Why Was Santa Anna Taken To America

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Santa Anna was a marvelous war hero and even addressed himself as “the Napoleon of the West.” With this confidence and his experience as a leader and war hero, it was a surprise to everyone when he lost the Battle of San Jacinto against the Texicans. There were many factors at play leading to this loss. Had Santa Anna been smarter and more careful with his leadership and his war strategies, his loss could have been avoided; the battle all together could have even been avoided.
Many factors led to the Texicans’ decision to declare their independence. The declaration was due to a lack of tolerance for religion, the repealing of the constitution of 1824, an unstable government with an unstable president, and the closure of the Mexican legislature, a congress of nine declared Texas independent from Mexico, followed by a formal declaration on March 2, 1836. After the declaration, General Samuel Houston was appointed commander-in-chief for the Texican government. Immediately after the declaration, hostilities between Mexico and Texas began. Santa Anna sent back up to Texas, but the Texicans fought them off with bows and spears (Mckeehan). Santa Anna’s first mistake was his decision to go to Texas with 10,000 men behind him with no intention of mercy.
Once Santa Anna rode across the Rio Grande river, he immediately went into battle. Santa Anna defeated the Texicans at the Battle of Alamo. Every Texican soldier who survived the battle were sent to execution, a tactic Santa Anna likely picked up from h is training with General Joaquin Arrendondo as a boy (Mckeehan). After the massacre, Santa Anna felt as though his job in Texas was done but wanted to take one final swipe at the Texicans – a detrimental mistake.
Because of San...

... middle of paper ...

... account of Santa Anna’s capture is unclear because it has been described in so many different ways, each with entirely different location and details of the event. When captured, Santa Anna addressed himself as “the Napoleon of the West” (McKeehan, W)
Santa Anna was eventually sent home after a man in the council said: "We are at war with Mexico, and it is our duty to do all we can to injure her. Santa Anna has for a number of years tyrannized over his country, and nearly ruined it. Let us release him, he will return thither and in a few years Mexico will be too feeble to give us any trouble." But when Santa Anna returned he was no longer the president of Mexico (Mckeehan, W.).
Between his poor governing, his hateful war tactics, and his lack of carefulness during his time in Texas, Santa Anna lost the Battle of San Jacinto. He only had himself to blame.

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