Descriptive Summary
Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794?-1876.
Antonio López de Santa Anna Collection
1821-1878
4 inches.
29948821
Benson Latin American Collection,
University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin
Correspondence and literary productions of Antonio López de Santa Anna, President of Mexico, pertaining to Mexican military and government affairs in the nineteenth century.
Spanish or Castilian.
Biographical Note
President of Mexico. Born 1794 or 1795 in Jalapa; died 1876 in Mexico City. Began military career in 1810; promoted to brigadier general in 1822. Offices and honors include: governor of Yucatan (ca. 1825 and 1829), governor of Veracruz (1828), benemérito de la patria (1829), and benemérito en grado heróico (1835).
Santa Anna was first named president of Mexico on March 30, 1833, which position he repeatedly abdicated and resumed until leaving the office for the final time in 1855. He led Mexican forces in 1835 and 1836 in the campaign against Texas independence, and in 1847 in the war with the United States. During the latter he served alternately as president and as military commander.
Santa Anna spent repeated periods of exile in the Caribbean. Upon one return to Mexico in February 1864, he promptly was deported by General Achille Bazaine for failing to abide by the terms of the agreement allowing his reentry. Santa Anna was imprisoned in 1867 then exiled until 1874, when he returned to Mexico under a general amnesty. He died in poverty in Mexico City on June 20, 1876.
Chronology
21 Feb 1794/5
born in Jalapa, Veracruz
6 July 1810
entered the Veracruz infantry as a cadet
13 March 1811
went with his regiment to Tampico to suppress insurgents working for the separation of Texas
1813
returned to Veracruz, promoted for bravery to first lieutenant
1814
made aide to General Dávila, royalist commander of Veracruz
March 1816
promoted to captain
March 1821
given command of troops in Veracruz, sent to rescue Orizaba and Córdoba from pro-independence forces
23 March 1821
arrived in Orizaba, defeated the insurgent Miranda
29 March 1821
General Herrera arrived, as did dispatch from Viceroy making Santa Anna lieutenant colonel as reward for Miranda's defeat; Santa Anna joined Herrera in support of Iturbide
25 April 1821
Santa Anna came to Herrera's aid at Tepeaca, defeated the Spanish colonel Hevia
rewarded by Iturbide with promotion to Chief of the Army's 11th Division
July 1821
surrounded Veracruz and suggested that his old protector General Dávila surrender to him; Dávila successfully resisted
21 July 1821
Viceroy Juan O'Donojú arrived en route to Córdoba, where Iturbide awaited him to finalize treaties ending Spain's dominance of Mexico
Dávila withdrew from Veracruz at the end of October, still faithful to Ferdinand VII
27 Sept 1821
Trigarante army entered Mexico City
28 Sept 1821
Regency established
25 Oct 1822
Santa Anna with General Rincón took Veracruz
Iturbide named Santa Anna brigadier general and Commander of the Province of Veracruz
16 Nov 1822
suspicious of Santa Anna, Iturbide arrived in Jalapa, removed Santa Anna from his command, ordered him to join the Junta de Guerra in Mexico City; Santa Anna instead returned to Veracruz
2 Dec 1822
in Veracruz, Santa Anna proclaimed ?la República,? declared Iturbide's reign ?invalid,? demanded new Congreso Constituyente
1 Feb 1823
Plan de Casa Mata signed
19 March 1823
Iturbide abdicated
government sent Santa Anna to San Luis Potosí as commander of the province
5 June 1823
Santa Anna announced his support of the Federal Republic
called to Mexico, Santa Anna placed under house arrest
freed by intervention of Vicente Guerrero, was reinstated as brigadier general and named military commander of Yucatán
mid-1824
arrived at Campeche
declared war on Spain, tried to invade Cuba against the wishes of the Mexican government
25 April 1825
government accepted Santa Anna's resignation as Governor (?) of Yucatán
President Guadalupe Victoria named him director of the Corps of Engineers, but Santa Anna soon gave up post; went to Alvarado (Veracruz), married Inés de la Paz, n.d. (Inés García?), bought hacienda of Manga de Clavo
