Texan schooner Liberty
Encyclopedia
The Texas schooner Liberty was one of the four schooner
s of the First Texas Navy
(1836-1838). She served in the Texas Navy for only about 6 months, capturing the Mexican brig Pelicano loaded with weapons for their army in Texas
. Later that year, she sailed to New Orleans accompanying the wounded Sam Houston
, where she was repaired. Texas was unable to pay for the repairs and the ship was sold in June, 1836, to pay for the cost of the repairs. This left the Texas Navy with only three ships.
when the Texas-bound schooner Hannah Elizabeth
was captured by the Mexican Navy
brig Bravo. Hannah Elizabeth was laden with weapons and ammunition for the Texas Revolution
and she was seized and run aground at Pass Cavallo
, throwing her cannons overboard during the chase. Days later the Williams Robbins was placed under the command of Captain William A. Hurd who captured the Mexican Man-of-war Correo de Mejico and recaptured the Hannah Elizabeth from the Mexican prize crew and took both ships to Galveston. These actions were controversial in some quarters because they were done before the William Robbins was granted a letter of marque
from the fledgling Texas government.
The William Robbins was purchased by the Texas government in Galveston on January 5, 1836, for the sum of $3,500 and was christened the Liberty. She was thus the first ship of the Texas Navy.
Captain William S. Brown, whose brother Jeremiah Brown commanded one of the other Texas ships, Invincible
, was appointed commander of the schooner in January 1836. Later that month, he set to sea to harry Mexican naval efforts to blockade the Texas coast from further shipments of arms and volunteers and at the same time to disrupt Mexican supplies from reaching their troops in Texas by sea. On March 6, while on a cruise towards the Yucatán Peninsula
, Liberty captured the three-gun Mexican schooner Pelicano under the guns of the fortress at Sisal. Pelicano was sailed into Matagorda Bay
and she "proved to contain 300 kegs of powder and other military supplies concealed inside cargo owned by the New Orleans firm of J.W. Zacharie. Pelican ran aground and was lost on the bar at Matagorda, Texas, but her cargo was salvaged and used to good advantage in the San Jacinto
campaign."
Captain Brown resigned just nine days after this triumph due to a quarrel with Commodore Charles Hawkins
. Brown proferred charges (see original here http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/navy/wm_brown_1836_1.html) and his brother was clapped in chains that same day by Commodore Hawkins. George Wheelwright was then appointed captain of Liberty in May 1836, and his first mission was to accompany and defend the ship Flora as she bore Sam Houston, who had been wounded at San Jacinto on April 21, to New Orleans for hospitalization.
In New Orleans, Liberty undertook repairs. "[U]nable to meet her refitting bills, [she] was detained in May 1836 and later sold to satisfy her creditors - an event which illustrated the shoestring budget under which the Texas Navy was forced to work despite the demands on it." With Liberty sold, the Texas Navy now was down to three ships, and peaceful independence was still elusive for Texas.
Schooner
A schooner is a type of sailing vessel characterized by the use of fore-and-aft sails on two or more masts with the forward mast being no taller than the rear masts....
s of the First Texas Navy
Texas Navy
The Texas Navy was the official navy of the Republic of Texas. Two Texas Navies were naval fighting forces. There is a “Third and Honorary” Texas Navy, in which officers are commissioned by the Governor of Texas as Admirals, Commanders and Lieutenants....
(1836-1838). She served in the Texas Navy for only about 6 months, capturing the Mexican brig Pelicano loaded with weapons for their army in Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. Later that year, she sailed to New Orleans accompanying the wounded Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, where she was repaired. Texas was unable to pay for the repairs and the ship was sold in June, 1836, to pay for the cost of the repairs. This left the Texas Navy with only three ships.
History of the schooner before the Texas Navy
She was previously the privately-owned ship William Robbins which was purchased in November 1835, by the rebellious citizens of MatagordaMatagorda
Matagorda may refer to:Geography*Matagorda Bay, on the coast of Texas*Matagorda County, Texas*Matagorda Independent School District in Matagorda County, Texas*Matagorda Island, a barrier island on the coast of Texas...
when the Texas-bound schooner Hannah Elizabeth
Hannah Elizabeth (ship)
The Hannah Elizabeth was built in 1829 in Stoningham, Connecticut. Records of the time describe her as being a two-masted schooner, 67 feet long and 20 feet wide...
