This Day In Texas History - May 8

[joe817]

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.

1846 - The first wagontrain of 120 settlers arrived in Fredericksburg traveling from New Braunfels on May 8, 1846, after a sixteen-day journey, accompanied by an eight-man military escort

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."

1873 - The Houston Light Guards, one of the oldest national guard companies in the state, became the first uniformed militia company in post-Reconstruction Houston. It could not form until elimination of the Republican state administration seemed imminent. Confederate veterans began to organize the unit in the fall of 1872. By April 6, 1873, the necessary signatures appeared on the roll, and city officials notarized the charter. Members completed a petition that requested state approval of the charter on April 21, 1873, San Jacinto Day, which is now celebrated as the unit's organization day. On April 25, 1873, Edwin Fairfax Gray became the first company commander; Henry B. Johnson, first lieutenant; and Decimus U. Barzizaqv, second lieutenant. On May 8, 1873, the company filed the charter in Austin. The Light Guards served in both world wars as an infantry company of the Thirty-sixth Infantry Division.

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.

1970 - Miguel Keith, Medal of Honor recipient, was born at San Antonio, Texas. He entered military service at Omaha, Nebraska. Lance Corporal Keith, United States Marine Corps, was a member of the Third Marine Amphibious Force at Quang Ngai Province, Vietnam, on May 8, 1970. In the early morning he was seriously wounded during a ground attack by a large enemy force. In spite of his wounds, he ran across fire-swept terrain to check the security of vital defense positions. Completely exposed, he proceeded to deliver a hail of machine-gun fire against the enemy. As five of the enemy approached the command post he rushed forward and disposed of three of the attackers and dispersed the others. A grenade exploded near Keith, knocking him to the ground, and inflicted further severe wounds. He again braved concentrated hostile fire and charged an estimated twenty-five enemy soldiers. His assault and well-placed fire eliminated four of the enemy and scattered the remainder. During this valiant effort he was mortally wounded. Keith's heroic effort contributed to the success of his platoon in routing the enemy force.

[ELB]

1846 - The Battle of Palo Alto .... 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. ...

Some years ago -- as part of a Military History course I took at Indiana University, I believe -- I read a book-length history of artillery in the US forces. It mentioned the effective use of artillery against the Mexicans in several battles. In fact, it credited mobile artillery with being the key to the effectiveness of the army on the battlefield throughout the Mexican campaigns, the Civil War, and beyond. I remember reading some reference that noted most soldiers on the battlefield who were killed by weapons (as opposed to disease and accident) died from artillery fire, not rifle fire.

Anyway the history went on the describe artillery right up through WWII, and noted that one of the lessons the Army drew from the Battle of the Bulge is to move to self-propelled artillery. A lot of towed-artillery was lost to the German attack because it could not be moved fast enough -- it was overrun. I don't know what how much towed artillery the US Army has now, but I do recall early in the Desert Storm campaign that although the Iraqis had artillery with longer range (thanks Gerald Bull) than ours, our mobile arty would roll into range, plaster its targets, and then move before Saddam's arty could target them.



Any, much later in military history, I pulled this one from an older "This Day in Texas History..._"

1982 - I started my journey to Texas on this date by simultaneously graduating from Indiana University and being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Air Force Reserve, with orders to active duty to follow and a Regular Commission awaiting. Took travel through a couple other states and another continent or two before I made it 16 years later. I wasn't born here, and I took my time getting here, but believe I will stay awhile.

Addendum -- I had come to Texas for the first time two yeas earlier, in July-August, for AFROTC Field Training at Lackland AFB. In those days cadets were housed in the old WWII or Korea vintage open bay, un-air-conditioned barracks that were somewhere on the west side of the base. Texas welcomed us with a nice hot summer, the Black Flag usually went up about mid-morning, and then to round out things a hurricane came by and drowned the base in water for a couple days. What an introduction! I think I did have my first Pina Colada on the Riverwalk tho, thought that was a mighty fine drink.

[JALLEN]

I'll be darned!

It seems the Aggies were around these parts earlier than commonly believed.

For those auschlanders, recent arrivals who may not be acquainted with the term "Aggie," here is a brief explanation:

An "Aggie" is a student or alumni or fan, of the Texas Agricultural and Mechanical College, more recently University, colloquially known as "Texas A&M."

The Aggies serve the same function in Texas as Polacks do in other areas, the butt of countless jokes about their morals, intelligence, manners. For years, I had a bumper sticker on one of my cars that said, "When God made Aggies, He was just joking!"

When I was growing up around here, almost every public gathering began with "let us pray." Public prayer has been in the decline for decades. I was at a Lion's Club lunch a few years ago with my dad. The meeting began with, "Did you hear the one about the Aggie who...."

In my day it was all male, ROTC. They were all Animal Husbandry majors, until someone caught 'em and made 'em quit it! A great many of my HS buddies went to A&M. In the days of the Southwest Conference, the Longhorn-Aggie rivalry was one of the most intense in college sports. The Aggies stand throughout football games, pretending to be "the 12th Man." They get to kiss their dates when they score, if they have one, if they do score. Johnny Manziel was the most recent "distinguished" alumni.

We say, "Hook 'em, 'horns!" They say, "Gig 'em, Aggies!"

This just touches the surface of what is an Aggie!

[ELB]

I'll be darned!

It seems the Aggies were around these parts earlier than commonly believed.

So von Roemer was the proto-Aggie?

My AFROTC commander at IU was an Aggie, and introduced me to my first Aggie joke. (Being Indiana, the ag and engineering school was Purdue University, and it was the arch rival to Indiana U. So all the Aggie-type jokes were about the Boilermakers at Purdue). Lt Col Rodgers was a good guy.

[joe817]

I spent 3 years at Allen Military Academy in Bryan, in the early '60's, right next door to College Station. We lived in 1 story dorms; 6 suites to a dorm, 4 cadets to a suite. We had, IIRC, about 20 or so dorms that surrounded the parade field/football field.

Each dorm was "supervised" by 2 resident Aggies. They lived there with us, in their own suite. ALL of them were either animal husbandry majors and most all of them were in the Corps of Cadets.

Thanks for the memories gentlemen!