The Mier expedition was an unsuccessful military operation launched in November 1842 by a Texian militia against Mexican border settlements; it was related to the Somervell expedition . It included a major battle at Ciudad Mier on December 26 and 27, 1842, which the Mexicans won. The Texian attack was launched partly in hopes of financial gain and partly in retaliation for the Dawson Massacre (as named by Texans) earlier that year, in which thirty-six Texas militia were killed by the Mexican Army . Both conflicts were part of continuing efforts by each side to control the land between the Rio Grande and Nueces River . The Republic of Texas believed that the territory had been ceded to it in the Treaties of Velasco by which it gained independence, but Mexico did not agree. The expedition is best known for the Black Bean Episode, in which the Mexican Army decimated escaped prisoners, selecting for execution one in ten prisoners by drawing beans from a pot.
87-619: Antonio López de Santa Anna , the ruler of Mexico, was defeated by Texians at the Battle of San Jacinto and signed the Treaties of Velasco in 1836, ceding Texas territory from Mexican control (these treaties had not been ratified by the Mexican legislature). However, his forces continued to invade the Republic of Texas with the goal of regaining control, particularly of the territory between
174-694: A customs house . However, Iturbide subsequently removed Santa Anna from the post, prompting Santa Anna to rise in rebellion in December 1822 against Iturbide. He already had significant power in his home region of Veracruz, and "he was well along the path to becoming the regional caudillo ." Santa Anna claimed in his Plan of Veracruz that he rebelled because Iturbide had dissolved the Constituent Congress. He also promised to support free trade with Spain, an important principle for his home region of Veracruz. Although Santa Anna's initial rebellion
261-807: A ceremony attended by 1,000 people. They were buried in a large common tomb in 1848, in a cement vault on a bluff which was one mile south of La Grange. The grave site is now part of a state park, the Monument Hill and Kreische Brewery State Historic Sites . The Black Bean Episode is the subject of Frederic Remington 's painting The Mier Expedition: The Drawing of the Black Bean . Antonio L%C3%B3pez de Santa Anna Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón , usually known as Antonio López de Santa Anna ( Spanish pronunciation: [anˈtonjo ˈlopes ðe sanˈtana] ; 21 February 1794 – 21 June 1876), or just Santa Anna ,
348-597: A deal. Once back in Mexico at the head of an army, however, Santa Anna reneged on the deal and took up arms against the U.S. invasion. With no path now for a quick resolution to the conflict in the north, Polk authorized an invasion to take Mexico City, redirecting the bulk of General Zachary Taylor 's troops to General Winfield Scott 's army. Santa Anna mobilized troops and artillery and rapidly marched north. His forces outnumbered Taylor's, but his troops were exhausted, ill-clothed, hungry and equipped with inferior weapons when
435-602: A force of 2,600 troops. Santa Anna marched against the Barradas Expedition with a much smaller force and defeated the Spaniards, many of whom were suffering from yellow fever. The defeat of the Spanish Army not only firmly established Santa Anna as a national hero but also consolidated the independence of the new Mexican republic. From this point forward, Santa Anna styled himself the "Victor of Tampico" and
522-474: A lack of proper clothing and food shortages. Stretching a supply line far longer than ever before, there were not enough horses, mules, cattle and wagons available, resulting in units never having enough food, fuel, or feed. The medical facilities were minimal and poorly supplied. Morale sank as soldiers realized there were not enough chaplains to properly bury their bodies. Hostile Indians picked off stragglers and foragers. Waterborne sicknesses spread quickly when
609-465: A lawyer; his mother was Manuela Pérez de Lebrón y Cortés (died 1814). Santa Anna's family prospered in Veracruz, where the merchant class dominated politics. His paternal uncle, Ángel López de Santa Anna, was a public clerk ( escribano ) and became aggrieved when the town council of Veracruz prevented him from moving to Mexico City to advance his career. Since the late 18th-century Bourbon Reforms ,
696-470: A marsh; the general had hastily dressed himself in a dead Mexican dragoon's uniform but was quickly recognized. After three weeks in captivity. Texas President David G. Burnet and 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
783-675: A priest. The survivors who picked white beans, including Bigfoot Wallace and Samuel Walker , finished the march to Mexico City. They were later imprisoned at Perote Prison in the state of Veracruz , along with the 15 survivors of the Dawson Massacre and about 35 other men captured by General Adrián Woll in San Antonio. Some of the Texans escaped from Perote or died there. Most were prisoners until they were released, by order of Santa Anna, on September 16, 1844. In 1847, during
