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Happy 225th Birthday  A Happy 225th Birthday to Antonio López de Santa Anna, ( Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón ) President of Mexico who dominated Mexican history in the first half of the 19th century, born in Xalapa, Veracruz. He greatly influenced early Mexican politics and government, and was an adept soldier and cunning politician, who dominated Mexican history in the first half of the nineteenth century to such an extent that historians often refer to it as the "Age of Santa Anna".  You might ask just why in Hades I'd want to celebrate this guys birthday. Well.. from my point of view about every time things were going to shit down in Mexico this guy stood up and took charge, no matter the situation or even when the odds were stacked against him.  Santa Anna young officer In June 1810, the 16-year-old Santa Anna joined the Fijo de Veracruz infantry regiment, as a cadet against the wishes of his parents, who wanted him to pursue a career in commerce. In 1811, Santa Anna was wounded in the left hand by an arrow, during the campaign under Col. Arredondo in the town of Amoladeras, in the state of San Luis Potosí. In 1813, Santa Anna served in Texas against the Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition, and at the Battle of Medina, in which he was cited for bravery. He was promoted quickly; he became a second lieutenant in February 1812 and first lieutenant before the end of that year. In the aftermath of the rebellion, the young officer witnessed Arredondo's fierce counter-insurgency policy of mass executions. During the next few years, in which the war for independence reached a stalemate, Santa Anna erected villages for displaced citizens near the city of Veracruz.  Agustín de Iturbide When royalist officer Agustín de Iturbide changed sides in 1821 and allied with insurgent Vicente Guerrero, fighting for independence under the Plan of Iguala, Santa Anna also joined the fight for independence. . Santa Anna rose to prominence fighting for independence by quickly driving Spanish forces out of the vital port city of Veracruz and Iturbide rewarded him with the rank of general and command of the vital port of Veracruz, the gateway from the Gulf of Mexico to the rest of the nation the site of the customs house. However, when Iturbide proclaimed himself Emperor of Mexico Santa Anna stepped up to the plate to put him down.  In 1829, Santa Anna made his mark in the early republic by leading forces that defeated a Spanish invasion to reconquer Mexico. Spain made a final attempt to retake Mexico, invading Tampico with a force of 2,600 soldiers. Santa Anna marched against the Barradas Expedition with a much smaller force and defeated the Spaniards. Santa Anna was declared a hero. From then on, he styled himself "The Victor of Tampico" and "The Savior of the Motherland". His main act of self-promotion was to call himself "The Napoleon of the West".  Gómez Farías Santa Anna was elected president on 1 April 1833, but while he desired the title, he was not interested in governing. "It annoyed him and bored him, and perhaps frightened him." Santa Anna's vice president, liberal Dr. Valentín Gómez Farías took over the responsibility of the governing of the nation. Santa Anna retired to his Veracruz hacienda, Manga de Clavo. Gómez Farías began to implement radical liberal reforms, chiefly directed at the power of the army and the Roman Catholic Church.  In 1835, Santa Anna repealed the Mexican Constitution, which ultimately led to the beginning of the Texas Revolution. Santa Anna's reasoning for the repeal was that American settlers in Texas were not paying taxes or tariffs, claiming they were not recipients of any services provided by the Mexican Government. As a result, new settlers were not allowed there. The new policy was a response to the U.S. attempts to purchase Texas from Mexico.  Santa Anna marched north to bring Texas back under Mexican control by a show of brute merciless force. His expedition posed challenges of manpower, logistics, supply, and strategy far beyond what he was prepared for, and it ended in disaster. On 6 March 1836, at the Battle of the Alamo, Santa Anna's forces killed 189 Texan defenders and later executed more than 342 Texan prisoners, including James Fannin at the Goliad Massacre 27 March 1836 .Despite Sam Houston's lack of ability to maintain strict control of the Texian Army, they defeated Santa Anna's much larger army at the Battle of San Jacinto on 21 April 1836. The Texans shouted, "Remember Goliad, Remember the Alamo!" The day after the battle, a small Texan force led by James Austin Sylvester captured Santa Anna. They found the general dressed in a dragoon private's uniform and hiding in a marsh.  