172 years ago the Stars and Stripes flew over Texas for the first time when General Zachary Taylor defended St. Joseph Island in Aransas county.

Today St. Joseph Island is basically a sand barrier, but in 1845 it was determined as a good place as any to send troops to protect the state from Mexican interference that had begun to occur after the annexation of Texas to the United States.

The Mexican-American war would break out the following year in 1846. General Taylor would go on to defeat the Mexican forces at the battles of Palo Alto, and Resaca de la Palma. Taylor would then move his troops into Mexico to fight the battle of Monterrey, and then defied orders and headed even further south to fight Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the battle of Buena Vista.

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