CLASSIC: How Santa Anna Lost His Leg Twice, and Held a Funeral for It

Summary

Ridiculous History Podcast Summary

Episode: CLASSIC: How Santa Anna Lost His Leg Twice, and Held a Funeral for It
Release Date: November 30, 2024
Hosts: Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown
Producer: Eden Brown
Guest Producer: Casey Pegram

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Introduction and Setting the Tone

Ben Bowlin and Noel Brown open the episode with their signature humor, setting an engaging and light-hearted tone for the deep dive into the tumultuous life of Antonio López de Santa Anna. They reference popular culture, notably the television show King of the Hill, to create relatable entry points for listeners.

Ben [00:00]: “Now Santa Anna was a lot of things to a lot of people... he was also a guy who was very bad at keeping his legs with him.”

Noel [00:17]: “I know we talk about Cotton Hill and his leg shenanigans in this episode. That's one of my favorite episodes of television.”

Who Was Santa Anna?

Santa Anna is introduced as a multifaceted figure—an influential Mexican politician, general, and a man of considerable ambition. Born on February 21, 1794, he ruled Mexico eleven times and earned the nickname "Napoleon of the West." The hosts emphasize his larger-than-life persona and his notorious military career.

Ben [04:30]: “He was often described as the Napoleon of the west by himself.”

Noel [05:03]: “World class legalomaniac.”

The Texas Revolution and the Alamo

The discussion shifts to Santa Anna's most infamous military engagement during the Texas Revolution (1835-1836), particularly the Siege of the Alamo. The hosts recount the bravery and ultimate sacrifice of the Texan defenders against Santa Anna’s forces.

Noel [05:29]: “Notorious sacker of the Alamo...There were about 100 Texans that were garrisoned at the Alamo.”

Ben [06:55]: “Santa Anna's forces killed 189 Texans and then later executed more than 340 prisoners.”

The Pastry War with France

Santa Anna's involvement in the Pastry War (1838) is explored in detail. Triggered by a French baker's claim against the Mexican government, this conflict showcases Santa Anna's continued influence and military prowess despite previous defeats.

Ben [08:50]: “He became involved in something called the Pastry War.”

Noel [09:11]: “A French baker...demands compensation to the tune of 60,000 pesos.”

Santa Anna's Heroism and the Loss of His Leg

Amidst the Pastry War, Santa Anna sustains a grievous injury during battle, resulting in the loss of his leg. The episode highlights his resilience, as he continues to lead despite his injury, and the cultural impact of his prosthetic limb.

Ben [14:06]: “Santa Anna and his army...a cannon fires and the shot from the cannon...gets him in the leg.”

Noel [15:33]: “He had his leg removed and he had a prosthetic built, but he was still in the game.”

The Funeral of His Leg

One of the most bizarre and memorable aspects of Santa Anna’s story is his decision to hold a funeral for his amputated leg. The hosts provide a vivid description of the elaborate ceremony, complete with poetry and military honors, underscoring the peculiar hero worship he received.

Ben [21:36]: “We can go ahead and do the polite open mic, poetry slam...he buried his leg. He reburied it, rather.”

Noel [22:31]: “A eulogy to the leg. Why should anyone criticize of a funeral performed for the foot, arm or hair of an illustrious general?”

The Prosthetic's Journey and Modern-Day Controversies

The podcast delves into the fate of Santa Anna’s prosthetic leg, which became a museum attraction in Illinois. Despite petitions from Texas and Mexico to return the relic, the leg remains in Illinois, sparking debates about historical ownership and ethical museum practices.

Ben [30:05]: “He had his original, his physical leg dug up...covered with ardent hope a jewel of history...giving glory to the foot.”

Noel [32:55]: “Anna's leg, especially a grizzled Texas war hero like Grandpa Hill Cotton...we need some chaperones for Bobby's class trip.”

Santa Anna's Later Life and Legacy

Santa Anna's tumultuous political career continues as he oscillates between leadership and exile. The hosts touch upon his later years, including his involvement in the Mexican-American War and his eventual peaceful death in Mexico City at the age of 82.

Ben [34:58]: “From 1855 to 1874, he lived in exile in various parts of the world...he passed away at his home in Mexico City.”

Noel [39:03]: “Pretty impressive that he made it that far and had gone through so much intense stuff.”

Cultural References and Pop Culture Depiction

Through humorous analogies and excerpts from King of the Hill, Ben and Noel highlight how Santa Anna's legacy permeates modern culture. These references serve to illustrate the enduring and sometimes absurd fascination with his historical figure.

Noel [28:17]: “King of the Hill is my happy place show...acting out a little known episode of Mexican American history.”

Ben [33:25]: “The disaster chef's leg...Santa Anna's leg has become a controversial relic.”

Conclusion

Ben and Noel wrap up the episode by reflecting on Santa Anna's complex legacy. They invite listeners to ponder the ethical aspects of historical artifacts' ownership and tease future episodes that continue to explore bizarre and intriguing historical events.