870-547: A promoter of federal republicanism. Although Santa Anna was believed to be a supporter of the Scottish Rite conservatives, and Santa Anna was himself a member of the Scottish Rite, in the Montaño rebellion he eventually threw his support to the liberals. In his home state of Veracruz, the governor had thrown his support to the rebels, and in the aftermath of the rebellion's failure, Santa Anna as vice-governor stepped into
957-513: A short war." Major (rank) Major is a senior military officer rank used in many countries. When used unhyphenated and in conjunction with no other indicators, major is one rank above captain in armies and air forces, and one rank below lieutenant colonel . It is considered the most junior of the senior officer ranks. Etymologically, the word stems from the Latin word major meaning "greater". The rank can be traced back to
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#17327806750911044-403: A test case for liberalism. At this point, Santa Anna was a liberal; by giving the moderate Gómez Farías responsibility for the reforms, he could have plausible deniability and closely monitor the reaction to a comprehensive attack on the special privileges of the army and the church, as well as confiscation of church wealth, enacted by Congress. In May 1834, Santa Anna ordered the disarmament of
1131-504: Is very true that I threw up my cap for liberty with great ardor, and perfect sincerity, but very soon found the folly of it. A hundred years to come my people will not be fit for liberty. They do not know what it is, unenlightened as they are, and under the influence of Catholic clergy, a despotism is a proper government for them, but there is no reason why it should not be a wise and virtuous one." After some time in exile, and after meeting U.S. President Andrew Jackson in 1837, Santa Anna
1218-679: The Mexican War of Independence , which entailed fighting the insurgency before switching sides against the crown, presaged his many shifts in allegiance during his later political career. In June 1810, the 16-year-old Santa Anna joined the Fijo de Veracruz infantry regiment. In September of that year, secular cleric Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla sparked a spontaneous mass uprising in the Bajío , Mexico's rich agricultural area. Although some creole elites had chafed as their upward mobility had been thwarted by
1305-815: The Mexican–American War , the U.S. Army occupied northeastern Mexico. Captain John E. Dusenbury, who was a white bean survivor, returned to El Rancho Salado and exhumed the remains of his comrades. He traveled with the remains on a ship to Galveston , and by wagon to La Grange in Fayette County, Texas . La Grange citizens retrieved the remains of the men killed in the Dawson Massacre from their burial site near Salado Creek in Bexar County . The remains of both groups of men were reinterred in
1392-627: The Pastry War . The Mexican government gave Santa Anna control of the army and ordered him to defend the nation by any means necessary. Santa Anna engaged the French at Veracruz but was forced to retreat after a failed assault, sustaining injuries in his 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. Despite Mexico's final capitulation to French demands, Santa Anna used his war service and visible sacrifice to
1479-545: The Republic of the Rio Grande , the Republic of Yucatán , and the Republic of Texas . Their fierce resistance was possibly fueled by Santa Anna's reprisals committed against his defeated enemies. The New York Post editorialized that "had Santa Anna treated the vanquished with moderation and generosity, it would have been difficult if not impossible to awaken that general sympathy for the people of Texas which now impels so many adventurous and ardent spirits to throng to
1566-580: The Second French Intervention in Mexico , and the establishment of the Second Mexican Empire . An elderly Santa Anna was allowed to return to the nation by President Sebastián Lerdo de Tejada in 1874, and he died in relative obscurity in 1876. Historians debate the exact number of his presidencies, as he would often share power and make use of puppet rulers ; biographer Will Fowler gives the figure of six terms while
1653-523: The Spanish crown had favored peninsular-born Spaniards over American-born; young Santa Anna's family was affected by the growing disgruntlement of creoles whose upward mobility was thwarted. Santa Anna's mother favored her son's choice of a military career, supporting his desire to join the Spanish Army , rather than be a shopkeeper as his father preferred. His mother's friendly relationship with
1740-693: The Texas State Historical Association claims five. Historian of Latin America, Alexander Dawson counts eleven times that Santa Anna assumed the presidency, often for short periods. The University of Texas Libraries cites the same figure of eleven times, but adds Santa Anna was only president for six years due to short terms. Santa Anna's legacy has subsequently come to be viewed as profoundly negative, with historians and many Mexicans ranking him as "the principal inhabitant even today of Mexico's black pantheon of those who failed
