Based on how lopsided the victory was for the Texans, I see how the saying "Don't Mess with Texas" originated. :wink:
No happy endings here folks... Santa Anna is the great villain of Mexican history. In the long and bloody War of Independence against Spain, Santa Anna fought for the Spanish and was infamous for murdering Mexican prisoners of war. At the end, when the Mexicans started winning, he switched sides and joined the Mexicans... He betrayed virtually everyone in his long career; shooting presidents and peasants alike as he became dictator several times, always proclaiming himself to be "El Jefe Politico" (The Big Boss) or simply "The Napoleon of the West." He was dictator again in the Mexican War [1846-48] when he lost all claims to California, Nevada, Arizona, New Mexico, Utah and Colorado to the United States... When he died, a despised and broken old man, the people of Mexico would turn their backs on him as he walked down the street... In Texas, Sam Houston came to a sticky end himself. The People of Texas impeached and removed him from office when he refused to go along with their secession from the United States at the beginning of the Civil War...
I've been fortunate to find myself in San Antonio on three separate occasions and try to soak up as much local history ( and cerveza ) as possible. That of course includes the Alamo. The story of the siege is quite remarkable but one thing stood out. They have a uniform on display in the mission that is reportedly Santa Ana's and you are struck by the size of it. If authentic, his nickname should have been "El Jefe Pequeno" . This was a very ruthless little man.
LOL! He never took prisoners, but he gave away half his country to save his own miserable life when he was a prisoner...