Ben [39:40]: “However, you can visit Illinois, you can visit Atlanta, and you can see these legs in person.”

Noel [41:19]: “What a winding and twisted story this one was.”

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Notable Quotes

• Ben [05:03]: “World class legalomaniac.”
• Noel [07:05]: “It's true. He is sort of remembered similarly to Napoleon in that ultimately he ended up losing a lot of the stuff that he gained through this kind of thirst for conquest.”
• Ben [21:40]: “Just the leg.”
• Ben [27:25]: “That was the first leg of the episode. This is the second leg of the episode.”

Key Takeaways

• Antonio López de Santa Anna was a pivotal and controversial figure in Mexican history, known for his military leadership and political maneuvering.
• His involvement in the Texas Revolution and the Pastry War exemplifies his relentless pursuit of power, often at great personal cost, including the loss of his leg.
• Santa Anna's prosthetic leg became a historical relic, symbolizing both his victories and the enduring disputes over historical artifacts.
• The episode underscores the complex legacy of Santa Anna, blending humor with serious historical analysis to engage listeners.

Final Thoughts

Ridiculous History delivers a captivating and thoroughly researched exploration of Santa Anna's life, highlighting the absurdities and ironies that make history both fascinating and entertaining. Through witty banter and insightful commentary, Ben and Noel provide listeners with a comprehensive understanding of why Santa Anna remains a legendary yet contentious figure in history.

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For more engaging historical tales, tune into Ridiculous History on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or your preferred podcast platform.

Transcript

[Ben]

Welcome to our classic episode for this week, fellow ridiculous historians. Now Santa Ana was a lot of things to a lot of people. He was larger than life. He was a legend, a general, an exile. He was also a guy who was very bad at keeping his legs with him.

[Noel]

I stole Santa Annie's leg. I just looked at the hashtags or the keywords for this episode and King of the Hill is definitely on there. So I know we talk about Cotton Hill and his leg shenanigans in this episode. That's one of my favorite favorite episodes of television.

[Ben]

Santa Ana, the real life guy lost his leg not just once, but twice. And then this classic episode, we don't even want to spoil it. Let's just get this. What a ride.

[Noel]

Uh huh. Ride along with us fellow ridiculous historians.

[Ben]

Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome to the show, friends and neighbors. As you can tell from the background music playing gently behind us, we are Texas bound. In today's episode, I'm Ben, just loping.

[Noel]

Along on our ponies.

[Ben]

Get along little dog, all that stuff.

[Noel]

I'm Noel and we're riding on the range today.

[Ben]

We are, we're riding around the great American west points north and south. We are joined in spirit with our super producer Casey Pegram, who is still away in France.

[Noel]

Man, I bet he's living it up. No, I know he is, or at least doing Casey's version of living it up because I was texting with him the other day and I was like, man, you having a blast. He goes, yeah, man, I just saw a 10 hour film.

[Ben]

It does sound like him. Yeah, when I was talking to him, I always have to check to see if this is going to be the trip where he decides to stay in France. So do us a favor, write to him, let him know that he has to come back at some point.

[Noel]

Cuz it's just not the same without him.

[Ben]

Yeah, it's kind of like when a band gets back together but they have a different lead singer. Have you ever been to a concert like that?

[Noel]

No, but I do remember the thing that always comes to mind is when Ozzy left Black Sabbath and was replaced by Ronnie James Dio, that just seemed, that seemed like heresy. Which I guess is in character for a band called Black Sabbath.

[Ben]

Sure. And that's a good point. But before we go too far off the rails with this, I gotta say it's no ding on Dio nor on Osborn to say that they, they're just not comparable.

[Noel]

No, I mean Dio has rocked for a long Long time. But now it's time for him to pass the torch back to Ozzy.

[Ben]

And both, both of these performers are legends. And speaking of fantastic segues, today's episode is about allegent. We got there.

[Noel]

You did it, man. Allegiant.

[Ben]

Allegedly.

[Noel]

Allegedly.

[Ben]

Allegedly. A leggy legend.

[Noel]

My girlfriend this morning called me the king of dad jokes. She did not mean it as a compliment.

[Ben]

I don't think there's anything wrong with doing dad jokes.

[Noel]

It's a niche, man. One which we squarely occupy and I'm proud of it.

[Ben]

I think most people make dad jokes. In fact, we're unfairly impinging upon dads.

[Noel]

I agree. Dad bod, dad joke. It's like a term of abuse.

[Ben]

It's a very weird anti dad thing that goes on.

[Noel]

You know what, though? Being a dad is the only thing that got us a producer in the studio today. Because today we are joined with our guest super producer, Eden Brown.

[Ben]

Okay, I see where you're going with that. And thank you, Eden, for saving the show.

[Noel]

So who's this alleged hero of today's story?

[Ben]

Yes, this allegedly leggy legend, better known as Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana.

[Noel]

That is a mouthful. Allegedly leggy legend. Oh, man.

