 A small schooner, similar to Brutus
| |
| History | |
|---|---|
 Republic of Texas | |
| 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 |
| Tons burthen | 125, or 160[1] (bm) |
| Length | 90 ft (27.4 m) |
| Propulsion | wind |
| Speed | variable |
| Complement | 40 |
| Armament |
|
| First Texas Navy | |
|---|---|
| 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 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.
- ^ Silverstone (2001), p.88.