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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Austin (I)

Sloop of War:
  • Built in 1839 as the Sloop of War Texas at Baltimore, MD., by Schott & Whitney for the Texas Navy
  • Delivered and commissioned, 5 January 1840 as Austin at Galveston, Republic of Texas, CAPT. Edwin W. Moore, TN, in command though not present
  • June 1840 through 1 February 1841 Austin operated in the vicinity of the Yucatan Peninsula during that provinces war with the Mexican central government, assisting in the capture of San Juan Bautista for the payment of $25,000
  • Placed in reduced commission at Galveston in 1841
  • Recommissioned in full in December 1841 for her second cruise in cooperation with the Yucatan federalists.
  • Captured several Mexican ships between 6 February 1842 and 3 April 1842
  • Recalled to Galveston in May 1842
  • Overhauled at New Orleans from May 1842 to 15 April 1843
  • Engaged a superior Mexican squadron, between 30 April and 16 May 1843 during the Battle of Campeche with inconclusive results although badly damaged
  • Branded as a pirate by Texas President Sam Houston for his actions at Campeche, COMO. Moore was relieved of his command and dishonorably discharged from the Texas Navy
  • The Texas Navy ceased to exist from that point on until Texas was annexed by the United States
  • commissioned into the United States Navy as USS Austin 11 May 1846 and moved to Pensacola Navy Yard to serve as receiving ship
  • Final Disposition, broken up at Pensacola in 1848
    Specifications:
    Displacement 600 t.
    Length 125'
    Beam 31'
    Depth 12' 6"
    Draft unknown
    Speed unknown
    Complement 174
    Armament
    sixteen 24-pdrs
    four 18-pdrs
    Propulsion sail
    Click On Image
    For Full Size Image    		 Size Image Description Contributed
    By
    Austin 268k
    Namesake
    Stephen F. Austin

    Steven F. Austin (November 3, 1793 – December 27, 1836) was an American empresario. Known as the "Father of Texas", and the founder of Texas, he led the second, and ultimately, the successful colonization of the region by bringing 300 families from the United States to the region in 1825.    		 Robert Hurst
    Austin 553k Texas Navy sloop of war Austin underway while under full sail. Tommy Trampp
    Austin 675k Scale model of the Texas Navy's sloop of war Austin. Tommy Trampp
    Austin 574k
    USS Austin (I)
    Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)
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    This page is created and maintained by Gary P. Priolo
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    Last Updated 30 November 2018