The revolt in Zacatecas was the first rebellion caused by Santa Anna's rise to power. The militant reaction began as a response to the order from the Mexican government disbanding bodies of militia in the various states. Governor Francisco García Salinas, a former Santa Anna ally, led an army of about 5,000 thousand men against the federal government of Antonio López de Santa Anna. El Presidente responded by personally leading an army of 3,000 against Zacatecas, leaving General Miguel Barragán as "Manager of the Presidency." The centralists defeated Governor García Salinas and his poorly equipped troops in the battle of Zacatecas, April 11, 1835. The pillaging of the city and the atrocities against foreigners that followed–supposedly sanctioned by Santa Anna himself–alarmed Mexicans everywhere, but especially in the Anglo-American colonies of Texas.
Manga de Clavo
Santa Anna's retreat and refuge.
San Felipe de Austin
Settlers in Texas, alarmed at the political crisis in Mexico and shocked that Santa Anna had gone from a champion of the federalists to a self-proclaimed dictator, prepared to defend themselves.
Map Publication Information
Mexico & Guatimala;
Daniel Lizars, 1833
Mexican federalists hoped a landing at Tampico would spark a coMexican federalists fled their homeland to organize their struggle against Santa Anna and the centralists and New Orleans quickly became a center of this disaffected community. George Fisher, a Serbian-Hungarian adventurer, naturalized Mexican citizen, and former customs official in Texas worked with Mexican General José Antonio Mexía to gather a force there in October 1835 in order to spark a counter-coup, with plans to invade at Tampico.unter revolution against Santa Anna
Mexican federalists hoped a landing at Tampico would spark a counter revolution against Santa Anna