This Day In Texas History - May 8
Posted: Sat May 08, 2010 6:19 pm
1846 - The Battle of Palo Alto marked the first major battle of the Mexican-American War, starting off about five miles from Brownsville. Mexican troops, who were trying to take over "Fort Texas," outnumbered American troops in the battle, 3,400 Mexicans to 2,400 members of the U.S. Army of Observation. The Mexicans thought Fort Texas was built on their territory.
U.S. Gen. Zachary Taylor rushed troops to the fort to assist defenders, but they were stopped by a Mexican force. Taylor ordered his artillery to attack the Mexicans in a move that later became known as the "Flying Artillery," involving the use of light artillery and quick movements. The Mexicans had gunpowder that was inferior to the Americans', and it tended to explode too early. It also shortened the range of their firing. Their inferior weaponry helped lead the Americans to victory.
The battlefield is now officially known as Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site, maintained by the National park Service.
1847 - The German scientist Ferdinand von Roemer concluded his tour of Texas, begun in November 1845. Roemer studied the flora, fauna, and geology of Texas from Galveston to Houston, as far west as New Braunfels and Fredericksburg, and as far north as Waco. Roemer's account of his travels, published in Germany in 1849, became an influential source of information for European emigrants, though he did not romanticize what he found: after noting that the early settlers of Texas had included "the most degraded riff-raff, adventurers, gamblers, swindlers and murderers--the scum not only of the United States but of all nations," he added with faint praise that "the present morals and respect for the laws of the land are as a general rule not any lower than in the adjoining Southwestern States." [ thanks...I think.
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1914 – Mildred “Babe” Didrickson Zaharias was born in Port Arthur. She was called “the Greatest Woman Athlete of the 20th century.”
1917 - The First Officers Training Camp was established just north of Anderson Hill at Camp Funston on the Leon Springs Military Reservation, near San Antonio. As part of America's mobilization for World War I, the FOTC was to provide in ninety days most of the junior officers for newly formed divisions. The trainees became known as "ninety-day wonders." By the end of World War I more than 32,000 acres near Leon Springs was in use by the army.
U.S. Gen. Zachary Taylor rushed troops to the fort to assist defenders, but they were stopped by a Mexican force. Taylor ordered his artillery to attack the Mexicans in a move that later became known as the "Flying Artillery," involving the use of light artillery and quick movements. The Mexicans had gunpowder that was inferior to the Americans', and it tended to explode too early. It also shortened the range of their firing. Their inferior weaponry helped lead the Americans to victory.
The battlefield is now officially known as Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Site, maintained by the National park Service.
1847 - The German scientist Ferdinand von Roemer concluded his tour of Texas, begun in November 1845. Roemer studied the flora, fauna, and geology of Texas from Galveston to Houston, as far west as New Braunfels and Fredericksburg, and as far north as Waco. Roemer's account of his travels, published in Germany in 1849, became an influential source of information for European emigrants, though he did not romanticize what he found: after noting that the early settlers of Texas had included "the most degraded riff-raff, adventurers, gamblers, swindlers and murderers--the scum not only of the United States but of all nations," he added with faint praise that "the present morals and respect for the laws of the land are as a general rule not any lower than in the adjoining Southwestern States." [ thanks...I think.
]1914 – Mildred “Babe” Didrickson Zaharias was born in Port Arthur. She was called “the Greatest Woman Athlete of the 20th century.”
1917 - The First Officers Training Camp was established just north of Anderson Hill at Camp Funston on the Leon Springs Military Reservation, near San Antonio. As part of America's mobilization for World War I, the FOTC was to provide in ninety days most of the junior officers for newly formed divisions. The trainees became known as "ninety-day wonders." By the end of World War I more than 32,000 acres near Leon Springs was in use by the army.
to Dad, RIP.