1827-458: The intendant (governor) of Veracruz secured Santa Anna's military appointment despite the fact that he was underage. His parents' marriage produced seven children, four sisters and two brothers, and Santa Anna was close to his sister Francisca and brother Manuel, who also joined the army. Santa Anna's origins on Mexico's eastern coast had important ramifications for his military career, as he had developed immunity from yellow fever , endemic to
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#17327806750911914-741: The "Age of Santa Anna". Santa Anna was in charge of the garrison at Veracruz at the time Mexico won independence in 1821. He would go on to play a notable role in the fall of the First Mexican Empire , the fall of the First Mexican Republic , the promulgation of the Constitution of 1835 , the establishment of the Centralist Republic of Mexico , the Texas Revolution , the Pastry War ,
2001-515: The "Savior of the Patria". His main act of self-promotion was to call himself the " Napoleon of the West". Three months later, in December 1829, Vice-president Anastasio Bustamante , a conservative, mounted a successful coup d'etat against President Guerrero, who left Mexico City to lead a counter-rebellion in the south. Guerrero was captured and executed after a summary trial in 1831, which shocked
2088-434: The "absentee president". Vice-president Valentín Gómez Farías took over the responsibility of governing the nation while Santa Anna retired to Manga de Clavo , his hacienda in Veracruz. Gómez Farías was a moderate, but he had a radical liberal congress with which to contend, perhaps a reason that Santa Anna left executive power to him. Mexico was faced with an empty treasury and an 11 million peso debt incurred by
2175-418: The "protector of the federation". Representatives from San Luis Potosí and other north-central regions, such as Michoacán , Querétaro , and Guanajuato , met to decide their own position towards the federation. Santa Anna pledged his military forces to the protection of these key areas. "He attempted, in other words, to co-opt the movement, the first of many examples in his long career where he placed himself as
2262-574: The Bourbon Reforms, the Hidalgo Revolt saw most creoles favoring continued crown rule. In particular, Santa Anna's family "saw themselves as aligned to the peninsular elite, whom they served, and were in turn recognized as belonging". Initially Santa Anna, like most creole military officers, fought for the crown against the mixed-raced insurgents for independence; his commanding officer was Colonel José Joaquín de Arredondo . In 1811 he
2349-553: The Bustamante government. Gómez Farías could not cut back on the bloated expenditures on the army and sought other revenues. Taking a chapter out of the late Bourbon Reforms, he targeted the Roman Catholic Church . Anticlericalism was a tenet of Mexican liberalism , and the church had supported Bustamante's government, so targeting that institution was a logical move. Tithing (a 10% tax on agricultural production)
2436-515: The Híjar-Padrés colony to bolster non-mission civilian settlement, as well as defend the province against perceived Russian colonial ambitions from the trading post at Fort Ross . However, for liberal intellectual and Catholic priest José María Luis Mora , selling church property was the key to "transforming Mexico into a liberal, progressive nation of small landowners." Sale of nonessential church property would bring in much-needed revenue to
2523-516: The Mexican-American War, President Mariano Paredes was removed from office, with the new government seeking to reinstate the constitution of 1824, with Santa Anna again assuming the presidency. Santa Anna, who had been in exile for only a year, returned to Mexico on 6 August 1846, two days after Paredes' ouster. He wrote to the new government stating he had no aspirations to the presidency but would eagerly use his military experience in
2610-777: The Mexicans would strip his body after he was dead, he removed his pants and gave them to a companion whose clothing was in worse shape. He was shot with the sixteen others who drew black beans on March 25, 1843. His last words were reported to have been, "Tell my friends I die with grace." The other sixteen who drew black beans in the lottery were William Mosby Eastland, Patrick Mahan, James M. Ogden, James N. Torrey, Martin Carroll Wing, John L. Cash, Robert Holmes Dunham, Edward E. Este, Robert Harris, Thomas L. Jones, Christopher Roberts, William N. Rowan, James L. Shepherd, J. N. M. Thomson, James Turnbull, and Henry Walling. Shepherd survived
2697-489: The North was routed. The Battle for Mexico City and the Battle of Chapultepec , like the others, were hard fought losses, and American forces took the capital. "Despite his many faults as a tactician and his overbearing political ambition, Santa Anna was committed to fighting to the bitter end. His actions would prolong the war for at least a year, and more than any other single person it was Santa Anna who denied Polk's dream of
