Page:History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century Volume 1.djvu/338



Scott’s army and participated in all of its battles. He led the advance into the Mexican capital and pulled down their flag with his own hands. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in the regular army. In 1849 the Iowa Legislature voted him a sword in honor of his brilliant services.

The Mexican War furnished names for several Iowa counties and towns. The Legislature of 1850 created new counties of the remaining portion of the State. The battle-fields and heroes of the late war were fresh in the minds of the people and their memory was perpetuated in many of the counties named. Buena Vista, Cerro Gordo and Palo Alto were the names of battle-fields used; and Taylor, Ringgold, Mills, Yell, Worth, Butler, Hardin and Guthrie were the names of officers who had distinguished themselves in the Mexican War. Numerous townships and towns commemorated other heroes of the war.