Texan schooner Brutus

A small schooner, similar to Brutus
History
Republic of Texas
Commissioned25 January 1836
DecommissionedOctober 1838
Out of service26 August 1837
HomeportGalveston
FateRun aground and destroyed by storm 1838
General characteristics
Class and typeSchooner
Tons burthen125, or 160[1] (bm)
Length90 ft (27.4 m)
Propulsionwind
Speedvariable
Complement40
Armament
  • 1-18 lb. Swivel gun
  • 9 smaller guns
First Texas Navy
Ships
BrutusIndependenceInvincibleLiberty
Skirmishes
MatamorosBrazos River Galveston Harbor

The Texan schooner Brutus was one of the four ships of the First Texas Navy (1836–1838) that during the Texas Revolution wreaked havoc on towns along the coast of Mexico, blockaded Mexican ports, and captured ships bound for Mexico with goods and munitions of war.

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, Mexican ships attacked her and Invincible; both ran aground in Galveston harbor and were battered apart by storms. With the destruction of Brutus, the first Texas Navy ceased to exist.

  1. ^ Silverstone (2001), p.88.