Mier expedition - Misplaced Pages Continue
2784-572: The Rio Grande and Nueces River. Texas had hardly any settlements there. On September 17, 1842, Texian and Mexican forces engaged at Salado Creek , east of San Antonio . After a separate favorable Texian engagement earlier in the day, a reinforcement company of 54 Texas militia, mostly from Fayette County , under the command of Nicholas Mosby Dawson , began advancing on the rear of the Mexican Army. The Mexican commander, General Adrián Woll , sent 500 of his cavalrymen and two cannons to attack
2871-508: The Spanish were reinforcing their colony, so the invasion was called off. Former insurgent general Guadalupe Victoria , a liberal federalist, became the first president of the Mexican republic in 1824, following the creation of the constitution of 1824 . Victoria came to the presidency with little factional conflict, and served out his entire four-year term. However, the election of 1828
2958-474: The Texans were blindfolded and ordered to draw beans. Officers and enlisted men, in alphabetical order, were ordered to draw. The seventeen men who drew black beans were allowed to write letters home before being executed by firing squad. On the evening of March 25, 1843, the Texians were shot in two groups, one of nine men and one of eight. According to legend, Huerta placed the black beans in the jar last and had
3045-702: The Texas government guaranteed Santa Anna's safety and transport to Veracruz. Meanwhile, in Mexico City, a new government declared that Santa Anna was no longer president and that the Treaties were null and void. While Santa Anna was held captive in Texas, Poinsett offered a harsh assessment of his situation: "Say to General Santa Anna that when I remember how ardent an advocate he was of liberty ten years ago, I have no sympathy for him now, that he has gotten what he deserves." Santa Anna replied: "Say to Mr. Poinsett that it
3132-582: The aid of their brethren." The Zacatecas militia, the largest and best supplied of the Mexican states, led by Francisco García Salinas , was well armed with .753 caliber British ' Brown Bess ' muskets and Baker .61 rifles . But, after two hours of combat on 12 May 1835, Santa Anna's "Army of Operations" defeated the Zacatecan militia and took almost 3,000 prisoners. He allowed his army to loot Zacatecas City for forty-eight hours. After conquering Zacatecas, he planned to move on to Coahuila y Tejas to quell
3219-502: The capital was dug up by a mob and dragged through the streets until nothing was left of it. Fearing for his life, Santa Anna tried to elude capture, but in January 1845 he was apprehended by a group of Native Americans near Xico . They turned him over to authorities, and he was imprisoned. Santa Anna's life was ultimately spared, but he was exiled to Cuba. In 1846, following American victories at Palo Alto and Resaca de la Palma in
3306-549: The civic militia and urged Congress to abolish the controversial Ley del Caso . On 12 June he dissolved Congress and announced his decision to adopt the Plan of Cuernavaca, forming a new Catholic, centralist and conservative government. Santa Anna brokered a deal where, in exchange for preserving the privileges of the church and the army, the church promised a monthly donation to the government of 30,000–40,000 pesos. "The santanistas [supporters of Santa Anna] succeeded in achieving what
3393-554: The country. Gómez Farías claimed that Santa Anna was the driving force for the law, which evidence seems to support. With increasing resistance from the church as well as the army, the Plan of Cuernavaca was issued, likely orchestrated by former general and governor of the Federal District, José María Tornel . The plan called for repeal of the Ley del Caso ; discouraged tolerance of the influence of Masonic lodges , where politics
3480-495: The defenders of Alamo was his only option, stressing that Texan commander William B. Travis was to blame for the degree of violence during the battle. Santa Anna believed that Travis was disrespectful towards him, and that if he had spared the Texans, it would have allowed Sam Houston to establish a dominant position that could threaten him later. The Mexican victory at the Alamo bought time for Houston and his Texas forces. During
3567-583: The elder Austin died. Santa Anna marched north to bring Texas back under Mexican control by a brutal show of force . His expedition posed challenges of manpower, logistics, supply and strategy far beyond what he was prepared for, and it ended in disaster. To fund, organize and equip his army, Santa Anna relied, as he often did, on forcing wealthy men to "loan" him funds. He recruited hastily, sweeping up many derelicts and ex-convicts, as well as Indians who could not understand Spanish commands. Having expected tropical weather, Santa Anna's army suffered from cold,
Mier expedition - Misplaced Pages Continue
