the provisional government of 1835 provided for a navy to serve the new republic of texas. it was not a very formidable navy. it consisted at first of two vessels—the schooners the invincible and the liberty. afterward were added the independence, which became the flag-ship of commodore hawkins, commandant of the fleet, the brutus, and several small sloops, including the champion and the julius c?sar.
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these ships cruised about the gulf of mexico, watching the coast and doing what they could with their small guns to annoy the mexican war-vessels. early in april, 1836, the invincible, commanded by captain jerry brown, met the mexican brig, the montezuma, near tampico and fired upon her. a spirited engagement followed which lasted several hours, and in which the montezuma was badly disabled. she drew off, and in attempting to enter the harbor ran aground.
the invincible sailed away unhurt, and the next day met and captured the american brig, the pocket, which was on her way to a mexican port with a cargo of supplies for santa anna’s army. captain brown brought the pocket into galveston, whence the supplies were forwarded to the army.
the invincible, lying at that time in the bay, received from captain calder the first news of the victory at san jacinto, and captain brown at once “turned loose old tom” to express his own joy therefor.
the yellowstone came down from the texan camp and landed the mexican prisoners on the island; she then proceeded to velasco, having on board the president and his cabinet officers, and general santa anna and his staff.
the invincible was ordered to follow, and after signing the treaty, santa anna was conducted on board, and captain brown received orders to sail to vera cruz with the defeated general. the texan commissioners empowered to treat with the mexican government were also on board. as already related, santa anna was taken ashore again and placed in prison. the invincible with the brutus was soon afterward sent to new york for repairs. the liberty conveyed general houston to new orleans, and was there sold to pay her war-expenses.
the new congress was without means to meet the cost of repairing and refitting the invincible and her sister ship. they were on the point of being sold when henry swartwout, the collector of the port of new york, with great generosity provided the money from his private purse. they were completely equipped and sent to sea the same year.
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in 1837 the entire fleet set out for a cruise in the gulf of mexico. the champion and the julius c?sar were taken by the enemy on the 12th of april. both carried valuable cargoes, and their loss was a keen blow to the young government.
on the 17th of april the independence encountered near velasco two mexican brigs of war,—the libertador, armed with sixteen 18-pound guns and manned with one hundred and forty men, and the vincedor, with six 12-pounders and one hundred men. the independence had but thirty-one men. the action, in which the texans behaved with great gallantry, was a short and severe one. it ended in the capture of the independence. the crew were sent as prisoners to matamoras.
old capitol at houston (1837). from an old print.
a little later the invincible and the brutus captured the mexican schooners, the obispo and the telegraph. both boats were sent in as prizes.
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in august the brutus and the invincible reached galveston with another prize. the brutus with the prize entered the harbor safely, but the invincible did not succeed in passing the bar. she was attacked the next morning (26th) by two mexican ships. the brutus started out to assist her, but ran aground and lay helpless on the sand. the invincible held her own against the enemy all day; at nightfall she struck on the breakers. her crew were saved, but the gallant old ship went to pieces.
the next year (1838) a new navy was voted by congress. several vessels were bought, but there was now no duty for them to perform. they were placed in the service of yucatan, which was in revolt against mexico. some years later, when texas was annexed to the united states, they passed into the navy of that country.
the brutus, the last ship of the old texan navy, was lost in a storm at galveston bay as late as 1867.
