Susanna Dickinson facts for kids
Susanna Wilkerson Dickinson (1813 – October 7, 1883) and her infant daughter, Angelina, were among the few American survivors of 1836 Battle of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution. Her husband, Almaron Dickinson, and 185 other Texian defenders were killed by the Mexican Army.
Contents
Early life
Susanna was born in Tennessee's Williamson County in 1813. She was an intelligent young woman, but she never learned to read or write. She married Almaron Dickinson on May 24, 1829, when she was 15 years old. Dickinson received some land along San Marcos River, and the couple became DeWitt Colonists two years later. They then constructed a blacksmith shop there and made investments in fellow colonist George Kimbell's hat business in Gonzales. On December 14, 1834, their only child, Angelina, was born.
Texas Revolution
Texas had been given some freedoms because it was so far from the capital of Mexico City. However, tension was forming because of the political and cultural differences between the Mexican government and the growing number of American settlers in Texas. Almaron Dickinson fought with other volunteers in the Battle of Gonzales, becoming one of the "Old Gonzales 18" in the battle that launched the Texas Revolution on October 2, 1835. By the end of the year, the Texian Army had driven all Mexican soldiers from the territory.
Susanna and Angelina joined Almaron at the former Alamo Mission in San Antonio de Bexar (now San Antonio, Texas) when they heard that the Mexican army was returning. They lived with another family in a home outside the garrison. When the Mexican army arrived in February, Almaron brought Susanna and Angelina inside for safety with other family members of the soldiers.
For the next twelve days, the Alamo lay under siege. On March 6, at 5:30 am, Mexican general Santa Anna gave the order to advance. Texan defenders awakened and rushed to their posts. Susanna, Angelina, and others gathered in the chapel for safety. She later mentioned that Davy Crockett stopped briefly to pray before taking his assigned position.
The Mexican solders breached the Alamo's outer walls that morning and killed almost everyone. Almaron was one of the last few Texians to die.
On March 7, Santa Anna interviewed each of the survivors individually. He was impressed with Susanna and offered to adopt Angelina and have her educated in Mexico City. Susanna refused. She and a few other Texian survivors were allowed to leave. Susanna was given $2 and a blanket and was allowed to go free. Santa Anna hoped the survivors would spread the news of the destruction that awaited those who opposed the Mexican government.
When the small group of survivors arrived in Gonzales on March 13, they found Sam Houston, the commander of all Texian forces, waiting there with about 400 men. Houston listened to the story of the Alamo and advised all civilians to evacuate and then ordered the army to retreat. This began the Runaway Scrape, in which much of Texas' population, including the acting government, rushed eastward to escape the advancing Mexican army.
Susanna's witness accounts
Susanna reported, after the battle, the following about the siege and final fight:
- There were very few casualties before the final assault. She did not know the number.
- She confirmed the legendary "line in the sand" incident, where William Barrett Travis gave defenders the choice of staying or leaving, did happen. However, she said that it happened the day before the final assault rather than either March 3 or March 4.
- On the morning of the assault, Almaron ran into where she had hidden, made his final statements to her and revealed that the Mexicans were inside, then returned to his duty. She never saw him again, nor did she ever see his body.
- She hid inside the chapel and did not see the actual battle. One defender ran inside during the battle, attempting to hide, but was killed by Mexican soldiers.
- When she was discovered, a Mexican officer intervened. She believed he was a British mercenary named either Black or Almonte. He actually was Juan Almonte, who spoke perfect English, having been educated in New Orleans.
- Outside there was a single survivor, found hiding, who unsuccessfully begged for mercy and was killed.
- She saw the body of Davy Crockett between the chapel and the barracks building. This recollection of Crockett's death stands in direct conflict with the Jesús Sánchez Garza - José Enrique de la Peña account.
- She was taken to a house where she'd previously lived, and from there could see the fires of the dead being burned.
- The next day she was taken before Santa Anna, and Almonte, or Black, convinced Santa Anna to release her rather than imprison her.
- She was sent east with Joe, a Texian slave. On the way to Gonzales, she was intercepted by a party including Deaf Smith.
- At some point after the battle, she had no recollections, only that she wept for days.
Other survivors, including Enrique Esparza (the son of Alamo defender Gregorio Esparza), confirmed some of Suzanna's account.
Since Susanna was an intelligent and well-spoken woman, Santa Anna had her identify the bodies of all the commanders and main players.
After the Alamo
Susanna was Illiterate so she could not leave written reports of what happened in the Alamo, but she did tell the story to people. She remarried four more times, with three of the marriages ending in divorce and one ending in her husband's death. On Dec 9, 1857, she married a fifth and final time to a man named Joseph W. Hannig, a cabinet maker. She remained with him for the rest of her life.
Death and legacy
Susanna died in 1883 and was buried in Oakwood Cemetery in Austin, with the following inscription:
"Sacred to the Memory of Susan A. Wife of J. W. Hannig Died Oct. 7, 1883 Aged 68 Years."
The house Hannig built in Austin in 1869 became a museum, The Joseph and Susanna Dickinson Hannig Museum, dedicated to Susanna and the other Alamo survivors.
In film and other media
Susanna Dickinson was played by Joan O'Brien in the 1960 John Wayne feature film The Alamo. Kathleen York acted as Susanna in the 1987 film The Alamo: 13 Days to Glory, and Laura Clifton played Susanna in the 2004 version of The Alamo. In 2015, Dickinson was portrayed by Alixandra von Renner, in the History Channel miniseries, Texas Rising.
Susanna Dickinson quotes
- "If you wish to save your life, follow me."
- "I am the child of the Alamo."
Interesting facts about Susanna Dickinson
- Family legend says that Susanna turned down Almaron Dickinson's marriage proposal, so he arranged to marry her best friend, and she agreed to be a bridesmaid. Susanna had a change of heart, and the two eloped when Susanna was 15.
- After the Battle of the Alamo, Santa Anna interviewed Susanna and was so taken by little Angelina that he offered to adopt the child.
- Susanna refused the offer for adoption.
- Susanna was married five times.
- In 1854, Susanna was given the land of Almaron Dickinson in Caldwell County that he had been given by the Mexican government in 1831.
- She sold the land and used the money to open a boarding house in Lockhart, Texas.
- In 1858, Susanna and her fifth husband moved to Austin, Texas.
- In 1869, Joseph built the stone house that would, more than a century later, become The Joseph and Susanna Dickinson Hannig Museum.
See also