[Ben]

We could do, we, we could do another leg of that, I think, big time. So this guy, Santa Anna, you may have heard of him before. He was born on February 21, 1794, and he was a tremendously influential politician and general. We wouldn't call him a warlord, but he knew his way around a battlefield. Over the course of his life, he would rule Mexico 11 different times.

[Noel]

Yeah. World class legalomaniac.

[Ben]

Yeah.

[Noel]

He going to keep this rolling?

[Ben]

Sure we can. He was often described as the Napoleon of the west by himself.

[Noel]

Yep. Also a world class manufacturer of lore pertaining to his favorite guy, General Santa Anna.

[Ben]

Yeah. Himself. He is probably most famous at least in the United States today for his activity during the Texas Revolution from 1835 to 1836.

[Noel]

Notorious sacker of the Alamo. Right. There were some Texan rebels because as we know, Texas was ruled by Mexico and Texas didn't want to do that anymore. They wanted there to be their own thing. And so this a very small group of Texan rebels posted up at the Alamo, which was an old Franciscan like monastery, I believe. And they were able to fend off Santa Anna and his armies for something like 13 days, I want to say. Right.

[Ben]

And they earned this defense with blood. There were about 100 Texans that were garrisoned at the Alamo. And the Texas force grew a little Bit with the reinforcements led by commanders James Bowie and William Travis.

[Noel]

But wasn't Daniel Boone there, too?

[Ben]

Yeah, there were. There were a lot of. It was like a Wu Tang Clan posse trap, right?

[Noel]

Yeah.

[Ben]

But it was, you know, a war.

[Noel]

And apparently we're supposed to remember it, and by gosh, we do.

[Ben]

Right, right. And that's why you'll hear the battle cry, Remember Goliad. Remember the Alamo? On. I think it was first recorded on 21 April in 1836 during the battle of the Alamo, Santa anna's forces killed 189 Texans and then later executed more than 340 prisoners.

[Noel]

Yikes. Not a popular fellow in Texas history, as we will come to discover later in this episode.

[Ben]

Right, right. Not a popular film, but he got stuff done.

[Noel]

It's true. He is sort of remembered similarly to Napoleon in that ultimately he ended up losing a lot of the stuff that he gained through this kind of thirst for conquest.

[Ben]

Right, yeah. And there's an interesting part about that that it'll come into play later. I'll remember to bring it up before we end the episode. So before we get to one of my favorite wars of this episode, Noel, why don't you tell us a little bit about the events that occurred after the Alamo.

[Noel]

Well, just briefly, all those Alamo centric atrocities you mentioned probably really got the Texan rebels fired up, and they ultimately won their independence when they defeated Santa Anna's forces during the Battle of San Jacinto on April 21st of 1836. Santa Anna and his forces were defeated, and he signed a treaty to give Texas their independence from Mexico.

[Ben]

Right. And again, that is where the famous. The famous call to arms or the famous rallying cry, remember the Alamo originates. Santa Ana was held captive in Texas, and he eventually managed to return to Mexico in 1837, after he met with US President Andrew Jackson. So he lived in exile. He traveled back to Mexico a defeated man, and he needed a win, Noel. He needed something to change the winds of fortune. In 1838, he found a chance, but it was a very strange thing. It's one of my favorite names in today's show. He became involved in something called the Pastry War.

[Noel]

That's right after he sort of was able to more or less free himself from exile. He posted up in a pretty cushy hacienda in Veracruz where he more or less retired. And he was kind of just kicking it there, doing his thing, and then this thing called the Pastry War flared up. What's the Pastry War, Ben? That sounds delicious.

[Ben]

I'm delighted you asked. So there's another geopolitical thing going on here. France is super unhappy with the Mexican government at this time because they have unpaid debts that they had incurred during the Texas Revolution of 1836. And these were quite significant debts. We're talking about 600,000 pesos. So when a baker living near Mexico City, a little bit outside of it, when he.

[Noel]

A French baker.

[Ben]

A French baker, yes. When he claims that the Mexican army ransacked his bakery, and he demands compensation to the tune of, what was it? 60,000 pesos.

[Noel]

60,000, that's right. Which was an exorbitant inflation of what the bakery was valued at, which was more in line with, like, 1,000 pesos.

[Ben]

Yeah. Actually a little bit less. Right. And the chef, whose name today we know him only as Remontel, he found some very sympathetic ears in the French government because he took the case directly to the king of the time, Louis Philippe. And Louis said, they gave this ultimatum with this pretext for the conflict, for the pastry war. They gave this ultimatum to Mexico, and they said, all right, give us 600,000 pesos. That includes the 60,000 for this guy's pastry shop. The Mexican Congress said their version of heck, no. Are you crazy? And so in the spring of 1838, the French Navy began a blockade of seaports along the Gulf of Mexico, all.

[Noel]

Over one French bakery.

[Ben]

It must have been a great bakery.

