After attending lectures on Napoleon as a young man, Santa Anna modelled himself upon the French emperor, even adopting Napoleon's hairstyle (combed from the back toward his forehead).

Nonetheless, he scarcely resembled his portly hero, either on or off the battlefield. Santa Ana was tall and skinny, had only one leg, and was painfully deficient in tactical brilliance. Indeed, during the Mexican-American War (1846-1848), he lost every campaign in which he fought.

In one particularly inspired 'surprise attack' the general foolishly dressed all of his troops in enemy uniforms. The chaos was indescribable and the plan an abject failure.