May 8th

The first major  battle of the Mexican -American War was fought at Palo Alto, Texas, US. American defending forces led by General Zachary Taylor were able to beat back the larger attacking Mexican army.

Zachary Taylor (November 24, 1784 – July 9, 1850) was an American military Gneral and heroic leader who served as the 12th president of the United States from 1849 until his death in 1850. Taylor previously was a career officer in the  United States Army, rising to the rank of  major general and becoming a national hero as a result of his victories in the  Mexican–American War