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War and the Muses - "The Leg I Left Behind Me"
Antonio Loped de Santa Anna, President of Mexico, one of the slipperiest characters ever to disgrace the Western Hemisphere, considered himself a formidable field commander. But during the Mexican-American War he proved incapable of winning a single battle.
At the Battle of Cerro Gordo (April 17-18, 1847), 8,500 men under U.S. Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott drove Santa Anna' 12,000 troops from the field in precipitate haste. Santa Anna fled right along with his troops, abandoning his baggage as he did. The general-president's carriage was captured by American troops. In it they found a number of the general's impressive uniforms, plus his war chest of $70,000 in silver. And they found something else, as well.
As a result of a wound received in 1839, Santa Anna had only one leg. In his traveling carriage, the American troops found the Santa Anna's spare leg. This prize led to the composition of a song, to the tune of "The Girl I Left Behind Me."
| The Leg I Left Behind Me |
I am stumpless quite since from the shot
Of Cerro Gordo peggin',
I left behind, to pay Gen. Scott,
My grub, and gave my leg in.
I dare not turn to view the place
Lest Yankee foes should find me,
And mocking shake before my face
The leg I left behind me.
At Buena Vista l was sure
That Yankee troops must surrender,
And bade my men hurrah, for you're
All going on a bender.
That all my hopes and plans were dashed,
My scattered troops remind me,
But though I there got soundly thrashed,
l left no leg behind me.
Should Gen. Taylor of my track get scent,
Or Gen Scott beat up my quarters,
I may as well just be content
To go across the waters.
But should that my fortune be,
Fate has not quite resigned me
For in the museum I will see
The leg I left behind me.
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