Texas Rising Trailer - Travis Letter "Victory or Death"

The mini-series Texas Rising starring Bill Paxton as General Sam Houston is about to premier on the History Channel on Memorial Day, May 25, 2015. If you have not seen the trailer yet, please click on the image below for one of the most artistically unique readings of the famous William Barret Travis "Victory or Death" letter you will ever see.

The William B. Travis letter is read by various actors of the series line by line with Sam Houston reading the final line - "Victory or Death." Texas Rising is fictionalized version of the history of the fight for Texas Independence from Mexico and the rise of the Texas Rangers. Here is a complete transcription of the famous Travis letter:

Commandancy of the The Alamo

Bejar, Feby. 24th. 1836

To the People of Texas & All Americans in the World—

Fellow Citizens & compatriots—

I am besieged, by a thousand or more of the Mexicans under Santa Anna — I have sustained a continual Bombardment & cannonade for 24 hours & have not lost a man — The enemy has demanded a surrender at discretion, otherwise, the garrison are to be put to the sword, if the fort is taken — I have answered the demand with a cannon shot, & our flag still waves proudly from the walls — I shall never surrender or retreat. Then, I call on you in the name of Liberty, of patriotism & everything dear to the American character, to come to our aid, with all dispatch — The enemy is receiving reinforcements daily & will no doubt increase to three or four thousand in four or five days. If this call is neglected, I am determined to sustain myself as long as possible & die like a soldier who never forgets what is due to his own honor & that of his country — Victory or Death.

William Barrett Travis.

Lt. Col. comdt.

P. S. The Lord is on our side — When the enemy appeared in sight we had not three bushels of corn — We have since found in deserted houses 80 or 90 bushels and got into the walls 20 or 30 head of Beeves. Travis

The cast of Texas Rising includes the following list of actors:

Bill Paxton as Sam Houston
Olivier Martinez as Santa Anna
Cynthia Addai-Robinson as Emily West
Jeffrey Dean Morgan as Deaf Smith
Christopher McDonald as Henry Karnes
Brendan Fraser as Billy Anderson
Trevor Donovan as Kit Acklin
Stephen Monroe Taylor as Gator Davis
Gerardo Taracena as Manuel Flores
Joe Egender as Bean Wilkins
Rhys Coiro as Vern Elwood
Jeremy Davies as Ephraim Knowles
Ray Liotta as Lorca
Antonio De La Vega as Almonte
Harold Torres as Portilla
Geoffrey Blake as George Hockley
Raúl Méndez as Juan Seguin
Jeff Fahey as Thomas Rusk
Johnathon Schaech as Colonel Sherman
Chad Michael Murray as Mirabeau Lamar
Crispin Glover as Mosely Baker
Max Thieriot as Jack Hays
Robert Baker as Bigfoot Wallace
Darrel Fetty as Doc Ewing
Vico Escorcia as Sarah Ewing
Molly McMichael as Rebecca Pit
Adam Hicks as Truett Fincham
Dillon Lane as Yancey Burns
Jacob Lofland as Colby Pitt
Sarah Jones as Pauline Wykoff
Mayra Sérbulo as Guadalupe
Amen Igbinosun as Nate
Robert Knepper as Empresario Buckley
Nigal Haaswijk as Clarance
Miguel Angel Fuentes as Romolo
Horacio García Rojas as Buffalo Hump
John Elvis as Yellow Knife
Courtney Gains as Cole Hornfischer
Rob Morrow as Colonel Fannin
Jake Busey as Samuel Wallace
Thomas Jane as James Wykoff
Kris Kristofferson as Andrew Jackson

Image courtesy of the History Channel. All rights reserved.