"I have chills now, just thinking about it," said the Alamo's Director of Archaeology Dr. Tiffany Lindley on the Alamo's official podcast, Stories Bigger Than Texas. "March 5th is when we pulled it out of the ground. I don't think words can express the feelings that we all felt." The Alamo Trust announced the find, noting that the cannonball was discovered approximately three feet below the surface in a "clean deposit," meaning the layers of soil over time were clearly visible, allowing researchers to confidently date the artifact to the 1836 battle era.
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Uncovering the Mexican Army's Arsenal
The material composition of the cannonball provides strong evidence regarding its origin. While the Texan defenders typically utilized iron cannonballs, the Mexican Army, under the command of General Antonio López de Santa Anna, predominantly used bronze. This distinction allows historians to trace the artifact's likely path with a high degree of confidence.
Kolby Lanham, the Alamo's Senior Researcher and Historian, explained the significance of the find on the podcast.
"We can't say with 100% certainty that it came from the Mexican Army, but I would say 99% because largely the Mexican Army is using bronze cannonballs and largely the Texans are using iron cannonballs," Lanham noted. "Doesn't mean they didn't capture each other's stuff and use it, but I would say with a fair amount of certainty that this is a Mexican Army cannonball and it was likely fired at the Battle of the Alamo - or it could have been during the 12-day siege."
Lanham also reflected on the weight of the moment: "That artifact waited 190 years to be pulled out of the ground."
In addition to the intact cannonball, the archaeological team has recovered four exploding shot fragments outside the church over the past year. Three of these fragments are bronze, and one is iron. These pieces are identified as Howitzer-round fragments, indicating they were fired from a short-barreled cannon and designed to explode like a modern-day grenade. Researchers plan to measure the pieces to better understand the size and trajectories of the weapons used during the conflict.
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Four exploding shot fragments, made of both bronze and iron, were also found during excavations. (Alamo Trust, Inc. / Alamo Trust)
The Historic Siege and Battle of the Alamo
The Alamo, originally a Spanish Franciscan mission built in 1718 in what is now San Antonio, became the focal point of the Texas Revolution when Anglo-American settlers and Tejanos rebelled against the centralized authority of the Mexican government. In late February 1836, a massive Mexican force of roughly 2,000 troops, led by General Santa Anna, arrived in San Antonio and laid siege to the fortified mission compound.
Inside, a small garrison of approximately 180 to 200 Texan rebels, including the famous frontiersman Davy Crockett, commander William B. Travis, and James Bowie, held out against overwhelming numbers for 13 days. The siege was characterized by relentless artillery bombardment, and the newly discovered bronze cannonball is a tangible remnant of that assault. On the morning of March 6, 1836, the Mexican army launched a final, overwhelming assault, breaching the walls and killing nearly all the defenders. The brutal defeat became a rallying cry for the Texan cause.
The Alamo Mission in San Antonio, commonly known simply "The Alamo". (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Just weeks later, under the command of Sam Houston, the Texan army defeated Santa Anna's forces at the Battle of San Jacinto, shouting "Remember the Alamo!" and securing Texas independence. The Republic of Texas was subsequently annexed by the United States in 1845, bringing this dramatic chapter in North American history to a close.
Ongoing Archaeology at a Sacred Site
Today, the Alamo is not only a revered historical monument but also an active archaeological site. The ongoing excavations are part of the $550 million Alamo Plan, which aims to preserve the Alamo Church and Long Barrack while enhancing the visitor experience. For the past several years, visitors have had daily opportunities to observe the team at work, often witnessing artifact discoveries in real time.
The presence of archaeologists working on-site has added a dynamic dimension to the historical landmark. Dr. Lindley shared a telling anecdote about a visitor's reaction: "There was a visitor who once said, 'I've been to Pompeii, but this is cooler!' And I almost had a heart attack. As an archaeologist, Pompeii is the epitome of cool. So I was so excited to hear that visitors are really connecting to what we're doing." As Lanham observed, discoveries like this cannonball are not merely curiosities - "Things like that change the Alamo's story."
As excavations continue, researchers remain hopeful that more artifacts will emerge, offering further insights into the lives of those who fought and died during one of the most iconic battles in American history. Each discovery, like this 190-year-old cannonball, helps piece together the dramatic and violent reality of the Texas Revolution, ensuring that the story of the Alamo endures for generations to come.
Top image: The intact, four-pound bronze cannonball discovered at the Alamo. Source: Alamo Trust, Inc.
By Gary Manners
References
Alamo Trust. 2026. The Alamo's Archaeology Team Discovers Battle-Era Cannonball. The Alamo. Available at: https://www.thealamo.org/alamo-trust/pressroom/the-alamos-archaeology-team-discovers-battle-era-cannonball
Fiona, C. 2026. Intact 190-Year-Old Cannonball Discovered At The Alamo. All That's Interesting. Available at: https://allthatsinteresting.com/texas-alamo-cannonball
Killgrove, K. 2026. Cannonball dating to the Alamo battle unearthed 1 day before 190th anniversary of the conflict that killed Davy Crockett. Live Science. Available at: https://www.livescience.com/archaeology/americas/cannonball-dating-to-the-alamo-battle-unearthed-1-day-before-190th-anniversary-of-the-conflict-that-killed-davy-crockett