Acting Texas president David G. Burnet and López de Santa Anna signed the Treaties of Velasco, stating that "in his official character as chief of the Mexican nation, he acknowledged the full, entire, and perfect Independence of the Republic of Texas." In exchange, Burnet and the Texas government guaranteed Santa Anna's safety and transport to Veracruz. During this weeks-long journey, Santa Anna passed through Washington D.C. where he met briefly with the president Andrew Jackson. Meanwhile, in Mexico City a new government declared that Santa Anna was no longer president and that the treaty he had made with Texas was null and void.  The Mexican people did not dwell on Santa Anna's past of military shortcomings and betrayals, because they still recognized him as a savior or hero who could make everything better. He came back from exile to fight and loose his leg in the Mexican war 1845-1848. He bounced around in exile from Cuba, the United States, Colombia, and the then Danish island of Saint Thomas. Santa Anna died at his home in Mexico City on 21 June 1876 at age 82. Though penniless he was buried with full military honors in a glass coffin in Panteón del Tepeyac Cemetery. |
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2/20/2019 4:52 pm |
Though he had a history of corruption, many of the local people would often acknowledge that Santa Anna was the most reliable person to help Mexico get through the many obstacles and threats that the country would often face.
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2/20/2019 4:54 pm |
Santa Anna was hit in the left leg and hand by cannon fire. His shattered ankle required amputation of much of his leg, which he ordered buried with full military honors.
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2/20/2019 4:56 pm |
Santa Anna used a prosthetic cork leg; during the later Mexican–American War, it was captured and kept by American troops from the 4th Illinois Infantry. The cork leg is displayed at the Illinois State Military Museum in Springfield.
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2/20/2019 4:57 pm |
A second leg, a peg, was also captured by the 4th Illinois, and was reportedly used by the soldiers as a baseball bat; it is displayed at the home of Illinois Governor Richard J. Oglesby (who served in the regiment) in Decatur
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2/20/2019 5:21 pm |
"Though he had a history of corruption" Ah, politicians, some things never change.
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The history of Mexico and the southern US is very colorful and filled with many battle stories. Thanks for the enlightenment, Bret and SCB.
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2/20/2019 9:10 pm |
"Though he had a history of corruption" Ah, politicians, some things never change.
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2/20/2019 9:15 pm |
That's coming up March 6th... Here's an opportunity for you to post a blog on your homies! I will leave them entirely in your ballpark. If you run into any snags I am happy to help you out.
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2/20/2019 9:20 pm |
The history of Mexico and the southern US is very colorful and filled with many battle stories. Thanks for the enlightenment, Bret and SCB.
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Everything is bigger in Texas!
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2/21/2019 2:10 pm |
Everything is bigger in Texas!
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2/21/2019 7:59 pm |
With the right teachers history does not have to be a boring topic.
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2/21/2019 8:00 pm |
Give it a shot!
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Houston should have hung the son of a bitch and started the wall right then.
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Brooke, you are full of surprises !! A master at the grill & the intellect !! 
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Examining the last picture, it looks like this guy also suffered from "lazy eye". My older brother's did this when he took his glasses off !!
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With the right teachers history does not have to be a boring topic.
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Give it a shot! 
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2/22/2019 8:16 pm |
Houston should have hung the son of a bitch and started the wall right then.
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2/22/2019 8:16 pm |
Brooke, you are full of surprises !! A master at the grill & the intellect !!
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2/22/2019 8:22 pm |
Examining the last picture, it looks like this guy also suffered from "lazy eye". My older brother's did this when he took his glasses off !!
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2/22/2019 8:28 pm |
Brett, that is absolutely the complete truth !!
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2/22/2019 8:29 pm |
I up-voted this comment !
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