3654-478: The expeditionary force to pull back from the Rio Grande to Gonzales but only 400 soldiers retreated as ordered. On December 20, 1842, the remaining 350 Texan soldiers under the command of William S. Fisher, approached Ciudad Mier. They camped on the Texas side of the Rio Grande and proceeded to participate in the capture of the town. The Texans were unaware of the true number of Mexican troops stationed within
3741-644: The federalist constitution with a unitary central government, seemingly uneasy with their political path. "Although he has been blamed for the change to centralism, he was not actually present during any of the deliberations that led to the abolition of the federalist charter or the elaboration of the 1836 Constitution." Several states openly rebelled against the changes, including Alta California, Nuevo México , Tabasco , Sonora , Coahuila y Tejas , San Luis Potosí, Querétaro, Durango , Guanajuato, Michoacán, Yucatán, Jalisco , Nuevo León , Tamaulipas , and Zacatecas . Several of these states formed their own governments:
3828-512: The fight for independence. Political developments in Spain, where liberals had ousted King Ferdinand VII and began implementing the Spanish liberal constitution of 1812 , made many elites in Mexico reconsider their options. Iturbide, now Emperor Augustin I, rewarded Santa Anna with the command of the vital port of Veracruz, the gateway from the Gulf of Mexico to the rest of the nation and site of
3915-532: The fighting into Mexico City, with his supporters seizing an armory, the Acordada . President-elect Gómez Pedraza resigned and soon after went into exile , clearing the way for Guerrero to assume office. Santa Anna gained prominence for his role in Gómez Pedraza's ouster, and was lauded as a defender of federalism and democracy. In 1829, Spain made a final attempt to retake Mexico, invading Tampico with
4002-468: The firing squad by pretending to be dead. The guards left him for dead in the courtyard, and he escaped in the night but was recaptured and shot. Eastland County, Texas , is named after William Mosby Eastland. Captain Ewen Cameron had drawn a white bean, but was ordered executed anyway by Santa Anna a month later while being held at Perote Prison . As he waited to die, Cameron refused to confess to
4089-399: The governorship. In the 1828 election, Santa Anna supported Guerrero, who was a candidate for the presidency. Another important liberal, Lorenzo de Zavala , also supported Guerrero. However, conservative Manuel Gómez Pedraza won the indirect elections for the presidency, with Guerrero coming in second. Even before all the votes had been counted, Santa Anna raised a rebellion and called for
4176-544: The group. The Texians held their own against the Mexican soldiers, but their fatalities mounted after the cannons came within range. The battle lasted just over an hour, resulting in 36 Texians dead and 15 captured in what Texans called the Dawson Massacre . Alex Somervell and 700 Texas soldiers took off for San Antonio to punish the Mexican army for raiding parts of Texas, on November 25, 1842. The soldiers had regained control of Laredo on December 7, 1842, with 700 soldiers. The same day, Alex Somervell and his soldiers took over
4263-487: The halls of power in Mexico City, which were dominated by cliques of elite men, and thus he frequently made retreats to his base in Veracruz. He cultivated contact with ordinary Mexican men and pursued entertainments such as cockfighting . Over his career, Santa Anna was a populist caudillo , a strongman wielding both military and political power, similar to others who emerged in the wake of Spanish American wars of independence . Santa Anna's early military career during
4350-831: The head of a generalized movement so it would become an instrument of his advancement." In May 1823, following Iturbide's abdication as emperor in March, Santa Anna was sent to command in Yucatán . At the time, Yucatán's capital of Mérida and the port city of Campeche were in conflict. Yucatán's closest trade partner was Cuba, a Spanish colony. Santa Anna took it upon himself to plan a landing force from Yucatán in Cuba, which he envisioned would result in Cuban colonists welcoming their "liberators", most especially himself. One thousand Mexicans were already on ships to sail to Cuba when word came that
4437-457: The initial rebellion, the young officer witnessed Arredondo's fierce counterinsurgency policy of mass executions. The early fighting against the rebels gave way to guerrilla warfare and a military stalemate . When royalist officer Agustín de Iturbide switched sides in 1821 and allied with insurgent Vicente Guerrero , fighting for independence under the Plan of Iguala , Santa Anna also joined
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#17327806750914524-480: The invaders and protect the capital. For the Mexicans it would have been better if Scott could have been prevented from leaving the Gulf Coast, but they could not prevent Scott's march on Xalapa . Santa Anna set defenses at Cerro Gordo . U.S. forces outflanked him and against strong odds defeated his army. With that battle, the way was clear for Scott's forces to advance further onto Mexico City. Santa Anna's aim
