General Antonio López de Santa Anna Pérez de Lebrón was President of Mexico 11 times between 1832 and 1855. His pretensions were considerable, his modesty non-existent. Of limited ability, he had boundless ambition and may well have contemplated making himself monarch of Mexico on two occasions, the last being in the period of his final presidency. There are three indications in particular that lead to this conclusion. The first is his list of titles accumulated in his last presidency; by July 1853 he was referred to in documents as “benemérito de la patria, general de division, caballero gran cruz de la real y distinguida órden española de Carlos III, y presidente de la Republica Mexicana” and further titles were added, notably “His Most Serene Highness” which was “granted” to him in December 1853.

The second is the re-creation of the Order of the Virgin of Guadelupe, originally instituted in the reign of the first Emperor of Mexico, Agustín Iturbide, who had been the Grand Master of the Order. In the recreated version, Santa Anna became the Grand Master - another title to be added to the list. The third indication of his ambition is his creation of what looks remarkably like an Imperial Guard. However, he also appears to have been actively looking for a foreign Emperor for Mexico, beginning negotiations in 1854 - although at his trial in 1867 it was alleged he had begun these negotiations in 1852. Naturally such a foreign monarch would depend on Santa Anna, but there was always the possibility, if no foreigner could be persuaded to sit on the Mexican throne, that another suitable Emperor might be sought closer to home.

Certainly he set about creating a powerful army, following the reductions put in place after the disastrous period of the war with the United States. However, not only did he increase the size of the army, he ordered new and elaborate uniforms, replacing the simplified and more economical dress decreed in 1848. He also created a large and imposing Presidential Guard of better-paid, splendidly uniformed horse, foot and artillery - an army within an army, on the lines of the French Imperial Guard of Napoleon I (with whom he identified) and which was also being re-created in France on the orders of President Louis Napoleon, who made himself Emperor of France in November 1852. The example of Napoleon III in seizing the throne was probably not lost on Santa Anna and while Spanish influence on uniform and organisation of the army was naturally considerable, there was a great deal of influence from France in Mexico in many walks of life, for instance fashion, furniture and literature. French was widely spoken by the wealthy in Mexico as the French were to discover when they invaded in 1863.

There is considerable French influence in the design of the uniforms of Santa Anna’s guard but there is a problem in deciding the details of the uniforms. The broad outlines are clear enough in the regulations, but without pictures it is difficult to decide on the exact appearance of cuffs, lace etc. and I have as yet seen no contemporary pictures of the Mexican army at this time. Terminology in the regulations is odd and at times very unclear and it is any case perfectly possible that none of these uniforms was ever issued in full before the sudden collapse of the presidency in 1855.

Modifications and additions were made in rapid succession which further indicates that the full dress uniforms at least were never actually worn as described, except perhaps for one or two units, and probably for most in “medio”, or intermediate, form. The influence of these regulations on Mexican uniform in succeeding years was considerable and elements of the full and “medio” dress decreed in the years 1853 - 55 were retained throughout the period, including the years of the war with the French and after. French and Spanish practice in the overall cut of the uniform and in cuff and lace design may furnish some idea of the actual look of the Mexican army in these years.

Mexico 1853 - 1855: Part 1 Uniforms of the Army in Santa Anna's Last Presidency

Introduction
Officers and Staff
The Presidential Guard
Guard: Sappers, Engineers, and Artillery
Guard: Grenadiers and Light Infantry Bttns
Guard: Horse Grenadiers and Lancers
Squadron of Guides of the President
Medical Corps of the Guard