Remember the Alamo, and the Words of William B. Travis
The 157 men under William B. Travis’ command were surrounded by thousands of Mexican soldiers at the Alamo when he penned one of the most memorable letters in American history.
He pleaded for aid, but wrote that even if his call was neglected, he was determined to fight with honor until the battle reached one of only two possible outcomes — “Victory or Death.”
A plaque of the 220-word letter caught Hockaday student Slone McNutt’s eye during her family’s visit to the Alamo in Jan. 2023. Slone had studied Travis’ words in school, but seeing them on paper didn’t compare to the impact of the 203-pound bronze memorial.
Why, she asked her father, weren’t there similar plaques all over Texas? People shouldn’t have to visit the Alamo to view a tangible connection to their history.
Slone’s father, Bill McNutt, was “astounded at the power and simplicity of her idea.”
Together with fellow University Park resident Rosser Newton and Sgt. Maj. of the Army (Ret) John Vick, who is district director for state Sen. Bob Hall, the McNutts founded the nonprofit Alamo Letter Society. The Society’s goal is to place a replica of the bronze plaque with Travis’ “Victory or Death” letter in all 254 Texas courthouses.
“These soldiers could have very easily given up and gone home. But no, they wanted to stay there to defend the Alamo,” Slone explained. “This letter really captures what it is to be a Texan … It really encapsulates independence, resilience, and liberty.”
The first plaque from the Alamo Letter Society was dedicated at the Ellis County Historic Courthouse on Feb. 23, 2024. On Feb. 24 — 188 years to the day after the letter was written — a second plaque was dedicated at the Rockwall Courthouse.
“The Alamo Letter represents everything we hold dear as Texans and Americans: the courage to stand up for our rights, and the willingness to pay the ultimate sacrifice for the cause of freedom and independence,” said Judge Todd Little, who oversaw Ellis County’s effort to install the plaque as Alamo Letter Society County Chair. “I hope all generations continue to revere the story of our fellow Texans at the Alamo.”
Since those first two installations, the Alamo Letter Society has dedicated 14 more plaques. It has 31 additional dedications planned in 2025. Connecting with supporters across the state, Slone said, has been her favorite part of the effort.
“It has inspired me to see that my idea, just a schoolgirl’s idea, is coming true,” she said. “There is definitely a lot of interest in this, and we’re hoping to get this done as soon as we can.”
The Society has dedicated its efforts to José Antonio Navarro and Juan Seguín, leading Tejanos in the Texas fight for independence. It also honors supporters with the Captain Albert Martin Alamo Award. Martin rode through the Mexican army to deliver Travis’ letter, then returned to die defending the Alamo.
“As times are progressing, of course we need to change,” Slone said. “But these are the ideals, and this is what it means to be a Texan. And we need to remember this.”