4611-405: The liberal Constitution of 1824 in 1835 and in restoring it in 1847. He came to power as a liberal twice in 1832 and in 1847 respectively, both times sharing power with the liberal statesman Valentín Gómez Farías , and both times Santa Anna overthrew Gómez Farías after switching sides to the conservatives. Santa Anna was also known for his ostentatious and dictatorial style of rule, making use of
4698-588: The men were forced to drink any water they could find on the trail. The officers proved to be mostly incompetent, yet the highly insulated and rigid hierarchy of the army meant that Santa Anna was kept ignorant of these problems. Santa Anna's forces killed 189 Texan defenders at the Battle of the Alamo on 6 March 1836, and executed more than 342 Texan prisoners at the Goliad Massacre on 27 March 1836. However, his forces suffered unexpectedly heavy casualties. In an 1874 letter, Santa Anna asserted that killing
4785-525: The military to dissolve Congress multiple times and referring to himself by the honorific title of His Most Serene Highness . His intermittent periods of rule, which lasted from 1832 to 1853, witnessed the loss of Texas , a series of military failures during the Mexican–American War, and the ensuing Mexican Cession . His leadership in the war and his willingness to fight to the bitter end prolonged that conflict: "more than any other single person it
4872-427: The mountainous Mexican desert resulted in 176 of them surrendering or being recaptured. This was in the vicinity of Salado , Tamaulipas . When the prisoners reached Saltillo , Coahuila , they learned that an outraged Santa Anna had ordered all the escapees to be executed, but General and Governor Francisco Mejia of the state of Coahuila refused to follow the order. The new commander, Colonel Domingo Huerta , moved
4959-434: The nation to re-enter Mexican politics. Soon after, with Bustamante's presidency descending into chaos, supporters asked Santa Anna to take control of the provisional government. Santa Anna was made president for the fifth time, taking over a nation with an empty treasury. The war with France had weakened the country, and the people were discontented. Also, a rebel army led by Generals José de Urrea and José Antonio Mexía ,
5046-472: The nation". He is considered one of the most unpopular and controversial Mexican presidents of the 19th century. Antonio de Padua María Severino López de Santa Anna y Pérez de Lebrón was born in Xalapa , Veracruz , Nueva España (New Spain), on 21 February 1794 into a respected Spanish family. He was named after his father, licenciado Antonio López de Santa Anna y Pérez (born 1761), a university graduate and
5133-575: The nation. In 1832, Santa Anna seized the customs revenues from Veracruz and declared himself in rebellion against Bustamante. The bloody conflict ended with Santa Anna forcing the resignation of Bustamante's cabinet, and an agreement was brokered for new elections in 1833. Santa Anna was elected president on 1 April 1833, but while he desired the title, he was not interested in governing. According to Mexican historian Enrique Krauze , "It annoyed him and bored him, and perhaps frightened him." A biographer of Santa Anna describes his role during this period as
5220-433: The new conflict with the U.S. U.S. President James K. Polk had hoped to acquire territory in the north by purchase or force, but the Mexican government was not willing to yield. In a gambit to change the dynamic, Polk sent agents to secretly meet with the exiled Santa Anna. They thought they had extracted a promise from him that they would lift a blockade of the Mexican coast to allow him to return and that he would broker
5307-401: The nullification of the election results, as well for a new law expelling Spanish nationals who he believed to have been in league with the conservatives. The rebellion initially had few supporters, although southern Mexican leader Juan Álvarez soon Santa Anna, while Zavala, under threat of arrest by the conservative Senate , fled to the mountains and organized his own rebellion. Zavala brought
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#17327806750915394-417: The officers pick first, so that they would make up the majority of those killed. The first Texan to draw a black bean was Major James Decatur Cocke . A witness recalled that Cocke held up the bean between his forefinger and thumb, and with a smile of contempt, said, "Boys, I told you so; I never failed in my life to draw a prize." He later told a fellow Texan, "They only rob me of forty years." Fearing that
5481-488: The potential benefits of annexation by the more powerful U.S. Following the 1842 elections, at which a new Congress was elected which opposed his rule, Santa Anna attempted to restore the treasury by raising taxes. Several Mexican states stopped dealing with the central government in response, and Yucatán and Laredo declared themselves independent republics. With resentment growing, Santa Anna stepped down and fled Mexico City in December 1844. The buried leg he left behind in
