of Texas.
Today, the term is used to identify early settlers of Texas, especially those who supported the Texas Revolution. Mexican settlers of that era are referr ...
merchant and captain of the
Gonzales Mounted Rangers who delivered
William B. Travis' letter "
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World
To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World is an open letter written on February 24, 1836, by William B. Travis, commander of the Texian forces at the Battle of the Alamo, to settlers in Mexican Texas. The letter is renowned as a "dec ...
" and died while defending the
Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...
garrison. He is a member of the
Old Eighteen and
Immortal 32
The Immortal 32 was a Relief (military), relief force of thirty-two Texian Militia from the Gonzales, Texas, Gonzales Ranging Company who reinforced the Texians under Siege of the Alamo, siege at the Alamo. They are "Immortality, immortalized" as t ...
.
Early life and career
Martin was born in
Providence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Rhode Island. One of the oldest cities in New England, it was founded in 1636 by Roger Williams, a Reformed Baptist theologian and religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay ...
to Joseph S. Martin, a merchant, and Abbey B. Martin. Martin's parents were fourth cousins, and both of their fathers both fought in the
Revolutionary War. Albert Martin attended Vermont's
Norwich University
Norwich University – The Military College of Vermont is a private senior military college in Northfield, Vermont. It is the oldest private and senior military college in the United States and offers bachelor's and master's degrees on-campus ...
, which was then known as the American Literary, Scientific and Military Academy.
Then, following his father, a merchant, and older brothers, Albert Martin left Rhode Island in 1832 and went to Texas by way of Tennessee and New Orleans, where he joined Martin, Coffin & Company. With his growing family, Martin eventually moved to
Gonzales, Texas
Gonzales is a city in Gonzales County, Texas, United States. It is the county seat. The population was 7,165 at the 2020 census. The "Come and Take It" flag in the War for Texas Independence from Mexico originated in Gonzales.
Its economy is enh ...
by 1835 where he ran a successful
general store business affiliated with Martin, Coffin & Co.
Texas Revolution
Soldier
At the outbreak of the
Texas revolution, Martin was one of the defenders of Gonzales known as the "
Old Eighteen," who protected the "
Come and Take It
"Come and take it" is a historic slogan, first used in 480 BC in the Battle of Thermopylae as " Molon labe" by Spartan King Leonidas I as a defiant answer and last stand to the surrender demanded by the Persian Army, and later in 1778 at For ...
" cannon. He was part of the
Texas force during the
Siege of Bexar
A siege is a military blockade of a city, or fortress, with the intent of conquering by attrition, or a well-prepared assault. This derives from la, sedere, lit=to sit. Siege warfare is a form of constant, low-intensity conflict characterize ...
in the fall of 1835 and then by December returned to Gonzales to recover from an ax injury for a period before returning to Bexar.
Alamo courier
On February 23, 1836, the first day of the
siege of the Alamo
The siege of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was the first thirteen days of the Battle of the Alamo. On February 23, Mexican troops under General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna entered San Antonio de Bexar, Texas, and surrounded the ...
, Lt. Col.
William B. Travis
William Barret "Buck" Travis (August 1, 1809 – March 6, 1836) was a 19th-century American lawyer and soldier. At the age of 26, he was a lieutenant colonel in the Texas Army. He died at the Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Tr ...
sent Captain Martin as an emissary to meet Gen.
Antonio López de Santa Anna
Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón (; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876),Callcott, Wilfred H., "Santa Anna, Antonio Lopez De,''Handbook of Texas Online'' Retrieved 18 April 2017. usually known as Santa Ann ...
's adjutant, Col.
Juan N. Almonte
Juan Nepomuceno Almonte Ramírez (May 15, 1803 – March 21, 1869) was a Mexican soldier, commander, minister of war, congressman, diplomat, and presidential candidate.
He was the natural son of José María Morelos, a leading commander during ...
. Almonte rejected Martin's invitation to come to the Alamo and speak directly to Travis. The next day, Martin left the Alamo carrying Travis's famous letter "To the People of Texas," which he delivered to Lancelot Smither in Gonzales.
Ranger Captain
In Gonzales, a
relief force was organized to support the Alamo's scant defenders despite Martin's father's warnings not to return to the Alamo. On March 1, 1836 Martin returned to the Alamo with the supporting force from Gonzales, numbering approximately thirty-two. On March 6, 1836 Martin was killed in the
Battle of the Alamo
The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...
.
Martin's obituary was published in the ''Manufacturers and Farmers Journal'' and the ''New Orleans True American'' in July 1836.
Legacy
In the
North Burial Ground
The North Burial Ground is a cemetery in Providence, Rhode Island dating to 1700, the first public cemetery in Providence. It is located north of downtown Providence, bounded by North Main Street, Branch Avenue, the Moshassuck River, and Ceme ...
in Providence, Rhode Island there is a slender, red stone memorial marker from 1858 or earlier that states
Within the cemetery, the memorial is near Central, Summit, and Elm Avenues and is Rhode Island's only memorial to the Alamo. Although Albert Martin's body was likely burned and his ashes scattered in Texas by the Mexican troops, the
cenotaph
A cenotaph is an empty tomb or a monument erected in honour of a person or group of people whose remains are elsewhere. It can also be the initial tomb for a person who has since been reinterred elsewhere. Although the vast majority of cenot ...
memorializes his death at the Martin family plot in Providence.
A later plaque at the Alamo incorrectly stated that Martin was from Tennessee.
In 2012 Albert Martin was inducted in the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.
See also
*
List of Alamo defenders
The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a crucial conflict of the Texas Revolution. In 1835, colonists from the United States joined with Tejanos (Mexicans born in Texas) in putting up armed resistance to the centralization ...
*
Immortal 32
The Immortal 32 was a Relief (military), relief force of thirty-two Texian Militia from the Gonzales, Texas, Gonzales Ranging Company who reinforced the Texians under Siege of the Alamo, siege at the Alamo. They are "Immortality, immortalized" as t ...
*
Texian Militia
The Texian Militia was the militia forces of Texian colonists in the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas from 1823 to 1835 and the inaugurate force of the Texas Military Forces, Texas Military. It was established by Stephen F. Austin on August 5, 1 ...
*
List of conflicts involving the Texas Military The history of conflicts involving the Texas Military spans over two centuries, from 1823 to present, under the command authority (the ultimate source of lawful military orders) of four governments including the Texas governments (3), American gov ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Martin, Albert
Alamo defenders
Military personnel from San Antonio
People from Providence, Rhode Island
1808 births
1836 deaths
People from Gonzales, Texas
Norwich University alumni
Burials in Rhode Island