Naval Battle of Campeche
Encyclopedia
The Naval Battle of Campeche took place on April 30, 1843 and May 16, 1843. The battle featured the most advanced warships of its day, including the Mexican
steamer Guadalupe and the equally formidable Moctezuma which engaged a squadron of vessels from the Republic of Yucatan
and the Republic of Texas
. The latter force consisted of the sloop
Austin
, commanded by Commodore
Edwin Ward Moore
, the brig
Wharton
, and a couple of schooner
s and five gunboat
s from the Republic of Yucatán, commanded by former Texas Navy
Captain
James D. Boylan. Texas had declared its independence in 1836 but Mexico did not recognize its independence, in Yucatán, a similar rebellion had begun and was fought off-and-on from 1836 to 1846. The battle ended in a combined Yucatecan and Texan victory.
and disrupting commerce, because it was mistakenly thought in Texas that the Mexicans were planning some type of amphibious assault on Texas in order to retake the rebellious province. During these operations, Moore's fleet lost several ships to open rebellion and mutiny. He could not fully retrofit and rearm his ships when he put in at New Orleans, and the government of Texas refused him any more funds and subsequently ordered him back to Texas so that the fleet could be scrapped or sold. Moore himself mutinied against the Texas government, and disregarding their direct orders, allied himself with the Yucatan government, who at the time was in open rebellion against the tyrannical central Mexican government. The Yucatan government reportedly paid Moore $8,000 a month for his services. Moore, now fully funded, set sail to lift the Mexican naval blockcade of the port of Campeche.
The battle began on April 30, and involved the Texas-Yucatan force that had been attacking and clearing the Gulf of Mexico of small Mexican fishing boats, against a small Mexican squadron which consisted of small sailing ships and one small steamer, the "Regenerator". The initial battle lasted only a few hours and was a draw as both sides retired. After rearming, the Texan ships sailed out and encountered the much stronger Mexican squadron on May 16, which included the modern steamships Guadalupe and the Moctezuma, commanded by British officers and manned by both British and Mexican seamen. After approaching the Mexican fleet with extreme caution and trepidation, Moore engaged the Mexicans and British. After three hours of broadsides, the battle was more or less a draw, with both sides withdrawing after sustaining considerable damage and casualties. The Texans suffered the most physical damage to their ships, while the Mexicans and British suffered more casualties. In the aftermath, both sides claimed victory. The battle scene was memorialized in an engraving on the cylinder of the famed Colt Navy Revolver
.
The Mexican steamship, "Regenerator" and its battered attendant squadron rejoined the Guadalupe and the Moctezuma flotilla on or about May 19, and in the face of this overwhelming force, the Texas squadron retreated to Galveston. After their return, they were acclaimed as heroes, even though Texas President Sam Houston
had declared the ships' captains and crew pirates for sailing to the Bay of Campeche
against his wishes. Having fought the superior Mexican squadron to a draw was an admirable achievement for Commodore Moore, whose own principal ships were wholly sail-powered while the Mexican fleet had deployed three modern British built and commanded steam-powered warships. Most previous sea battles between the two sides had ended in victories for the Mexicans, including the disastrous taking of the Texan schooner Independence
, in 1837.
Yucatecan Navy:
Mexican Navy:
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
steamer Guadalupe and the equally formidable Moctezuma which engaged a squadron of vessels from the Republic of Yucatan
Republic of Yucatán
The Republic of Yucatan was a nineteenth century sovereign state during two periods of the century. The first Republic of Yucatan, founded May 29, 1823, joined the Mexican federation as the Federated Republic of Yucatán on December 23, 1823, less than seven months later...
and the Republic of Texas
Republic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
. The latter force consisted of the sloop
Sloop-of-war
In the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
Austin
Texan sloop-of-war Austin
The Texan sloop-of-war Austin was the flagship of the Second Texas Navy from 1840-1846. Commanded by Commodore Edwin Ward Moore, she led a flotilla in the capture of Villahermosa in 1840. After a period of inaction in port, Austin participated in the Naval Battle of Campeche in 1843...
, commanded by Commodore
Commodore (rank)
Commodore is a military rank used in many navies that is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. Non-English-speaking nations often use the rank of flotilla admiral or counter admiral as an equivalent .It is often regarded as a one-star rank with a NATO code of OF-6, but is not always...
Edwin Ward Moore
Edwin Ward Moore
Edwin Ward Moore , was the commodore of the Second Navy for the Republic of Texas.-Early life:...
, the brig
Brig
A brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Wharton
Texan brig Wharton
The Texan brig Wharton was a two-masted brig of the Second Texas Navy from 1839-1846. She was the sister ship of the Archer. Accompanying the Texas flagship, Austin, she defeated a larger force of Mexican Navy steamships in the Naval Battle of Campeche in May 1843...
, and a couple of schooner
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 and five gunboat
Gunboat
A gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s from the Republic of Yucatán, commanded by former 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....
Captain
Captain (naval)
Captain is the name most often given in English-speaking navies to the rank corresponding to command of the largest ships. The NATO rank code is OF-5, equivalent to an army full colonel....
James D. Boylan. Texas had declared its independence in 1836 but Mexico did not recognize its independence, in Yucatán, a similar rebellion had begun and was fought off-and-on from 1836 to 1846. The battle ended in a combined Yucatecan and Texan victory.
