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El Nacional, May 20, 1836. The First Mexican Newspaper Printing of the Defeat at San Jacinto. ...
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Description
Streeter's Copy of the First Mexican Newspaper Announcing Santa Anna's Defeat at San Jacinto
El Nacional, May 20, 1836. The First Mexican
Newspaper Printing of the Defeat at San Jacinto. Four pages,
8.25" x 12.25". Mexico: Impreso por Tomas Uribe y Alcalde, Calle de
Puente del Correo Mayor Num. 6. May 20, 1836.Mexican Newspaper, El Nacional, reprints the official announcement issued by interim President José Justo Corro regarding the capture and defeat of Santa Anna in Texas. This is Thomas Streeter's copy and includes pencil notes in the top margin, including, "Put with original proclamation / not to be entered."
The article reads, in part, "Divine Providence, with its inscrutable mandate, has allowed a small part of our army to suffer a setback in Texas, while the rest of the Mexican forces dominate everywhere else. Most painfully, the illustrious president of the republic, the distinguished General Santa Anna, has fallen into the hands of the enemy of our independence. Bitter is the government's shame; yet it has the utmost confidence in the honor of our heroic nation and its immense resources, which the government will employ. The army burns with desire to rescue and avenge its illustrious chief, and its number will be replenished and set off to campaign, and it will do so in such an energetic manner that it will leave an everlasting impact... I do not fear that civil war threatens us at this juncture: domestic quarrels will be set aside for the time when our common enemy disappears. Only one voice will be heard now; such is the vengeance of the homeland to save its honor... I trust that the Mexican people will unite for the most sacred of interests..."
This is the second Mexican printing announcing the news of Santa Anna's defeat at the Battle of San Jacinto. The first announcement was published the day before in a government-issued broadside under the name of interim president José Justo Corro. Streeter writes of the first publication, identical to the circular featured here, that "[o]nly the bare announcement... is given with no details of the defeat and no mention of San Jacinto... On the next day Congress passed a law pledging every effort to secure the liberty of Santa Anna, but declaring that any promise made by him while prisoner was not binding on the government."
The Battle of San Jacinto was the dramatic conclusion to the War for Texas Independence. Throughout the first few months of 1836, Mexican forces repeatedly defeated revolutionary soldiers at key battles like the Alamo and Goliad. In April, General Sam Houston learned that Mexican President Antonio López de Santa Anna had stationed his men on the west side of the San Jacinto River outside of Harrisburg. Houston marched his men to meet the enemy and, on April 21, situated his brigade directly opposite Santa Anna's forces. At 3:30 P.M., the Texans formed a battle line and the attack commenced. Fighting lasted only eighteen minutes during which 630 Mexicans were killed, 730 were taken prisoner, and a large supply of pistols, horses, provisions, and silver were captured by the Texans. Upon learning that Santa Anna was nowhere to be found, Houston ordered a search party on April 22. Soldiers located the president hiding in the grass later that day. He was immediately taken prisoner and forced to sign a treaty ending the war and acknowledging Texas as a sovereign nation.
The Mexican government refused to acknowledge the conclusion of the war and Texas' independence. The loss of such a large territory only fifteen years after Mexico's independence rattled the nation and shortly after officials issued this broadside, they instituted a military draft to rebuild the army's numbers. In spite of their efforts, the Mexican army failed to engage Texas revolutionaries again and the United States recognized the Republic of Texas several months later. Mexico never acknowledged Texas' sovereignty, insisting that the territory remained part of the Mexican Federation.
Condition: Creased along folds and lightly toned throughout. Pencil notations on the first page recto and a few small stains along the bottom.
References: Streeter 884; TSHA Handbook of Texas.
Auction Info
2023 December 2 The Ted Lusher Texas History Collection, Part One Signature® Auction #6281 (go to Auction Home page)
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