The nation initially declared independence as early as 1823 (the First Republic of Yucatán), but within seven months, integrated itself into the original United Mexican States as the Federated Republic of Yucatán. But with Santa Anna's continuing centralization of the Mexican government following a coup d'état, independence was officially declared on October 1, 1841. Following a failed series of treaties signed in November, Santa Anna attempted to subdue the Yucatecan federalists with military force the following August, but failed to gain a foothold on the peninsula. Less than six months later, Santa Anna again sent troops across the Bay of Campeche, to finally gain a foothold in the republic's Campeche District. A force of six thousand troops was split into separate armies in order to la