Aware that his garrison could not withstand an attack by such a large force, Travis wrote multiple letters pleading for more men and supplies from Texas and from the United States, but the Texians were reinforced by fewer than a hundred men, because the United States had a treaty with Mexico at the time, and supplying ...

The failure to reinforce the Alamo was a result of political infighting, poor communication, and logistical paralysis within the provisional Texas government in early 1836. At the time, the Texas leadership was split into two factions that were essentially at "civil war" with each other, leaving the army without a clear commander-in-chief. General Sam Houston had ordered James Bowie to destroy the Alamo and withdraw, believing the fort was a "death trap," but Bowie and William B. Travis chose to stay and defend it. When Travis sent his famous "Victory or Death" letters pleading for help, the only force to respond was a small group of 32 men from Gonzales. A larger relief force of about 400 men under Colonel James Fannin at Goliad attempted to march to San Antonio but turned back after just a few miles due to broken wagons, a lack of food, and a sudden cold front. By the time the Texas government realized the severity of the threat posed by Santa Anna's 1,500-plus troops, the Mexican army had already surrounded the mission, making any significant reinforcement impossible.