First Texas Navy

Naval operations of the Texas Revolution

Date	1835–1837
Location	Texas, Mexico, Gulf of Mexico
Result	Mexican victory Texas Navy defeated

Belligerents

Republic of Texas

Mexico

Commanders and leaders

Samuel Rhoads Fisher

Charles E. Hawkins

Antonio López de Santa Anna

The First Texas Navy carried out operations, before and after the Texas Revolution, from 1835 to 1837. Over the course of two years the Texans launched several operations in the Gulf of Mexico which helped supply General Sam Houston's army. Though General Houston defeated the Mexican Army at the Battle of San Jacinto in April 1836, armed conflict at sea continued into August 1837 when the Texans lost their last two warships.

During the naval campaign of the Texas Revolution, the Texans had three objectives. The first was to defend their coastline from a sea-borne Mexican invasion, and the second was to escort rebel ships back and forth between Texas and the United States, from where the main source of volunteer soldiers and supplies was coming. The third objective was to inflict serious casualties on the Mexicans in the hopes of forcing them to recognize the independence of Texas. Mexican naval forces had the mission of trying to blockade the long Texas coastline, which was impossible for the few ships stationed in the region. Due to the shortage of ships, Mexico's blockade remained largely ineffective throughout the hostilities. This allowed the Texans to import much of their war material by sea. The Texas Navy in 1835 was nonexistent; the only rebel naval forces were six privateers authorized by the rebel government at the end of the year. However, in the first naval battle of the war involving Texas, rebels boarded the American-owned ship San Felipe and the steamer Laura on September 1, 1835, and then proceeded to attack the Mexican treasury vessel Correo de Mexico off Brazoria, which was taken as a prize to New Orleans.

Other than the commissioning of privateers, the Texan government agreed to authorize the purchase of four schooners on November 24, 1835, for use in defending territorial waters. The first of the ships acquired was the former revenue service ship USRC Ingham, a small six-gun ship of 112 tons which was renamed Independence. The Independence became the flagship of the First Texas Navy and was placed under the command of Captain Charles E. Hawkins; she fought a battle with Mexican naval forces on June 14, 1835, off Brazos Santiago. The second schooner was Brutus; she was nearly twice as large as the Independence and was placed under Captain William A. Hurd, the former commander of the privateer William Robbins, which was also acquired for duty in the regular navy. The William Robbins was renamed Liberty and was commanded by Captain William S. Brown, whose brother, Captain Jeremiah Brown, commanded the fourth schooner, named Invincible. The next engagement after the Correo de Mexico affair occurred on December 19, 1835, when the William Robbins liberated the American merchant ship Hannah Elizabeth, which had been captured by the Mexicans for carrying two cannons, allegedly intended for the rebels.

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