[Noel]

Maybe. Yeah. I guess it was just kind of the straw that broke the French ponies back.

[Ben]

It was the excuse that they used. Yeah, it was the string that dropped the guillotine.

[Noel]

Exactly. It's very, very, very interesting the way these kind of powder kegs can be set off by a single event, like the assassination of a single Archduke Franz Ferdinand, setting off all of the events that. With multiple players that led, you know, that were World War I, that we're already seeding.

[Ben]

Yeah, but that's the thing.

[Noel]

It's so interesting. Throughout history, you see these little kind of flashpoint moments that, taken on their own, you wouldn't think would be that big a deal, but they can set off this chain reaction that becomes quite a kerfuffle.

[Ben]

Right. And just like the case with World War I and Franz Ferdinand, there's the question of whether it had to be these specific flashpoint events, or would it have inevitably been something else because France was ready to go. It takes a while to get ships across the Atlantic.

[Noel]

Yeah. They were steamed about that cash, you know? Cause they're like, hey, we helped you out. And you failed ultimately, in your endeavor to quash these rebels and now pay up.

[Ben]

And the US, by the way, also piled onto Mexico. They sent a schooner to assist in the blockade. This stalemate drags on and on until November 27, and the French warships start bombarding island fortresses. Mexico officially declares war on France. And within days, French Marines are raiding the city. And they captured nearly the entire Mexican navy. Desperate to get these monsters out of their fair city and out of their country, Mexico turned to Santa Ana.

[Noel]

There's a great article on history.com that goes through some of the chronology of this. And they refer to Antonio Lopez de Santa Ana as being a grizzled warrior. I love that, because at this point, you know, he's had his day, his heyday. He's already ruled, like, what, four times at this point? I don't know. I lose track. He keeps going into retirement, coming out of retirement, going back. They keep pulling him back in, like, in, like, the Godfather movies or whatever.

[Ben]

Yeah.

[Noel]

And so.

[Ben]

Or like, me at a buffet.

[Noel]

Of course, the buffet. You want to, like, get your fill.

[Ben]

Ben, I don't think we, as a species are emotionally equipped to handle buffets.

[Noel]

You gotta keep going back to the trough. I mean, otherwise it's a sunken cost kind of situation. Right.

[Ben]

Yeah. So back to this great description by Christopher Klein. Right. They're writing there for history.

[Noel]

Yeah. Santa Anna was. Was quite a big fan of Santa Ana and fancied himself sort of a ruler of the people. So he was all too ready to jump back into the fray. And, you know, he really had a thirst for, like, being the guy that was gonna hop back in and save Mexico's butt.

[Ben]

And people were into it too, of course. So he raises his own army. He comes out and says something along the lines of, I am Santa Ana. Help me defend the city from these French savages.

[Noel]

Exactly.

[Ben]

And they're all about it. So they're able to drive. Santa Anna and his army that he forms are able to drive French forces away from the city and at least back to their ships. And picture this. This is one of those flashpoint moments in history. Santa Anna is on horseback. He's literally chasing these guys out of town when a cannon fires and the shot from the cannon knocks his horse out from under him and gets him in the leg.

[Noel]

It's like. What do they call it? Grapeshot.

[Ben]

Yeah.

[Noel]

Which is kind of like when you think of buckshot shotgun shells loaded with, like, these tiny little ball bearings, I guess, that just kind of like spray everywhere. Right. But probably larger if it's coming from a cannon.

[Ben]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's a massive, small metal. I mean, buckshot's a great description. It's not a good or pleasant way to go. And often bound in canvas.

[Noel]

Oh, okay.

[Ben]

So, yeah, it's ugly.

[Noel]

It would almost be like a pipe bomb going off, you know, that's just spraying shrapnel everywhere.

[Ben]

And it also stinks. The timing of it stinks because he pretty much won.

[Noel]

Yeah.

[Ben]

And there's that parting shot, sort of like in the Lord of the Rings, where, spoiler alert, Gandalf manages to stop the Balrog, and then at the very end, that crazy lava whip grabs him.

[Noel]

Yep. Pulls him down into the abyss.

[Ben]

There you go. Gandalf, the Santa Anna of Lord of the Rings.

[Noel]

I like that.

[Ben]

Also very into himself, now that I think about it.

[Noel]

It's true. But, you know, with good reason.

[Ben]

He earned it.

[Noel]

I think so, too.

[Ben]

So what happens next?

[Noel]

They got him out of there, right?

[Ben]

Yeah, they got him out. But, you know, we said his leg was wounded, but how wounded was it?

[Noel]

Very, as it turns out. Had to. They couldn't save the leg. They could not save the leg, Ben. It had to come off.

[Ben]

Yep. So he had his leg removed and he had a prosthetic built, but he was still. He was still in the game. And this is. This is one of the craziest parts of this story. This isn't the craziest, craziest part, but this is a strange one. So picture this. He has. He has driven the French out of town, but he has not yet won the war. He's one leg down. He has a prosthetic, and he has his amputated leg, which has been with him through thick and thin.

