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 . Transferred to the United States Navy in 1846 , she was sold for $ 55 . Background of the Texas Navy . The Texas Navy was officially formed in January 1836 , with the purchase of four schooner s : " Invincible " , " Brutus " , " Independence " , and " Liberty " . These ships , under the command of Commodore Charles Hawkins , helped Texas win independence by preventing a Mexican blockade of the Texas coast , seizing Mexican ships carrying reinforcements and supplies to its army , and sending their cargoes to the Texas volunteer army . Nevertheless , Mexico refused to recognize Texas as an independent country . By the middle of 1837 , all of the ships had been lost at sea , run aground , captured , or sold . With no ships to impede a possible invasion by Mexico , Texas was vulnerable to attack . In 1838 , President Mirabeau B . Lamar responded to this threat by forming a second Texas Navy . Unlike Sam Houston , Lamar was an ardent supporter of the Texas Navy and saw the urgent need for its continuation . The second Texas Navy was placed under the command of Commodore Edwin Ward Moore , an Alexandria Academy graduate who was recruited from the United States Navy . One of the ships of this second navy was the " Wharton " along with her sister ship , the " Archer " . History of the " Wharton " . " Wharton " was built in Baltimore , Maryland at the Schott and Whitney shipyard . Originally called the " Colorado " , she was rechristened in honor of John Austin Wharton , a hero of the battle of San Jacinto . From her commissioning until January 1842 , " Wharton " remained in Galveston awaiting provisions and repairs . Cruises to Campeche . Leaving Galveston in January , " Wharton " reached Commodore Moore ' s squadron off the Yucatan port of Sisal on April 18 , 1842 . The " Wharton " brought word to Commodore Moore that the Republic of Texas had declared a blockade of the Mexican coast and " Wharton " remained in Mexican waters to help enforce it until May 1842 . Returning to Galveston , the " Wharton " saw almost her crew quit the service as a result of expiring enlistments and desertions . In late May 1842 , she sailed to New Orleans for much - needed repairs with only nine sailors . After receiving a complete overhaul and recruiting a new crew at New Orleans , the " Wharton " and Moore ' s flagship , the " Austin " set out on April 19 , 1843 again for a cruise off the Yucatan coast . They sailed to Campeche and there engaged the Mexican steam frigate " Moctezuma " on April 30 in the first Naval Battle of Campeche . Although the " Austin " and the " Wharton " succeeded in temporarily driving the Mexican fleet from Yucatan waters , the " Wharton " was struck by a sixty - eight - pound shot ; two men were killed and four were wounded when one of her own guns exploded during the two days of fighting . A decisive second engagement with the Mexican fleet on May 16 , 1843 , resulted in a clear Texan victory . The " Austin " and the " Wharton " left Mexican waters on June 25 and arrived at Galveston on July 14 , 1843 , effectively bringing to an end the active service of the Texas navy , as the ships would never leave port again . Transfer to the U . S . Navy . When the United States formally annexed Texas on May 11 , 1846 , the " Wharton " was transferred to the United States Navy , which in turn sold the ship to the city of Galveston for fifty - five dollars on November 30 , 1846 . Commanders of the Vessel . The " Wharton " was commanded by :