# Santa Anna



## Blake Bowden (Jan 29, 2009)

Is there any proof that Santa Anna was a Freemason?


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## Jon D. Smith (Jan 29, 2009)

There are inferences that he was, such as the events at the Battle of San Jacinto however, I donâ€™t think that anyone has ever been able to authenticate that he actually was.
The only thing that I have found so far was the following statement:

"Santa Anna - Mexican general, president and politician, known as the Napoleon of the West, Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna, he has been described using many words, most of which are quite unflattering. He commanded the army which slaughtered the defenders of the Alamo. Joseph E. Bennett in his excellent work "Masons Along the Rio Bravo" wrote this about Santa Anna: "During this tour of duty in Texas, <at San Antonio de Bexar as a young military officer of 21 to battle troublesome rebels for the next seven years> Santa Anna is thought to have become a Scottish Rite (Escoceses) Mason. His Masonic affiliations were tenuous to say the least. No Body or Lodge has ever acknowledged Santa Anna as a member.  His claim to membership actually depends on the apron he claimed his own, plus the incidents in which he identified himself by the signs of recognition in use at that time.  If indeed Santa Anna was a Freemason, he was the most reprehensible example of what one should be." (Brother Bennett's excellent book is certainly worth reading for the story of the Alamo defenders, Texas Rangers, and so much more. It was published by the Grand Lodge of Texas and may be available from them.)" 

http://www.masonicinfo.com/infamous.htm


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Jan 29, 2009)

If he WAS, he will NEVER be recognised by the GLoTX.

It does explain however WHY, he was released from capture and not killed like the remainder of his officers at San Jacinto.


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## Jon D. Smith (Jan 29, 2009)

Bro. Stewart said:


> If he WAS, he will NEVER be recognised by the GLoTX.
> 
> It does explain however WHY, he was released from capture and not killed like the remainder of his officers at San Jacinto.



I've done a bit of reading on the topic. At first, I thought that too was the reason. It was actually because it was the right political move at the time and the best move for the citizens of our country (Texas, of course).
The Grand Lodge has some really interesting articles on the subject. Well worth the read. I just discovered a link on there tonight of Sam Houston's official report on the battle of San Jac. I will definitely be reading through that soon.


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## Bro. Stewart P.M. (Jan 29, 2009)

Jon D. Smith said:


> The Grand Lodge has some really interesting articles on the subject. Well worth the read. I just discovered a link on there tonight of Sam Houston's official report on the battle of San Jac. I will definitely be reading through that soon.



You are correct, the GL website has a wonderfull collection of Texas Masonic History. Personally I found it interesting that Austin and the Brothers in the Republic of Texas originally requested dispensation of a Charter from the Grand Lodge of Mexico in 1828, the charter made its way into Mexico City only to never be heard from again. The Mexican government Outlawed Freemasonry in October of that same year, sensing that Texans would attempt to gain independence

_William  R. Denslow, arthur of 10,000 Famous Freemasons, writes: "It is said that Santa Anna owed his life to the giving of the Masonic sign of distress, first to James A. Sylvester; secondly to Sam Houston; and thirdly, to a group of Texas soldiers, among whom were John A. Wharton, George W. Hockley, Richard Bache, Dr. J. E. Phelps and others. 

In his book, Masons In Texas, History and Influence to 1846, Dr. James D. Carter holds another view: "It may be that Masons saved the life of Santa Anna but if so, they did not act because he made claim to their mercy as Masons.  All of the Masons to whom he appealed knew that Santa Anna disowned Masonry; that further, his many offenses against Texas and Mexican Masons had placed him outside the protection of any Masonic obligation.   Santa Anna was saved because the Texas leaders considered him worth more to texas alive than dead." 

That is probably the closest we have to the truth.   Sam Houston and others, who could have ordered a military trial and convicted their foe of an infinite number of war crimes, knew their victory was tenuous at best, and executing Santa Anna would probably give him the martyrdom he did not deserve.   And, they did not know who would replace him in the vacuum that would exist if he was executed._ ~ GLoTX - San Jacinto

http://www.grandlodgeoftexas.org/sanjacinto.php


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## Blake Bowden (Jan 29, 2009)

Glenn Beck on his radio show, notice the flag from Gonzales. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Gonzales


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## jonesvilletexas (Jan 29, 2009)

I read somewhere that Santa Anna was allowed to live by Sam Houston in exchange that Mexico would not continue any hostilities against Texas. Has any one read this?


