National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-09-20
thereon and communicate II to me.
....- FERNANl
To the Secretary of War, Mexico.

OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY OF STATE AND
DISPATCH OF WAR AND NAVY, MEXICO, EsPE-
CIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE STAFF, SECTION 5,
NO. Si6O.-1n reply to your official communi-
cation of the 9th instant. In which you copy
that of the Mexican minister at Washington,
regarding the military coat that is at the
museum of the United States as having be-
longed to Gen; Santa Ana, and captured by an
American captain In the Mexican war. After
consulting with the ministry about the pro.
priety of making clear to the government of
that nation of its not being possible that the
coat could have belonged to Cen Santa Ana,
he replied after consulting the president of
the republic, that, judging by the description
that Is made of the coat and by the regula-
tions regarding the uniform of The. Mexican
army ruling Mt the time In which the coat
appears to have been captured, 1t belonged to
n second lieutenant of artillery, and II could
mt have belonged at the same time to Gen.
Santa Ana Consequently the Mexican min
lister at Washington should be authorized to
make these facts known TO the United States
government
Liberty and onstitution-Mexioo, March 10,
1854. By order of T. Montesinos, chief clerk.
To the Secretary of Foreign Relations.
Inquiry at the interior department de-
veloped the fact that the coat was de-
posted for safe keeping in the patent
Office by Mrs. L. b. Wheat, of Memphis,
mother of its original captor in August,
1876. through Mr.. Roberdeau Buchanan,
relative, who was then employed in the
patent office.
DR.. M. NJ. do Meza who was Gen. Santa
Ana's private secretary, told REPUBLIC
CAN reporter last night that he had seen
the coat for the first time week or 80
ago. and was then convinced that IL never
covered the Mexican hero's portly form.
He added that the generals uniform was
very gorgeous affair, and that he always
wore it in battle or on state occasions.
In one engagement Gen. Taylor was
enabled to dismount Santa Ana while
at some distance by means of o sharp
shooter who had splendid mark in the
conspicuous uniform of the Mexican
leader. Gen. Taylor and Santa Ana
were afterward warm friends, and
DR.. dc Meza was the bearer of
the latter's last letter to Taylor, and
the reply which was the latest effort OF
the kind undertaken by the dying hero.
This was in New York in 1866 where
Santa Ana and dc Meza were trying to
raise an expedition against Maximillian.
The capture of Santa Ana, too was
effected at farm house where he was
| disguised as countryman. DIR. dc Meza
was of the opinion that the uniform might
have been that worn by Angel Santa Ana,
the generals son, who was colonel on his
staff and much smaller man, and might
have adopted it as rendering him less
liable to dangerous Identification. Hi:
father, who was over six feet tall and
heavily built, was known TO every sol.
dier Of both armies.
The coat has evidently been worn by q
man of less than average size. 1t ha!
been preserved with tho utmost care
and, as with the other relics of the kind
the buttons, thirty-one in number, have
been carefully counted from time to time
to detect any depredations by wanda
visitors.
Mr.. Buchanan, who is now connected
with the nautical almanac Office, is a
present out of the city, so that his state
ment of the reasons for supposing tn,
coat which his relative captured in Mex
leo had been worn by the great genera
could not be ascertained.
The letters of the Mexican authoritie
have been laid before the state depart
ment, and it ia probable that some actor
looking to the withdrawal Of the relic
and its return to the representatives o
its owners will be shortly taken.
A friend of Capt. Wheat stated las
night that the coat was captured in car
riage, along with the wooden leg Of SAINT
Ana and other things, but from whicl
he had just escaped, not TO be caugh
during that war. The occurrence tool
place near Chepultapec.