Didn one of the Tejano defenders of the Alamo have a brother in Santa Annas army?
Yes and no. One of several brothers of defender Gregorio Esparza was Francisco Esparza. The latter gave a sworn deposition in 1857 in support a veteran’s land grant for the heirs of Gregorio Esparza. The deposition says that his brother, Gregorio, volunteered for the Texan army in October 1835 and “entered Bexar between the morning of the 5th and the 10th of December 1835 with the American forces…” In other words, he was with the Texan Army during the Siege of Bexar. Francisco, meanwhile, was in the Presidal Company of Bexar (the local defense unit of the Mexican Army.) Commanded by General Cos, they were part of the force defending San Antonio de Bexar against the Texan siege. Under the terms of Cos’ capitulation to the Texans, Francisco was allowed to return to his home, in San Antonio, which he did. So there was indeed a “brother versus brother” element to the Siege of Bexar. Gregorio remained in the Alamo garrison. When Santa Anna arrived Fransicso remained at his home. He and ot