[Noel]

The real leg, when it was connected to his body, the OG leg. Got it.

[Ben]

And pay attention to that leg, because that's going to come into play later. So right now we have two legs. One is prosthetic, one is his old original leg, not attached to him. What happens with the pastry war? Because he drives France out, but the conflict isn't resolved, and I think they need some help from British diplomats.

[Noel]

Yeah. They help out and broker an agreement in which Mexican government has to pay that 600,000 peso demand that the French insisted upon, including the cost of the pastry shop in question.

[Ben]

Because that guy is still. That's the thing that gets me. That guy still lives there.

[Noel]

He still lives there.

[Ben]

The chefs.

[Noel]

Yeah. I don't know. Seems like it would be a stretch, but the French forces take off and everything for the most part goes back to normal, but these guys are going to come to heads again later down the line. Like, I think in the mid-1800s, there's another conflict. But that's a story for another day. Santa Anna has his OG Leg buried at his hacienda in Veracruz. But there's more.

[Ben]

Yes, there absolutely is. So now he's a war hero again. And he is. You know how when people first have a kid, every conversation inevitably turns into something about their baby? The leg he lost in the pastry war is like this baby he just had. And he's constantly reminding everyone in Mexico who will listen that he sacrificed his leg.

[Noel]

Yeah. Apparently he would hold his prosthetic leg over his head during military parades to remind people of the sacrifice that he made for his beloved country. But. So he essentially returns back to retirement after this pastry war. He did his duty. He came back out, fought the good fight, lost a leg.

[Ben]

Yeah. So he would take it slow after this. Right. Most people would consider that a warning sign or, you know, a notification from the universe that perhaps your battle days are done. In 1842, Santa Anna is once again the president of Mexico, because, as we said, he comes in and out several times.

[Noel]

Well, yeah, According to his autobiography. Santa Anna's autobiography, which is just rife with hyperbole. It's a lot of fun. It's called the Eagle. Yeah. It was only 62 days after he lost the leg that General Guadalupe Victoria asked him, at the behest of the government, to come back to the Capitol and said that there was a revolution brooding. And that the government wanted him to take the current president, Anastasio Bustamante's place as a temporary president during this difficult time. And this quote just really speaks to the megalomania of this gentleman.

[Ben]

Roll it up.

[Noel]

How well the people knew me. They knew I would never desert my principles and would always be on hand when country needed me. I was carried to the Capitol on a litter. Like one of those things with the sticks and the chair. Right.

[Ben]

Is that what.

[Noel]

Yeah, exactly. Like some sort of, like, returning Greek hero or something like that. Right. Carried to the Capitol on a litter. Although my trip was made with extreme care, the hardships of the journey and the change of climate weakened me. However, despite my poor health. Poor guy. I assumed the office of president immediately.

[Ben]

Yeah, he assumed the office of president. He also. There's some speculation that we have to engage in here, Noel. He also enjoys the. Enjoys the pop culture status he is acquiring in Mexico now. He is not only a lauded general, he's not only the president, he's also a very much a celebrity. And so soon after Santa Anna really leans into this celebrity status, he has his original, his physical leg dug up. Just take it exhumed. Yeah. From his estate and reburied. But this time buried with full military honors.

[Noel]

Wait for a leg.

[Ben]

Yeah. Just the leg. Just the leg.

[Noel]

Okay.

[Ben]

But it was a really classy event, Noel. They had. They had orations. They had, you know, honor guards. They had cannons firing. And they had poetry performed, written exclusively for this event. In fact, ridiculous historians. We have a couple of examples of this.

[Noel]

Oh, man. Ben, are you going to do a dramatic reading?

[Ben]

Yeah. I think you are, too.

[Noel]

All right, I'll play. I'll play. You go first.

[Ben]

You want to play these reindeer games?

[Noel]

Of course.

[Ben]

Here is the English translation of a poem titled Sonnet. And we'll just. We'll.

[Noel]

Is it a sonnet or a poem?

[Ben]

The name of this piece is Sonnet.

[Noel]

I like it.

[Ben]

Yeah. Such complete triumph. What victory. Admirable Santa Ana. You have attained politics, management. All has changed. Valiant liberal, for your glory. Tremble Scottish rite and enter the dross. Consume yourself for all you have lost. Do not dare look upon the illustrious hero. Be off. We want no memory of you. Come, holy liberty, come and rest from your toils. What do you have to fear from the tyrants if the free man gives his life for you to God? We have sworn as brothers that those that have oppressed you, we Mexicans must wake war upon him.

[Noel]

All right, Ben, you've ticked the poetry box beautifully. Might I add, I'm gonna give you sort of a little soliloquy, I guess, kind of just almost oration.

[Ben]

A eulogy.

