The Texas Navy and the Battle of Campeche
A False Start In 1841, Yucatan declared independence from Mexico. It would remain independent for the next 7 years, but not without struggle. Mirabeau Lamar was sympathetic to the Republic of Yucatan, and in 1841 he allowed the ailing Texas Navy to be hired by the rebels in Yucatan to harry the Mexican ships. The ships sailed December 13th, 1841, only a couple of weeks after Sam Houston had become president and, apparently, missing the notice that Houston had called them back. Upon hearing of the order, Commodore Moore hurried the ships back to Galveston. But Houston had no interest in the Navy and even less in the struggles of the fledgling Republic of the Yucatan: when Congress approved funds to re-outfit the Navy, Houston refused. The fleet languished in New Orleans. In February of 1843, Col. Martín Peraza of the Republic of the Yucatan arrived in New Orleans with funds to pay for the Texas Navy's help. In defiance of Houston's orders, Moore outfitted his ship and set to sea.
Texas ships Austin (left, [source]) and Wharton (right, [source]). Public Domain.
First Engagment On April 30th, they had their first major run in with the Mexican Navy, two steamers, the Moctezuma and the Guadalupe, which resulted in a retreat by the Texan brigs, Austin and Wharton, but no major damage. While the steamers blockaded the port, Moore took the time to upgrade his guns for a rematch.
The Battle of Campeche On May 16th, the Mexican and combined Texan and Yucatecan Navies engaged again. Despite the superior technology of the Mexican steamers and unfavorable weather conditions for the Texan sailing ships, the rebels managed to fight the Mexicans to a draw. This is the only time in recorded history that sailing ships have fought steamers to a draw. The Mexican steamers retreated, breaking the blockade of Campeche and giving the Republic of the Yucatan - and the Republic of Texas - some breathing room.
Portrait of Commodore Moore in the Moore County, Texas Courthouse. By The original uploader was Billy Hathorn at English Wikipedia - "I took photos on July 15, 2008.Billy Hathorn (talk) 19:30, 15 October 2008 (UTC)Photo by Billy HathornTransferred from en.wikipedia to Commons by Vasyatka1., CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8424506
Pirates! Commodore Moore was not so lucky. About this time word reached him that Houston had offered a reward for the two brigs, calling their crew pirates. Moore returned the Texas fleet to Galveston, where he and his men were hailed as heroes. Moore demanded a trial to answer Houston's charges and was fully exonerated. However, Moore, and much of the rest of the Navy, spent years trying to get paid for their time and work. It wasn't until Texas joined the US that the sailors were finally paid back pay. Moore would continue his quarrel with Houston basically until the ends of their lives.
The Fate of the Yucatan As for the Republic of the Yucatan, it didn’t last much longer. In late 1843, Mexico recognized the Yucatan’s right to full autonomy and generally considered it a self-governing part of Mexico. In 1845, the Mexican Congress would revoke that right, declaring it unconstitutional. The Yucatan would again declare independence in 1846, but internal divisions would see it returned to Mexico in 1848, though it should be noted that in many ways the indigenous Maya of the Yucatan have never completely given up fighting for independence.
Story on a Gun The Battle of Campeche might be familiar to collectors of antique guns for its commemoration on both the 1851 and 1861 Colt Navy Revolvers. The Texas Navy placed a large order with Colt for his Patterson Revolvers, an order that saved his business and provided his first big success. In gratitude, Colt had an engraving of the battle placed on the cylinders of the revolvers, which has led to their designation as Navy Revolvers. In the copy of the engraving above, you can see Commodore Moore’s signature in the bottom right.