Captured Mexican Flag - Mexican American War Flag Stickers

Original flag can be viewed here. 

Historical Background: 

LT. WILLIAM B. BATE WAS BORN IN SUMNER COUNTY, TN, ON OCTOBER 7, 1826, SON OF JAMES H. & ELIZABETH BRIMAGE BATE. HIS FATHER DIED WHEN HE WAS 15 YEARS OLD, AND AS A RESULT, HE DECIDED TO LEAVE HOME TO MAKE A LIVING FOR HIMSELF. AT AGE 15, BATE'S FIRST JOB WAS A CLERKSHIP ON A STEAMBOAT THAT TRAVELED FROM NASHVILLE TO NEW ORLEANS. WHILE DOCKED IN NEW ORLEANS, BATE HEARD OF THE OUTBREAK OF THE MEXICAN WAR AND RAN TO ENLIST IN A LOUISIANA COMPANY. HE SERVED OUT HIS TERM WITH THE LA COMPANY AND THEN JOINED TROOPS IN TENNESSEE. HE WAS MADE A LIEUTENANT AND SERVED UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR.

WHEN HE RETURNED HOME, HE FARMED AND WAS THE PUBLISHER OF A WEEKLY NEWSPAPER, 'THE TENTH LEGION.' LATER AT AGE 23, HE WAS ELECTED TO THE LEGISLATURE. HE THEN ENROLLED IN LAW SCHOOL AT CUMBERLAND UNIVERSITY AND GRADUATED IN 1852. HE BEGAN TO PRACTICE IN GALLATIN AND WAS ELECTED ATTORNEY GENERAL OF THE DISTRICT COMPRISED OF SUMNER, DAVIDSON, AND WILLIAMSON COUNTIES IN 1854. HE SERVED IN THIS OFFICE UNTIL 1860.

IN 1856, BATE MARRIED JULIA PEETE. TOGETHER, THEY HAD FOUR DAUGHTERS, TWO OF WHOM DIED AT AN EARLY AGE. THE TWO STAYED MARRIED FOR FORTY-NINE YEARS.

WHEN TENNESSEE SECEDED FROM THE UNION, BATE CLOSED HIS LAW PRACTICE TEMPORARILY AND ENLISTED IN A COMPANY BEING RAISED IN GALLATIN AS A PRIVATE. HE BECAME THE COMPANY'S CAPTAIN AND WAS LATER ELECTED COLONEL OF A COMPANY. AT THE BATTLE OF SHILOH, BATE WAS BADLY WOUNDED IN THE LEG. DOCTORS WANTED TO AMPUTATE HIS LEG, BUT HE REFUSED TO LET THEM DO IT. HE REMAINED CRIPPLED FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. HE RETURNED TO COMMAND ON CRUTCHES AS A BRIGADIER GENERAL AND HAD THREE HORSES SHOT FROM UNDER HIM DURING THE WAR.

AT THE END OF THE WAR, BATE WENT BACK HOME TO CONTINUE PRACTICING LAW. HE WAS ELECTED GOVERNOR IN 1882 AND INAUGURATED IN 1883. IN 1887, HE WAS ELECTED TO SERVE AS A US SENATOR AND SERVED FOUR TERMS IN OFFICE.

ON MARCH 4, 1905, BATE ATTENDED THE PRESIDENTIAL INAUGURATION. HE CAUGHT A COLD DUE TO THE INCLEMENT WEATHER AND EVENTUALLY DEVELOPED PNEUMONIA. HE DIED FIVE DAYS LATER ON MARCH 9, 1905. HE IS NOW BURIED IN MT. OLIVET CEMETERY IN NASHVILLE, TN.

Each purchase comes with three stickers or one magnet.