The story takes place in 1836. The Texas military fortress Alamo was attacked by elite troops led by dictator Antonio (Emilio Echevarría), which means that the two hundred civilians stationed in the Alamo must face thousands of well-equipped professional soldiers. This is a war that is impossible to win. At this critical juncture, Lieutenant William (Patrick Wilson), James (Jason Patric) and Western cowboy David (Billy Bob Thornton) bravely stood up and led other warriors from all walks of life to fight a desperate battle with the enemy. Thirteen days later, the Alamo was littered with corpses. However, the time gained by the warriors enabled General Sam (Dennis Quaid) to lead his troops here and eventually repel the Mexican army.