The notable figure who led the charge at the Alamo was William B. Travis. A lieutenant colonel in the Texian Army, he famously co-commanded the defense of the Alamo during the Texas Revolution in 1836. Despite being severely outnumbered, Travis and his troops held out for 13 days against the Mexican forces led by General Antonio López de Santa Anna. His rallying cry, "Victory or Death!" became symbolic of the Texian struggle for independence.