[Noel]

Yes, exactly. A eulogy to the leg. Why should anyone criticize of a funeral performed for the foot, arm or hair of an illustrious general? Passions always tarnish merit with malevolence. And really do not wish true merit celebrated. So answer quickly and with confidence. Why should we not honor merit in the lifeless limb of a great and heroic causillo, which was the Spanish word for a military hero or official? Why should anyone criticize to make this fitting obloquy to a sacrificed limb, not to the man, but to what he has given fearlessly for the fatherland? It would be unjust, ungrateful, foolish and disloyal to claim it is not lawful or right that a lone foot have a tomb or mausoleum, that a funeral is performed. I'm going to skip to the last line.

[Ben]

Well, quick interjection. Obloquy is public criticism or verbal Abuse. So you're saying it's ridiculous for people to say anything bad about this foot or the man himself.

[Noel]

Why would you? I mean, he's obviously earned it, but I'm.

[Ben]

In this moment. Come on.

[Noel]

I'm gonna skip a little bit. The last line is what I think is really what sews it up. Did Artemisia not hide the ashes of Mausolus in her breast? Mausolus being a ruler in the 4th century who basically created the notion of a mausoleum or a giant, ornate tomb that he had erected for himself. But I shall continue believe this the only remedy. Here's where it gets good. She did her duty. So today, Mexico erects a tomb reaching to the sky, covering with ardent hope a jewel of history, and giving glory to the foot, arm, or hair.

[Ben]

We can go ahead and do the polite open mic, poetry slam, finger clap, which is just snapping your fingers. So, yes, it's true. He buried his leg. He reburied it, rather.

[Noel]

It was in a crystal vase.

[Ben]

It was a tremendously ornate event, and people were into it. The thing about being the top dog, however, is that when you're in this king of the hills situation, you don't have a lot of stability. In 1844, public opinion turned against the president. People tore down the statues of him. They dug his leg up again. Yeah.

[Noel]

And then, like, drag it through the streets chanting, death to the cripple, which is ugly. What did he. What did he do to earn that kind of public Ireland?

[Ben]

Well, it appears that he ruled in a much more dictatorial style.

[Noel]

Imagine that. Yeah, the Napoleon of the West.

[Ben]

So they jailed dissidents to suppress opposition. You know, there's not a free press. He led some unpopular campaigns. He wasn't able to control the elections of 1842. And a lot of the folks who were elected at that time were vigorously against the kind of policies he was pursuing. He also raised taxes. It's always a dicey move if you're at the levers of power. Several Mexican states just stopped dealing with the central government. They declared themselves independent. So eventually, he tries to flee the country in December of 1844, but he is unsuccessful. He is apprehended near Zico Veracruz, and he is imprisoned. He is exiled to Cuba.

[Noel]

When is this?

[Ben]

It's January of 1845, when he's caught.

[Noel]

Oh, okay. So I think what happened was when the tide of public opinion turned against him, it was basically a full rebellion. And he did his damnedest to squash this rebellion, but it obviously did not work out for him, and he ended being Exiled. Correct.

[Ben]

Yeah, yeah. Okay.

[Noel]

But during this time, there's a quote from his autobiography that I just love. He says this speaking of criticism or mockery of his fake leg. He says, stop, I don't wish to hear any more. Almighty God, a member of my body lost in the service of my country, dragged from the funeral urn, broken into bits, to be made sport of in such a barbaric manner. Boy, you're laying it on thick there.

[Ben]

Yeah, that's the benefit of writing from retrospect. And of course, everybody's the main character of their own story. Right.

[Noel]

So that's kind of where we lose track of the real leg. But this is sort of just the beginning of the story of the fake leg.

[Ben]

That was the first leg of the episode. This is the second leg of the episode.

[Noel]

Thank you for bringing it back.

[Ben]

Here we are. So he would die, one would imagine, in exile in Cuba. However, that is not what happened. You see, the United States declared war against Mexico in 1846. And this famous one legged general is called back to serve his country in the Mexican American War.

[Noel]

Keep pulling him back.

[Ben]

Yep. And so during the battle of Cerro Gordo in 1819 47, another leg related incident occurs. And Noel, you wanted to explore this historical event through the use of a clip, an excerpt from a show that you say is very important and personally close to you. That is King of the Hill.

[Noel]

Yeah, King of the Hill is my happy place show. I'm really sad that it's not on any of the streaming services anymore, but I was able to dig this up from a DVD that I have of this particular season. The episode is called the Final Shinsult and it opens with Peggy Hill as a substitute teacher because as we know, that's what Peggy Hill does of her son Bobby's history class, Texas History. And they are doing a little play that sums up this very event.

[Ben]

So you can just play it, right?

[Noel]

Yeah, let's do it.

[C]

Now, in preparation for our field trip, your classmates are going to act out a little known episode of Mexican American history. The year is 18.

[D]

I am General Santa Anna. I led the Mexican army at the Elmo where we defeated Texas. We are at the battle of Cerro Gordo 11 years later and we are hungry. Sir, I will hold your artificial leg while you eat.