5568-599: The prisoners to El Rancho Salado. By this time, diplomatic efforts on behalf of Texas by the foreign ministers of the United States and Great Britain led Santa Anna to compromise: he said one in ten of the prisoners would be killed. To help determine who would die, Huerta had 159 white beans and 17 black beans placed in a pot. In what came to be known as the Black Bean Episode or the Bean Lottery,
5655-669: The promulgation of the Constitution of 1843 , and the Mexican–American War . He became well known in the United States due to his role in the Texas Revolution and in the Mexican–American War. Throughout his political career, Santa Anna was known for switching sides in the recurring conflict between the Liberal Party and the Conservative Party . He managed to play a prominent role in both discarding
5742-471: The radicals had failed to do: forcing the Church to assist the republic's daily fiscal needs with its funds and properties." On 4 January 1835, Santa Anna returned to his hacienda , placing Miguel Barragán as acting president. He soon replaced the 1824 constitution with the new document known as the " Siete Leyes " ("The Seven Laws"). Santa Anna did not involve himself with the conservative effort to replace
5829-430: The rank of sergeant major general , which was shortened to sergeant major , and subsequently shortened to major . When used in hyphenated or combined fashion, the term can also imply seniority at other levels of rank, including major general , denoting a low-level general officer, and sergeant major , denoting the most senior non-commissioned officer (NCO) of a military unit. The term major can also be used with
5916-457: The rebellion there, which was being supported by settlers from the United States . In 1835, Santa Anna repealed the Mexican constitution, which ultimately led to the beginning of the Texas Revolution. His 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
6003-445: The rebels. The new coalition proclaimed the Plan of Casa Mata , which called for the end of the monarchy, restoration of the Constituent Congress, and creation of a republic and a federal system . No longer the main player in the movement against Iturbide or the creation of new political arrangements, Santa Anna sought to regain his position as a leader and marched forces to Tampico , then to San Luis Potosí, proclaiming his role as
6090-436: The reforms, Santa Anna was persuaded to return to the presidency and Gómez Farías resigned. This set the stage for conservatives to reshape Mexico's government from a federalist republic to a unitary central republic. For conservatives, the liberal reform of Gómez Farías was radical and threatened the power of the elites. Santa Anna's actions in allowing this first reform (followed by a more sweeping one in 1855) might have been
6177-486: The region. The port of Veracruz and environs were known to be unhealthy for those not native to the region, so he had a personal strategic advantage against military officers from elsewhere. Being an officer in a time of war was a way that a provincial, middle-class man could vault from obscurity to a position of leadership. Santa Anna distinguished himself in battle, a path that led him to a national political career. Santa Anna's provincial origins made him uncomfortable in
6264-700: The siege, the Texian Navy had more time to plunder ports along the Gulf of Mexico, and the Texian Army gained more experience and weaponry. Despite Houston's lack of ability to maintain strict control of the Army, they completely routed Santa Anna's much larger army at the Battle of San Jacinto on 21 April 1836. The day after the battle, a small Texan force led by James Austin Sylvester captured Santa Anna near
6351-467: The town of Guerrero. By the time they took over the town, there were only 500 soldiers left from regaining Laredo (Guerrero was owned by Mexico). Lacking soldiers, Somervell ordered his men to return from the expedition on December 19, 1842. More men joined the Texan's force at La Grange; they then Marched to Ciudad Mier under the command of William S. Fisher. The expedition then failed. Sam Houston ordered
6438-403: The town. Once inside the city, the Texan soldiers were ambushed from their flanks and eventually surrendered in order to avoid the infamous Degüello . The Mexicans army took 243 Texans as prisoner and marched them toward Mexico City via Matamoros , Tamaulipas , and Monterrey , Nuevo León . On February 11, 1843, 181 Texans escaped but, by the end of the month, the lack of food and water in
6525-428: The treasury. The army was also targeted for reform, since it was the largest single expenditure in the national budget. On Santa Anna's suggestion, the number of battalions was to be reduced as well as the number of generals and brigadiers. The government soon issued a law, the Ley del Caso, which called for the arrest of 51 politicians, including Bustamante, for holding "unpatriotic" beliefs and their expulsion from
6612-430: The two armies clashed at the Battle of Buena Vista on 22–23 February 1847. Hard fighting over two days brought an inconclusive result, with Santa Anna withdrawing from the field of battle overnight just as complete victory was at hand, taking war trophies such as cannons and battle flags as evidence of his victory. With Scott's army landing at Veracruz , Santa Anna's home ground, he rapidly moved southward to engage with