was captured by the Mexican Navy
Mexican Navy
The Mexican Navy is the naval branch of the Mexican military responsible for conducting naval operations. Its stated mission is "to use the naval force of the federation for the exterior defense, and to help with internal order". The Navy consists of about 56,000 men and women plus reserves, over...
brig Bravo. Hannah Elizabeth was laden with weapons and ammunition for the Texas Revolution
Texas Revolution
The Texas Revolution or Texas War of Independence was an armed conflict between Mexico and settlers in the Texas portion of the Mexican state Coahuila y Tejas. The war lasted from October 2, 1835 to April 21, 1836...
and she was seized and run aground at Pass Cavallo
Pass Cavallo (Texas)
Pass Cavallo, alternately known as Cavallo Pass, is one of five natural water inlets which separate the Gulf of Mexico and Matagorda Bay, in the U.S. state of Texas. René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle came ashore in Texas at this point. Matagorda Island Lighthouse was originally built on...
, throwing her cannons overboard during the chase. Days later the Williams Robbins was placed under the command of Captain William A. Hurd who captured the Mexican Man-of-war Correo de Mejico and recaptured the Hannah Elizabeth from the Mexican prize crew and took both ships to Galveston. These actions were controversial in some quarters because they were done before the William Robbins was granted a letter of marque
Letter of marque
In the days of fighting sail, a Letter of Marque and Reprisal was a government licence authorizing a person to attack and capture enemy vessels, and bring them before admiralty courts for condemnation and sale...
from the fledgling Texas government.
The William Robbins was purchased by the Texas government in Galveston on January 5, 1836, for the sum of $3,500 and was christened the Liberty. She was thus the first ship of the Texas Navy.
Service in the Texas Navy
Texan schooner Invincible
The Texas schooner Invincible was one of the four schooners of the First Texas Navy . She began her service in January, 1836 and immediately began attacking ships supplying the Mexican army in Texas, including capturing the United States merchant vessel Pocket and later the British ship Eliza...
, was appointed commander of the schooner in January 1836. Later that month, he set to sea to harry Mexican naval efforts to blockade the Texas coast from further shipments of arms and volunteers and at the same time to disrupt Mexican supplies from reaching their troops in Texas by sea. On March 6, while on a cruise towards the Yucatán Peninsula
Yucatán Peninsula
The Yucatán Peninsula, in southeastern Mexico, separates the Caribbean Sea from the Gulf of Mexico, with the northern coastline on the Yucatán Channel...
, Liberty captured the three-gun Mexican schooner Pelicano under the guns of the fortress at Sisal. Pelicano was sailed into Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay
Matagorda Bay is a large estuary bay on the Texas coast, lying in Calhoun and Matagorda counties and located approximately northeast of Corpus Christi, southeast of San Antonio, southwest of Houston, and southeast of Austin. It is separated from the Gulf of Mexico by Matagorda Peninsula and...
and she "proved to contain 300 kegs of powder and other military supplies concealed inside cargo owned by the New Orleans firm of J.W. Zacharie. Pelican ran aground and was lost on the bar at Matagorda, Texas, but her cargo was salvaged and used to good advantage in the San Jacinto
Battle of San Jacinto
The Battle of San Jacinto, fought on April 21, 1836, in present-day Harris County, Texas, was the decisive battle of the Texas Revolution. Led by General Sam Houston, the Texian Army engaged and defeated General Antonio López de Santa Anna's Mexican forces in a fight that lasted just eighteen...
campaign."
Captain Brown resigned just nine days after this triumph due to a quarrel with Commodore Charles Hawkins
Charles Hawkins
Charles Hawkins was an English professional cricketer who played first-class cricket from 1838 to 1845....
. Brown proferred charges (see original here http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/exhibits/navy/wm_brown_1836_1.html) and his brother was clapped in chains that same day by Commodore Hawkins. George Wheelwright was then appointed captain of Liberty in May 1836, and his first mission was to accompany and defend the ship Flora as she bore Sam Houston, who had been wounded at San Jacinto on April 21, to New Orleans for hospitalization.
In New Orleans, Liberty undertook repairs. "[U]nable to meet her refitting bills, [she] was detained in May 1836 and later sold to satisfy her creditors - an event which illustrated the shoestring budget under which the Texas Navy was forced to work despite the demands on it." With Liberty sold, the Texas Navy now was down to three ships, and peaceful independence was still elusive for Texas.