Texan schooner Brutus
A small schooner, similar to the Brutus
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| History | |
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 Republic of Texas
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| Commissioned: | 25 January 1836 |
| Decommissioned: | October 1838 |
| Out of service: | 26 August 1837 |
| Homeport: | Galveston |
| Fate: | Run aground and destroyed by storm 1838 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class and type: | Schooner |
| Displacement: | 125 tons |
| Length: | 90 ft (27 m) |
| Propulsion: | wind |
| Speed: | variable |
| Complement: | 40 |
| Armament: |
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| First Texas Navy | |
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| Ships | |
| Brutus – Independence – Invincible – Liberty | |
| Skirmishes | |
| Matamoros – Brazos River – Galveston Harbor | |
The Texan schooner Brutus was one of the four ships of the First Texas Navy (1836–1838) that wreaked havoc on towns along the coast of Mexico, blockaded Mexican ports, and captured ships bound for Mexico with goods and munitions of war during the Texas Revolution.
Her final, and most controversial, voyage was to the Yucatan, where along with her sister ship Invincible, she captured numerous prizes. Among them was the British ship Eliza Russell, the capture of which caused a diplomatic incident as Texas was seeking official recognition from the United Kingdom. When Brutus returned to Galveston to face official sanctions, she and Invincible were attacked by Mexican ships, ran aground and were battered apart by storms in Galveston harbor. With the destruction of Brutus, the first Texas Navy ceased to exist.
At the beginning of the Texas War of Independence, businessmen John and Augustus Allen endeavored to keep the Texans' supply channels open. At their own expense, they outfitted a ship called Brutus for the purpose of protecting the Texas coast and assisting troops and supplies from the United States to arrive safely in Texas.
In January 1836, the Allen brothers sold Brutus to the Texas Navy, and it became the second ship in the fledgling fleet of schooners.
Captain William A. Hurd took command of Brutus when she was commissioned into the small Texas Navy on 25 January 1836, in New Orleans. She did not reach Texan waters again until early February 1836.
After the Battle of San Jacinto, Brutus put in at New Orleans for supplies and to be refitted. Upon returning to sea duty, Brutus found herself blockaded at Matagorda by the Mexican brig Vencedor del Álamo. Word was sent to Galveston and Invincible, along with the private ships Ocean and Union, successfully broke the blockade and Captain Hurd was able to take Brutus to New York City for repairs. This was apparently done without consulting Commodore Charles Hawkins who promptly sacked Hurd as commander upon his return from New York in April 1837.
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Wikipedia