[Noel]

Chicken.

[Ben]

Attack.

[D]

Look out, it's the Illinois volunteering Fentry. Hop on, General.

[Ben]

I stole your fake leg.

[C]

Oh, well, that was beautiful. That was just inspired.

[Noel]

So, yeah, I mean, need we say more?

[Ben]

I guess not.

[Noel]

So there's a little artistic license with that particular clip. But the way I've read it is that Santa Anna knew that the Illinois soldiers were approaching and hastily retreated, leaving his carriage abandoned, complete with his half eaten roasted chicken. About $18,000. In gold.

[Ben]

Yeah, in gold. And one more thing.

[Noel]

Yep, his fake leg.

[Ben]

So this prosthetic leg becomes a trophy piece. People were flocking to county fairs to pay a little bit of money to get a peek at this relic, and eventually it fell into the possession of the Illinois State Military Museum.

[Noel]

Yeah, because I guess they were the ones, the soldiers from Illinois were the ones what got it. It seems a little odd, though, that it would end up in Illinois, considering that Texas had much more of a close connection with General Santa Anna and his memorabilia. Right, right.

[Ben]

And in the recent years, even unto the modern day, this possession of Santa Ana's leg has become controversial. So in Texas, in the modern day, several groups of people are petitioning Illinois to return the leg, the prosthetic leg of Santa Ana to Texas. You can read about this in the Chicago Tribune, you can read about this in the museum site itself. But it does seem unusual, doesn't it, that it would end up in Illinois of all places, simply because the people who originally captured the leg were themselves from Illinois.

[Noel]

It's true. It's actually. There's a museum in Texas called the San Jacinto Museum of History that has tons of Santa Ana memorabilia. They have like a glove and they have, like silverware that he left behind during the Battle of San Jacinto, plates, all kinds of things related to this historical figure. But what they don't have and would very much like to have is that fake leg. But Illinois is not giving it up anytime soon.

[Ben]

No, unfortunately for the people who wish to see it returned, the directors, the management of both the museum and the Illinois Department of Military affairs are not budging. Colonel Brad Layton, the public affairs director of the Illinois Department of Military affairs as recently as 2016, said when asked if they would ever return this leg to Texas, he said, the answer is no. We paid for that leg with Illinois blood. And so, Noel, there's another quote that you found from the same King of the Hill episode, the Final Shinsult. And in this clip, we can see. This clip's a little bit different because they're taking a sort of an alternative universe approach. But we can see how many people would react to the mention of Santa.

[Noel]

Anna's leg, especially a grizzled Texas war hero like Grandpa Hill Cotton, one of my favorite characters in the show. Here we go.

[C]

Oh, Hank, that Reminds me, we need some chaperones for Bobby's class trip.

[Ben]

What kind of trip you taking, Bobby? Vegas.

[D]

There's a General Santa Ana exhibit at the museum. We did a play about him in school, and I was one of his privates.

[Ben]

Yeah, yeah, I know all about Santa Annie. We got his walking log under glass. Illinois, I'm glad to say.

[C]

Actually, Cotton, the leg is coming through Ireland. America is finally returning the leg to Mexico.

[Ben]

What? Take it easy, dad. Take it easy. You see, Bobby, your daddy's generation's giving away everything we fought for. Panama Canal, Mexican legs. You people give back Gandhi's diapers that you had them. And while the real life prosthetic is not traveling to Mexico, or at least not as we record this, the clip does a decent job of depicting the emotions involved. And now the leg still remains in Illinois, and the people who could return it to Texas are categorically against it. So it looks set to stay there.

[Noel]

Yeah. It's also Mexico wants it back. All the while Santa Ana, even during his life, was petitioning to get it back. And Mexico has continued to ask for it back. You can kind of see why Illinois would be so fond of the leg. They went so far as to name one of their cities after the Battle of Cerro Gordo, which took place in Mexico. Cerro Gordo, which means Fat Hill, Right.

[Ben]

Yeah. And at this point, you're probably wondering what happens to Santa Anna after he has lost his leg that he spends much of his later life petitioning to have returned. From 1855 to 1874, he lived in exile in various parts of the world. In Cuba, Colombia, the United States, the island of St. Thomas.

[Noel]

A lot of Napoleon analogs here.

[Ben]

Right? Right. Like Saint Helena and Elba. He had left. He, being Santa Ana, had left Mexico due to his unpopularity. After his defeat in 1848, he participated in different gambling businesses and other industries, hoping that he would become rich. Oh, we didn't even talk about his marriages. Did you know he had a habit of marrying wealthy teenage women for the financial benefits?

[Noel]

Like heiresses?

[Ben]

Kind of, yeah. And one of the legends is that during one of his weddings, he didn't show up to the ceremonies.

[Noel]

What a piece of work.