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## JEbeling (Jan 31, 2009)

At four o'clock in the afternoon, while the Mexican camp slept, the Texan army opened fire with their two six-pound cannons. The entire Texan line surged forward shouting "Remember the Alamo!" "Remember Goliad!" (Kemp). The fighting was extremely intense. The Texans were driven by their anger for the way Santa Anna had killed everyone he captured. They were so mad that General Houston, commander of the Texan army, did not want the Tejanos, Mexicans who sided with the Texans, to fight because he feared that the Texans would not distinguish between friend and foe during the battle. The Tejanos wanted to fight and went into battle wearing cardboard signs in their hats to show that they were on the Texan side (Marks). In the eighteen minutes of battle, the Mexican camp was turned into a blood bath. All the Mexican soldiers could do was drop on their knees and shout, "Me no Alamo! Me no Goliad!" (Kemp). Seven hundred Mexicans were killed and another 730 taken prisoner (Battle), and no Mexicans escaped off the island.

Santa Anna disappeared during the battle, so the next day General Houston ordered a thorough search of the island. During the search, a Texan named Sylvester caught a Mexican dressed as a common soldier trying to escape. When the Mexican was brought back to camp the other Mexican prisoners shouted, "El Presidente!" thus betraying Santa Anna's identity (Kemp). Santa Anna surrendered to General Houston, and agreed to grant Texas independence (Binkley 109). Texas was free.

If only Santa Anna had not repealed the Constitution of 1824. If only Santa Anna had not dissolved the legislatures. If only Santa Anna had not killed every Texan prisoner. If only Santa Anna had not gone to sleep without posting a guard at San Jacinto. If only Santa Anna had done any of these things Texas would probably still be a Mexican state; however, Santa Anna did none of these things. In fact it was his failure to do any of these things that caused Texas to become an independent republic.


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## HoustonNick (Feb 1, 2009)

While not exactly on topic, I once read that Santa Ana was so enamoured of a local girl during the Alamo siege - whose mother would not let him near the girl - that he ordered a Captain to pretend to be a priest and marry them.  Which might have been a surprise to Mrs. Santa Ana who was back home in Mexico.


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## Bloke (Mar 22, 2017)

http://freemasonsfordummies.blogspot.com.au/2013/04/from-todays-sacramento-bee-texas.html?m=1


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## Bloke (Mar 22, 2017)

I cant select the article, but it supports Santa Anna as  Freemason with his SR 32 Degree Cert of 1825.

http://pubs.royle.com/publication/?9i=284647&article_id=2346020&view=articleBrowser&ver=html5#{"issue_id":284647,"view":"articleBrowser","article_id":"2346020"}


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## Warrior1256 (Mar 23, 2017)

Very interesting!


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## Boomhawr (Sep 8, 2017)

Bro. Stewart P.M. said:


> If he WAS, he will NEVER be recognised by the GLoTX.
> 
> It does explain however WHY, he was released from capture and not killed like the remainder of his officers at San Jacinto.


If you go to our (Texas) Grand Lodge, there are some who work there that are familiar with the history. As was passed on to me: He WAS a Freemason (in fact, I saw something a few years back where some records turned up, but I don't remember much about it). However, when the Masons wouldn't go along with his dictatorship, he left the fraternity and outlawed it from Mexico. In removing himself from the fraternity, he gave up any Masonic protection he would of had.

As far as why he wasn't killed, Sam Houston needed him alive to negotiate with his brother to keep him from bringing his 5000 troops across the Rio Grande and whipping us out.


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## Boomhawr (Sep 8, 2017)

Bloke said:


> I cant select the article, but it supports Santa Anna as  Freemason with his SR 32 Degree Cert of 1825.
> 
> http://pubs.royle.com/publication/?9i=284647&article_id=2346020&view=articleBrowser&ver=html5#{"issue_id":284647,"view":"articleBrowser","article_id":"2346020"}


Yep. I do believe that is the same thing I saw on tv before about some of his records being found.


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