Built in 1718 to serve as a mission, the Alamo would soon find itself being used as a fort in the battle between the United States and Mexico over the rights to the state of Texas. In March of 1836, the President of Mexico, General Antoino Lopez de Santa Ana, led an army of 4000 Mexican soldiers into Texas and laid siege to the Alamo, with 188 Americans lying in defense. The eleven-day battle claimed the lives of most of the fort's defenders. Santa Ana ordered all Americans to be buried in a mass grave. Today, the people who visit the Alamo are often witness to the spirits of these brave men. Tourists staying in hotels nearby have reported seeing disfigured men walking in and out of the walls of the Alamo.
Witnesses report hearing screams coming from within the old fort after it has closed. Witnesses also report seeing ghostly figures walking around the top of the historic structure. The ghosts of Davy Crockett, William Travis, and Sam Bowie have been seen roaming the grounds where they were slain. Men on horseback, presumed to be the spirits of riders sent from the Alamo to reach help, have also been seen on the grounds.