30 Dec 1826 (23 Dec 1827?)
Vicente Guerrero sent to put down Montaño's rebellion at Otumba; Santa Anna offered his services to Guerrero
7 January 1828
Santa Anna and Guerrero defeated and exiled Barragán and Bravo
Santa Anna named Governor of Veracruz in Barragán's place
1 Sept 1828
Congress declared Pedraza president and Vicente Guerrero vice-president
12 Sept 1828
Santa Anna demanded that presidency be given to Guerrero
3 Dec 1828
Pedraza fled the presidency
8 Dec 1828
Guerrero named secretary of war
1 April 1829
Guerrero became president
Santa Anna again Governor of Veracruz
27 July 1829
Spanish under Barradas took Tampico
11 Sept 1829
Santa Anna with General Mier y Terán defeated Barradas' troops
Santa Anna named ?Benemérito de la Patria?
4 Oct 1829
Santa Anna returned to Veracruz
4 Dec 1829
refused to administer the Plan of Jalapa with Bustamante against Guerrero
3 Jan 1830
renounced his politico-military duties
2 Jan 1832
Military garrison of Veracruz rebelled against Bustamante, Santa Anna offered to mediate
government accused Santa Anna of leading rebellion
March 1832
Santa Anna defeated by government forces
5 Oct 1832
Pedraza returned from the U.S.
24 Dec 1832
Pedraza assumed presidency in Puebla
3 Jan 1833
Pedraza and Santa Anna entered Mexico City
30 March 1833
Santa Anna named President, with Gómez Farías as vice-president
1 April 1833
Gómez Farías became president as Santa Anna pleaded ill health; Farías'policies proved unpopular
16 May 1833
Santa Anna resumed presidency
3 June 1833
Santa Anna returned presidency to Farías
took command of the army so as to subdue insurrections of Morelia and Tlalpan
held captive by Arista while Gómez Farías put down rebellion
5 July 1833
Santa Anna pursued Arista
12 Oct 1833
defeated Arista in Guanajuato
27 Oct 1833
Santa Anna resumed presidency
15 Dec 1833
left presidency, requesting from Congress 6 months' leave because of his health
24 April 1834
Santa Anna resumed presidency
27 Jan 1835
Santa Anna left presidency
11 May 1835
defeated Salinas in Battle of Guadalupe, Zacatecas
named ?Benemérito en grado heróico?
headed exposition to quell uprising in Texas
26 Feb 1836
entered Texas, attacked Alamo
6 Mar 1836
attacked presidio of Espíritu Santo
21 Apr 1836
defeated by Houston at San Jacinto
18 Jan 1837
interviewed by U.S. President Jackson
21 Feb 1837
returned to Veracruz by boat, to the cheers of the populace
27 Nov 1838
French fired on San Juan de Ulúa, Santa Anna defended
5 Dec 1838
lost leg
20 March 1839
Santa Anna succeeded Bustamante as interim president
30 April 1839
defeated federalists Mejía and Urrea at Acajete
10 July 1839
surrendered presidency to Nicolás Bravo
10 Oct 1841
Santa Anna resumed presidency
26 Oct 1842
returned presidency to Bravo
4 March 1843
Santa Anna resumed presidency
first wife died; married Dolores de Tosta
4 Oct 1843
surrendered presidency to Canalizo
4 June 1844
Santa Anna took oath as constitutional president
7 Sept 1844
obtained leave of absence from presidency
19 Nov 1844
Paredes y Arrillaga rebelled in Guadalajara
Santa Anna attacked Arrillaga without consent of Congress
Santa Anna's army deserted; he was captured and exiled
3 June 1845
Santa Anna left Veracruz for Havana
4 Aug 1846
Paredes y Arrillaga removed from office
22 Aug 1846
Santa Anna returned to Veracruz, proclaiming the reestablishment of the Constitution of 1824
6 Dec 1846
Congress named Santa Anna interim president
Santa Anna surrendered presidency to Gómez Farías
went to San Luis Potosí to rally troops against U.S. General Taylor
26 Jan 1847
Santa Anna attacked Taylor
23 Feb 1847
defeated Taylor
21 March 1847
Santa Anna resumed presidency
2 April 1847
surrendered presidency to Anaya
went to fight U.S. General Scott in Veracruz
20 May 1847
Santa Anna resumed the presidency
lost five battles against U.S.