6699-589: Was Santa Anna who denied Polk 's dream of a short war." Even after the war was over, Santa Anna continued to cede national territory to the Americans through the Gadsden Purchase in 1853. After he was overthrown and exiled in 1855 through the liberal Plan of Ayutla , Santa Anna began to fade into the background in Mexican politics even as the nation entered the decisive period of the Reform War ,
6786-428: Was a Mexican soldier, politician, and caudillo who served as the 8th president of Mexico on multiple times between 1833 and 1855. He also served as vice president of Mexico from 1837 to 1839. He was a controversial and pivotal figure in Mexican politics during the 19th century, to the point that he has been called an "uncrowned monarch", and historians often refer to the three decades after Mexican independence as
6873-618: Was a response to the U.S. attempts to purchase Texas from Mexico. Like other states discontented with the central government, the Texas Department of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas rebelled in late 1835 and declared itself independent on 2 March 1836. The northeastern part of the state had been settled by numerous American immigrants. Moses Austin , the father of Stephen F. Austin , had his party accepted by Spanish authorities in exchange for defense against foreign threats. However, Mexico had declared independence from Spain before
6960-533: Was abolished as a legal obligation, and church property and finances were seized. The church's role in education was reduced and the Royal and Pontifical University of Mexico closed. All this caused concern among Mexican conservatives. Gómez Farías sought to extend these reforms to the frontier province of Alta California , promoting legislation to secularize the Franciscan missions there. In 1833 he organized
7047-496: Was allowed to return to Mexico. He was transported aboard the USS Pioneer to retire to his hacienda in Veracruz. There he wrote a manifesto in which he reflected on his experiences and decision-making in Texas. In 1838, Santa Anna found a chance for redemption from the loss of Texas. After Mexico rejected demands for financial compensation for losses suffered by its citizens, France sent forces that landed in Veracruz in
7134-408: Was important, Iturbide had loyal military men who were able to hold their own against the rebels in Veracruz. However, former insurgent leaders Guerrero and Nicolás Bravo , who had supported Iturbide's Plan de Iguala, returned to their base in southern Mexico and raised a rebellion against Iturbide. The commander of imperial forces in Veracruz, who had fought against the rebels, changed sides and joined
7221-525: Was marching towards Mexico City in opposition to Santa Anna. Commanding the army, Santa Anna crushed the rebellion in Puebla . Santa Anna ruled in a more dictatorial fashion than during his first administration. His government banned anti-Santanista newspapers and jailed dissidents to suppress opposition. In 1842, he directed a military expedition into Texas . The action inflicted numerous casualties with no political gain, but Texans began to be persuaded of
7308-429: Was pursued in secrecy; declared void the laws passed by Congress and the local legislatures in favor of the reforms; requested the protection of Santa Anna to fulfill the plan and recognize him as the only authority; removed from office deputies and officials who carried out enforcement of the reform laws and decrees; and provided military force to support Gómez Farías in implementing the plan. As opinion turned against
7395-529: Was quite different, with considerable political conflict in which Santa Anna became involved. Even before the election, there was unrest in Mexico, with some conservatives affiliated with the Scottish Rite Freemasons plotting rebellion. The so-called Montaño rebellion in December 1827 called for the prohibition of secret societies , implicitly meaning liberal York Rite Freemasons, and the expulsion of U.S. diplomat Joel Roberts Poinsett ,
7482-480: Was to protect the capital at all costs and waged defensive warfare, placing strong defenses on the most direct road into the city at El Peñon, which Scott then avoided. Battles at Contreras , Churubusco , and Molino del Rey were lost. At Contreras, Mexican General Gabriel Valencia , an old political and military rival of Santa Anna's, did not recognize his authority as supreme commander and disobeyed his orders as to where his troops should be placed. Valencia's Army of
7569-596: Was wounded in the left hand by an arrow while fighting in the town of Amoladeras, in the intendancy (administrative district) of San Luis Potosí . In 1813 he served in Texas against the Gutiérrez–Magee Expedition and at the Battle of Medina , in which he was cited for bravery. Santa Anna was promoted quickly; he became a second lieutenant in February 1812 and first lieutenant before the end of that year. During
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