Background
Commodore Edwin Ward Moore had been waging a campaign against Mexican fishing vessels in the GulfGulf of Mexico
The Gulf of Mexico is a partially landlocked ocean basin largely surrounded by the North American continent and the island of Cuba. It is bounded on the northeast, north and northwest by the Gulf Coast of the United States, on the southwest and south by Mexico, and on the southeast by Cuba. In...
and disrupting commerce, because it was mistakenly thought in Texas that the Mexicans were planning some type of amphibious assault on Texas in order to retake the rebellious province. During these operations, Moore's fleet lost several ships to open rebellion and mutiny. He could not fully retrofit and rearm his ships when he put in at New Orleans, and the government of Texas refused him any more funds and subsequently ordered him back to Texas so that the fleet could be scrapped or sold. Moore himself mutinied against the Texas government, and disregarding their direct orders, allied himself with the Yucatan government, who at the time was in open rebellion against the tyrannical central Mexican government. The Yucatan government reportedly paid Moore $8,000 a month for his services. Moore, now fully funded, set sail to lift the Mexican naval blockcade of the port of Campeche.
Battle
Colt 1851 Navy Revolver
The Colt Revolving Belt Pistol of Naval Caliber , later known as the Colt 1851 Navy or Navy Revolver, is a cap and ball revolver. It was designed by Samuel Colt between 1847 and 1850. It remained in production until 1873, when revolvers using fixed metallic cartridges came into widespread use...
.
The Mexican steamship, "Regenerator" and its battered attendant squadron rejoined the Guadalupe and the Moctezuma flotilla on or about May 19, and in the face of this overwhelming force, the Texas squadron retreated to Galveston. After their return, they were acclaimed as heroes, even though Texas President 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...
had declared the ships' captains and crew pirates for sailing to the Bay of Campeche
Bay of Campeche
The Bay of Campeche is the southern bight of the Gulf of Mexico. It is surrounded on three sides by the Mexican states of Campeche, Tabasco and Veracruz. It was named by Francisco Hernández de Córdoba and Antonio de Alaminos during their expedition in 1517...
against his wishes. Having fought the superior Mexican squadron to a draw was an admirable achievement for Commodore Moore, whose own principal ships were wholly sail-powered while the Mexican fleet had deployed three modern British built and commanded steam-powered warships. Most previous sea battles between the two sides had ended in victories for the Mexicans, including the disastrous taking of the Texan schooner Independence
Texan schooner Independence
The Texan schooner Independence was one of the four schooners of the First Texas Navy . In 1836, Charles Hawkins, a veteran of the United States and Mexican navies, visited Texas Governor Henry Smith, seeking a commission in the new Texas Navy...
, in 1837.
Order of Battle
Texas Navy:- AustinTexan sloop-of-war AustinThe Texan sloop-of-war Austin was the flagship of the Second Texas Navy from 1840-1846. Commanded by Commodore Edwin Ward Moore, she led a flotilla in the capture of Villahermosa in 1840. After a period of inaction in port, Austin participated in the Naval Battle of Campeche in 1843...
, 20 guns, sloop-of-warSloop-of-warIn the 18th and most of the 19th centuries, a sloop-of-war was a warship with a single gun deck that carried up to eighteen guns. As the rating system covered all vessels with 20 guns and above, this meant that the term sloop-of-war actually encompassed all the unrated combat vessels including the...
, flagshipFlagshipA flagship is a vessel used by the commanding officer of a group of naval ships, reflecting the custom of its commander, characteristically a flag officer, flying a distinguishing flag... - WhartonTexan brig WhartonThe Texan brig Wharton was a two-masted brig of the Second Texas Navy from 1839-1846. She was the sister ship of the Archer. Accompanying the Texas flagship, Austin, she defeated a larger force of Mexican Navy steamships in the Naval Battle of Campeche in May 1843...
, 16 guns, brigBrigA brig is a sailing vessel with two square-rigged masts. During the Age of Sail, brigs were seen as fast and manoeuvrable and were used as both naval warships and merchant vessels. They were especially popular in the 18th and early 19th centuries...
Yucatecan Navy:
- Independencia, schoonerSchoonerA 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....
- Sisaleno, schooner
- Five gunboatGunboatA gunboat is a naval watercraft designed for the express purpose of carrying one or more guns to bombard coastal targets, as opposed to those military craft designed for naval warfare, or for ferrying troops or supplies.-History:...
s
Mexican Navy:
- Guadaloupe, 7 guns, steamer, flagship
- Moctezuma, 4 guns, steamer
- Regenerator, steamer
- Yucateco, 12 guns, brig
- Iman, 7 guns, brig
- Eagle, 7 guns, schooner
- Campechano, 3 guns, schooner
See also
- Naval operations of the Texas Revolution
- Battle of the Brazos River
- Battle of Matamoros
- Battle of Galveston Harbor (1837)Battle of Galveston Harbor (1837)The Battle of Galveston Harbor, or the Battle of Galveston Bay was a naval engagement between the Republic of Texas and Mexico in Galveston Harbor on August 26, 1837. After the end of the Texas Revolution in 1836, Mexico and the newly-declared Republic of Texas sporadically fought at sea...