16 Sept 1847
surrendered presidency, escaped via Guatemala or the U.S., sailed to Jamaica then to Turbaco, Colombia
1 April 1853
returned to Veracruz
19 April 1853
made triumphal entry into Mexico City
20 April 1853
Santa Anna resumed the Presidency
16 Dec 1853
Council of State gave Santa Anna ?facultades omnímodas,? title of ?alteza serenísima?
1 March 1854
Plan of Ayutla against Santa Anna
9 Aug 1855
Santa Anna renounced Presidency
went to Havana, then Turbaco, Colombia
27 Feb 1864
Santa Anna returned to Veracruz, promising Bazaine not to be politically active, but continued seeking support
12 March 1864
Bazaine deported Santa Anna from Veracruz
Jan 1866
Santa Anna visited by U.S. Secretary of State Seward on island of St. Thomas
3 June 1867
Santa Anna returned to Veracruz, claiming U.S. endorsement
4 June 1867
Santa Anna taken with U.S. help to Sisal, Yucatán, and imprisoned
30 July 1867
Santa Anna moved to prison of San Juan de Ulúa
Santa Anna's death sentence commuted to exile
2 Nov 1867
Santa Anna sailed to Havana, then to the Bahamas
1874
Santa Anna allowed to return to Mexico by Lerdo de Tejada under a general amnesty
20 June 1876
died in poverty in Mexico City
Scope and Contents
Correspondence and literary productions. Correspondence pertains to Mexican military and government affairs in the nineteenth century. Santa Anna's correspondence with Manuel María Giménez (G430) spans the period 1829-1875. It stems mostly from his periods of absence from the government but reflects his plans and opinions on the military and internal affairs of Mexico. Correspondence with Francisco de P. Mora (G518) consists of copies of letters exchanged by Santa Anna and Mora during 1865-1866 concerning their plans for a national movement to restore Mexican independence, which Santa Anna was to head, and Santa Anna's expectations that the United States would assist Mexico against the French. Letters referred to in the published guide as correspondence with Valentín Gómez Farías were all authored by Santa Anna, in 1847.
Literary productions include "Documento precioso para la biografia del General Santa Ana" (G387), which details a disagreement over a debt incurred in 1813 related to alleged misuse of military funds (G387 was originally in the Lucas Alamán papers, according to a note made by C. E. Castañeda); "El eccmo señor general don Antonio López de Santa Anna en Veracruz" (G505-2), an account of Santa Anna's 1838 entrance into Veracruz; "Mis memorias, escritas... en mi ultimo destierro" (G546), Santa Anna's memoir; "Manifest which General Santa Anna addresses to his fellow citizens relative to his operations during the Texas campaign and his capture" (although this is listed in the published guide as "Manifiesto," it is an English translation of the original); a September 16, 1847, address by Santa Anna to the citizenry, announcing the abandonment of the capital and his renunciation of the presidency; a draft of Genaro García's introduction to Santa Anna's memoirs; and research notes.
Also included in the collection are a typescript copy of Santa Anna's will, and "Indice de un paquete de cartas reservadas que se hallaba en la Secretaria llamada de Estampilla" (G411).
The materials are in Spanish.
Organization
Organized into two subseries: Archives and Manuscripts.
Arrangement
Archival documents are arranged chronologically within folders. Manuscripts are arranged numerically.
Acquisitions Information
The Antonio López de Santa Anna Collection forms part of the Genaro García Collection, which was purchased by the University of Texas in 1921 from the heirs of Genaro García.
Processing Information
The Antonio López de Santa Anna Collection was arranged into subgroups by earlier library staff.
The Santa Anna Collection was described by the Benson's Mexican Archives Project in January 1994.
Finding aid initially prepared by the Mexican Archives Project, February 13, 1995.
