He informed his officers that they would prepare for an attack before dawn. On March 6, 1836, Mexican soldiers stormed the Alamo walls under cover of darkness early in the morning. Santa Anna's troops attempted to occupy the jacales (picket and straw huts) located near the southwest corner of the complex. Small arms fire from inside the Alamo repelled several attacks lasting about two hours. After regrouping, the Mexicans scaled the walls and rushed back into the compound. Once inside the Alamo complex, Santa Anna's troops captured a cannon, turned around, and opened the gates that kept the Mexican army out. The desperate fight continued until the defenders were overwhelmed. After a bloody battle lasting 90 minutes, the battle ended and Santa Anna entered the Alamo to survey the scene of his victory. Santa Anna ordered the bodies of the slain defenders to be burned. While the facts surrounding the Siege of the Alamo continue to be debated, there is little doubt about what the battle has come to symbolize. People around the world continue to remember the Alamo as a heroic struggle against impossible odds, a place where men made the ultimate sacrifice for freedom. For this reason, the Alamo remains hallowed ground and the Sanctuary of Texas Liberty (Texas Revolution,