Texas State Library and Archives Commission: The Texas Navy: Founding of the Second Navy

By 1837, the Texas needed new ships, as the first ships were either "wrecked, captured, or seized by creditors." Learn how the second navy was formed by reading primary texts from this time in Texas' history: "S. Rhodes Fisher, the Secretary of the Navy, expressing his frustration with a proposal to purchase the Tom Toby," "George Wheelwright reports on the progress of the Texas Navy Yard, April 1838," and "James Hamilton on the purchase of the Zavala, November 1838."