Osprey's examination of the Mexican Army of Santa Anna, from 1821 to 1848. Detailed information on the Mexican Army which fought the Texans in the Battle of the Alamo (1836) and the US Army in its first important foreign war ten years later, is notoriously elusive. In this ground-breaking book an internationally respected military historian presents a mass of new information from Mexican archives and a variety of other contemporary sources. For the first time the armies of the notorious General Santa Anna are explained coherently for the English-speaking reader, and their frequently changing and unevenly issued uniforms are illustrated with early prints, portraits, photos of rare surviving items, and meticulous colour reconstructions.

In 1823 Texas was opened to American settlement; over the next 12 years thousands took advantage of the opportunity. During this time the corrupt Santa Anna rose to power. A dishonest and ruthless politician, thief, compulsive gambler, opium addict and liar, he nevetheless gained a measure of popular support and set about destroying federalism. Conflict with the American settlers ('Texians') became inevitable, a conflict which included the legendary Battle of the Alamo. Philip Haythornwaite covers the story of the War of Texan Independence (1835-1936) in a volume backed by a wealth of illustrations and photographs, including eight full page colour plates by Paul Hannon

Antonio L¢pez de Santa Anna (1794?1876) is one of the most famous, and infamous, figures in Mexican history. Six times the country?s president, he is consistently depicted as a traitor, a turncoat, and a tyrant?the exclusive cause of all of Mexico?s misfortunes following the country?s independence from Spain. He is also, as this biography makes clear, grossly misrepresented. ø Will Fowler provides a revised picture of Santa Anna?s life, offering new insights into his activities in his bailiwick of Veracruz and in his numerous military engagements. The Santa Anna who emerges from this book is an intelligent, dynamic, yet reluctant leader, ingeniously deceptive at times, courageous and patriotic at others. His extraordinary story is that of a middle-class provincial criollo, a high-ranking officer, an arbitrator, a dedicated landowner, and a political leader who tried to prosper personally and help his country develop at a time of severe and repeated crises, as the colony that was New Spain gave way to a young, troubled, besieged, and beleaguered Mexican nation. ø ø

In 1958, historian and illustrator, Joseph Hefter and colleagues, self-published one of the classics of modern military history, "El Soldado Mexicano, 1837-1847." The only printed edition quickly became the standard reference on the appearance and organization of the Mexican Army in the period of the Texas War of Independence through the Mexican- American War of 1846-48. Hardly a book written on these events since 1958 does not cite Hefter's work, yet it became scarce and the surviving copies show the effects of time on their pulp pages and covers. As part of The (Virtual) Armchair General's researches for the coming Mexican-American War Game rules, "Gone To See The Elephant," this Editor's original copy of the book was constantly been referred to. But its physical condition, the faded (but still beautiful) color uniform plates, and the author's "stream of consciousness" layout of his text proved frustrating. After seeking advice, I have exercised due diligence in an attempt to establish who may have the Copyright to Hefter's work since his death 30 years ago. As a result, I decided to go ahead and return this remarkable work to the war gaming and historical community in a new and updated edition. Not merely a reprint, color quality has been restored to the eight original plates, plus seven more b&w plates have now been "colorized" based on uniform data in the text, and all of which have been significantly increased in size. Four more Hefter plates from other publications round out the work. Further, three full color pages of Mexican Army Colors, Standards, Guidons, and Pennants (most never before seen in print) realized by Eric Cox add a dimension missing from the original work. A number of line drawings by Hefter have been provided by other sources for use in this new edition, as well as extra photos and drawings of more uniform details and equipment. Besides being the best single source on uniforms for the period, "The Mexican Soldier" details the tactics, organization, and weaponry of the Army, answering many--if not all--of the questions of what made this remarkable army function as it did. There are useful tables of OB's for the major battles of the Mexican War, sections on the Army Health Corps, information on the soldiers themselves (heights, illnesses, pay, discipline, etc). The original text followed a roughly chronological arrangement, but tended to meander--tangentially--making it difficult to look up any particular item. This has all been addressed by a nearly total rearrangement of the text into sections and sub-sections, and then chronologically. The Spanish language text and captions are removed for this edition, but only one word of the English version is missing (correcting an error), and new material by Hefter himself has been added. This release represents the third printing since 2008, and the first to the widest possible audience. Printed in 8.5" x 11" format, on 67 pages, plus 22 uniform, equipment, and flag plates, 21 in full color.

The uniforms worn by the military in the Republic of Texas from 1836 to 1846. Autographed copy.

A concise yet comprehensive social history of the Mexican–American War as it was experienced by the people of Mexico. The war that was fought between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 was a major event in the history of both countries: it cost Mexico half of its national territory, opened western North America to US expansion, and magnified tensions that led to civil wars in both countries. Among generations of Latin Americans, it helped to cement the image of the United States as an arrogant, aggressive, and imperialist nation, poisoning relations between a young America and its southern neighbors. In contrast with many current books that treat the war as a fundamentally American experience, Timothy J. Henderson’s A Glorious Defeat offers a fresh perspective on the Mexican side of the equation. Examining the manner in which Mexico gained independence, Henderson brings to light a greater understanding of that country’s intense factionalism and political paralysis leading up to and through the war.

A narrative account of the evacuation of the Texians in 1836, which was redeemed by the defeat of the Mexican army and the creation of the Republic of Texas. Two events in Texas history shine so brightly that they can be almost blinding: the stand at the Alamo and the redemption at San Jacinto, where General Sam Houston’s volunteers won the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. But these milestones came amid a less obviously heroic episode now studiously forgotten—the refugee crisis known as the Runaway Scrape. Propulsive, lyrical, and richly illustrated, Texian Exodus transports us to the frigid, sodden spring of 1836, when thousands of Texians—Anglo-American settlers—fled eastward for the United States in fear of Antonio López de Santa Anna’s advancing Mexican army. Leading Texas historian Stephen L. Hardin draws on the accounts of the Runaways themselves to relate a tale of high stakes and great sorrow. While Houston tried to build a force that could defeat Santa Anna, the evacuees suffered incalculable pain and suffering. Yet dignity and community were not among the losses. If many of the stories are indeed tragic, the experience as a whole was no tragedy; survivors regarded the Runaway Scrape as their finest hour, an ordeal met with cooperation and courage. For Hardin, such qualities still define the Texas character. That it was forged in retreat as well as in battle makes the Runaway Scrape essential Texas history.