[Ben]

I guess he was busy. He could work it. I mean, everybody knows scheduling is tough for anything. So one of the things he did in his later life, in the 1850s, he brought the first shipment of chicle to New York. Chicle is the gum. Yeah. Really? He helped introduce chewing gum to the United States. He originally intended it to be used in Tires, which makes sense at the time. But he had hoped that he could hang out with his friend, inventor named Thomas Adams, and create a rubber substitute, which a lot of people were looking for in this day and age. And unfortunately, they could not use the chicle in that application. However, Adams figured out that if he added flavorings and sweeteners to the plant, to the chicle, he could create, quote, rubber chewing gum. And the company that Adams started would become one of the largest in the United States, rivaled only by that of William Wrigley, Jr. Of Wrigley Gum.

[Noel]

Yeah, I like a good Juicy Fruit.

[Ben]

Yeah. Oddly enough, I don't know if we've mentioned it on this show, but, you know, Juicy Fruit is an entirely manufactured flavor. It doesn't exist in the world.

[Noel]

It tastes like anything. Doesn't exist.

[Ben]

They made it up synthetically, and that's why it's not. That's why it is not tied to any specific fruit flavor.

[Noel]

Yeah, but it's still, you know, it has the waft of a fruit like flavor. Right. Yeah. Last thing. Only because we skipped it, we probably should have brought this up earlier. Apparently, the Illinois infantry, the 4th Illinois infantry, actually captured an additional Santa Ana leg.

[Ben]

That's true. Yes. Yeah, we should mention that.

[Noel]

Yeah. Cause the one that people think about and get all worked up about is, you know, the Full Monty cork manufactured prosthetic. But that one would have been probably a little more difficult to put on. So as a secondary, as a backup, he also had something of a more humble peg leg. And apparently Lieutenant Abner Doubleday liked to use it as a baseball bat. And it's on display right here in our town of Atlanta, Decatur, in fact, at the former governor's mansion, Oglesby Mansion. So we should check that out. We should do a field trip.

[Ben]

And we should also bid adieu to Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna.

[Noel]

What a winding and twisted story this one was.

[Ben]

Now there is a good ending, at least on a personal level. In 1874, under the terms of general amnesty, he was able to return home to Mexico. His vision had deteriorated to a extreme degree due to the development of cataracts. He was largely dismissed or ignored by the government of the time. And he hadn't been in politics since 1855. Eventually, he passed away at his home in Mexico City. In 1876, at the age of 82, he was buried in a glass coffin.

[Noel]

That's cool. Like Snow White.

[Ben]

And imagine, for someone who lives such a violent life and war, it's kind of like winning the lottery to die. In peace at your own home.

[Noel]

Not to mention at 82, the life expectancy back in those days was not near that into life expectancy for soldiers, of course. Yeah, but just in general, right? I mean, pretty impressive that he made it that far and had gone through so much intense stuff. But yeah, it's not a happy ending exactly, but it's a little dignity for this mavericky, compliance, complex peacock of a man.

[Ben]

Yeah, it's bittersweet, but it is peaceful. And that's, you know, there's nothing wrong with that. You can't be angry at that. However, however, you can visit Illinois, you can visit Atlanta, and you can see these legs in person. If you would like to check out, at least in the case of Illinois, a relic that traveled the United States as a tourist attraction. If you do happen to go there, please send us some photos. I would like to see it. If you, if you could take a selfie in front of the leg and I, you know, this brings us back to the earlier question that we explored in the corpses in the Diorama episode, which is about ownership and ethics in museum collections. What do you think, folks? Should Illinois retain possession of this leg? Does it belong in Mexico? Does it belong in Texas? Does it belong somewhere else? And if so, why? Let us know. You can find us on Instagram, you can find us on Twitter, you can check out our Facebook page, ridiculous Historians, where you can meet your fellow listeners. And you can also find myself. You can find Casey, you can find Noel jumping in, commenting on some threads we lurk. I still haven't posted. I still haven't posted a response to his favorite historical jerk.

[Noel]

And apparently we're going to get some glamour shots of Casey during his lucrative child modeling career when he returns from.

[Ben]

France, which is a true story. I can't wait to see. I can't wait to see who his fake dad is.

[Noel]

Oh, that's right.

[Ben]

Yeah, he's gonna.

[Noel]

That's the thing.

[Ben]

He was telling us about that off air. So. So thank you, as always, very much for listening. Thank you to our super producer, Casey Pegram. Thank you to our guest producer, Eden Brown. Give me a high five.

[Noel]

Hear that?

[Ben]

We'll fix it in post.

[Noel]

No, that's good. That was the sound of camaraderie.

[Ben]

And of course, thank you to Alex Williams who composed our track. Thank you to our awesome researcher Christopher Haciotes.

[Noel]

And thank you to you for being you and being the best you that you can possibly be in listening to ridiculous history. Join us next time where we talk about a crime fighting gorilla in Johannesburg, South Africa. Just going to leave it right there. See you then.

[Ben]

Let's play out with some old home on the range music.

[Noel]

Home, Home on the RA Range where the deer and the. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.