For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. – Romans 8:6
The first major battle of the Mexican-American War took place on this date in 1846. General Zachary Taylor, who would go on to become the twelfth President of the United States, led a force of 2,400 troops to Fort Texas and was engaged by General Arista of Mexico who had a force of 3,400 troops. The Battle of Palo Alto resulted in a victory for the United States due to the technological superiority of its “flying artillery,” its name for the horse-drawn light artillery mounted on horse carriages. When the war ended in 1848, the U.S. added a massive amount of territory to its borders including what would become California, Nevada, and Utah, as well as parts of Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, and Wyoming. The question of how the territory would be divided between slave and free states intensified into civil war 13 years after the end of the conflict.
As the Lord leads, pray with us…
- For the president and members of Congress as they consider and evaluate the alliances of the U.S. in conflicts around the world.
- For Secretary Lloyd Austin and the Joint Chiefs of Staff to seek God’s wisdom as they advise the president.