Preferred Citation
Antonio López de Santa Anna Collection, 1821-1878, Benson Latin American Collection, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.
Alternate Form Available
The materials are also available on microfilm.
Index Terms
Subjects
Santa Anna, Antonio López de, 1794?-1876--Archives.
Mexico--History--19th century--Sources.
Mexico--History, Military--19th century--Sources.
Mexico--Politics and government--19th century--Sources.
Texas--History--Revolution, 1835-1836--Sources.
Veracruz (Veracruz, Mexico)--History--Sources.
Mexican War, 1846-1848--Sources.
Other Authors
Giménez, Manuel María, 1798-1878
Bazaine, Achille François, 1811-1888
Mora, Francisco de P.
Other Finding Aids
The following guide is available in the Benson Latin American Collection Rare Books Reference:
Castañeda, Carlos Eduardo, 1896-1958.
Guide to the Latin American Manuscripts in the University of Texas Library.
Cambridge, Mass. :
Harvard University Press,
1939.
Publications
The following publications were based in part on the collection:
García, Genaro, 1867-1920.
Documentos inéditos ó muy raros para la historia de México.
Volume 2 and 29.
Mexico City :
Vda. de C. Bouret,
1905,1910.
Castañeda, Carlos Eduardo, 1896-1958.
The Mexican side of the Texan revolution.
Dallas :
P. L. Turner,
1928.
Related Material
García, Genaro, 1867-1920.
Genaro García Collection, 15-- - 1920?,
Benson Latin American Collection, University of Texas Libraries, The University of Texas at Austin.
Subgroups and Series
I. Archives
1. Series, Correspondence, 1833-1868.
2. Series, Literary productions.
a. Manifiestos, proclamas, etc.
December 2, 1822. Proclamas del Brigadier Santa Anna a los habitantes y tropa de Veracruz.
December 23, 1832. Convenio celebrado entre las divisiones al mando de los ecsmos. señores d. Anastasio Bustamante y d. Antonio Lopez de Santa-Anna.
April 29, 1834 (oversized)
May 10, 1837. "Manifest which General Antonio López de Santa Anna addresses to his fellow citizens relative to his operations during the Texas campaign and his capture."
September 16, 1847. Announces abandonment of capital and renunciation of presidency.
b. Draft of Genaro García's introduction to Santa Anna's memoirs.
c. Research notes.
3. "Copia del Testamento de Santa Anna," Veracruz, September 26, 1827.
II. Manuscripts
G387
"Documento precioso para la biografia del General Santa Ana," 1821.
Details a disagreement over a debt incurred in 1813 related to alleged misuse of military funds.
G411
"Indice de un paquete de cartas reservadas que se hallaba en la Secretaria llamada de Estampilla," 1823.
G430
"Correspondencia autografa del Exmo. Sr. Gral. Santa-Anna y el Coronel Manuel Maria Jimenez," 1829-1875.
Stems mostly from Santa Anna's periods of absence from the government but reflects his plans and opinions on the military and internal affairs of Mexico. Includes a letter dated 1878 from Giménez to Santa Anna's daughter, and a note from Giménez dated January 26, 1878, recording the date of Santa Anna's death.
Attached to G430-68 is "Acontecimientos acaecidos en Veracruz con el exmo. sor. gral. d. Antonio Lopez de Santa-Anna desde la llegada del sor coronel d. Manuel Maria Gimenez á dicha ciudad el 2 de marzo de 1864, hasta el reembarque de s.e. el dia 12 del mismo mes. Abril 20 de 1864."
G505-2
"El Eccmo Señor General Don Antonio López de Santa Anna en Veracruz...". 1863. Account of Santa Anna's 1838 entrance into Veracruz, in "Biografia del Sr. Coronel Manuel M. Jimenez."
G518
"Correspondencia entre el Sr. Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna y el Sr. D. Francisco de P. Mora," 1865-1866.
Copies of letters exchanged by Santa Anna and Mora concerning their plans for a national movement to restore Mexican independence.
G546
"Mis memorias, Escritas de mi puño y letra sin ayuda de nadie, en mi ultimo destierro," 1872.