oore dominated the fleet and the histories of both are relatively inseparable (12.) The new Texas Navy consisted of the ships Austin, Zavala, San Bernard, San Antonio, and San Jacinto that were had crews that were outfitted and trained by the fiery Moore. From there Moore persuaded the President to allow him to push Mexico out of Texas waters and send a message to them in the process. The first action taken by Moore and his squadron was the towing of the Austin and San Bernard up the Tabasco River. There they forced the surrender of 600 soldiers defending the city of San Juan Bautista. Moore received $25,000 for sparing the city. The San Antonio took three vessels at sea which one of them sold for $7,000 at a later date. The squadron returned in late 1840 from their expeditions with the San Jacinto and Zavala both defeated from weather accidents and being unable to be repaired (12.) In 1841, Moore traveled along the Texas coastal waters surveying in the San Antonio because the former charts were so inaccurate that one-fourth of the British merchant vessels trading on the coast had been wrecked (14.) Finally, in late 1841 the President of Texas, Mirabeau Bonaparte Lamar, determined that an aggressive military of strong sea-land assaults on Mexico would bring about Texas independence quicker. Moore then sailed his fleet toward Yucatan where they successfully patrolled off Vera Cruz. The squadron challenged several smaller Mexican warships and captured four Mexican merchant vessels. Even though the conquest was a total success the Navy was humiliated upon return to Galveston. There the new elected President, Sam Houston, ordered the fleet to New Orleans to be overhauled but was never funded for the repairs. A personal conflict grew between Commander Moore and President Houston that ensued well after the annexation of Texas into the Union. Houston planned to be annexed by the United States and used the power of his office to prevent Moore t...
