José María de Tornel y Mendívil (1795–1853) was a 19th-century creole (Mexican Spanish descent) Mexican army general, attorney and politician who greatly influenced Mexico’s political stage and the career of President Antonio López de Santa Anna.

[1] Tornel was prominent among the "santanistas"[2] a group of politicians and officials who helped Santa Anna return to power frequently, despite defeats in the 1836 Texas Revolution and the 1846–48 Mexican–American War.

President Guadelupe Victoria (1824-1829) and Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna (1821) were soon to acquire Tornel as their private secretary.

He complained to the Jackson administration about its failure to honor Mexico’s laws prohibiting further migration of Americans to Texas.

Tornel served as Minister of War, and helped plan the campaign that led to the Battle of the Alamo.