12/13/1777: Spanish mapping expedition heads for Texas
On this day in 1777, Luis Antonio Andry and a crew of thirteen sailed on the schooner Senor de la Yedra from New Orleans on a mapping expedition.
Andry, a French engineer in the pay of Spain, was chosen by Louisiana governor Bernardo de Galvez to map the Gulf of Mexico coast from the Mississippi River to Matagorda Bay. Andry's survey ship reached Matagorda Bay by early March 1778, its work essentially complete. Shortly thereafter, it fell victim to the trickery of apostate Karankawas from the Texas missions. According to the lone survivor of the crew, the expedition sought aid from Karankawa brothers Joseph Maria and Mateo who, feigning friendship, claimed to be soldiers from La Bahia. After first disposing of two parties sent ashore to obtain provisions, the renegade brothers brought their companions on board the ship, seized the crew's unguarded weapons, and murdered the rest of the crew with a single exception, whom they held as a slave. After removing the guns and other useful gear from the ship, they burned the vessel and with it perhaps the most detailed Spanish map of the Texas-Louisiana coast to that time.
12/13/1841: Moore leads sortie of Texas Navy
On this day in 1841, a flotilla of the Texas Navy under the command of Edwin Ward Moore left Galveston to support the province of Yucatan in its rebellion against Mexico.
Texas and Yucatan had formalized an alliance in September by which the latter agreed to pay Texas $8,000 a month for the upkeep of the Texas fleet. President Lamar approved of this arrangement and ordered the fleet to leave for Yucatan. Moore sailed with the Austin, the San Bernard, and the San Antonio for Sisal, Yucatan, on December 13. Sam Houston, who was inaugurated as president of the Republic of Texas on the same day, had a different approach to foreign policy and promptly ordered the fleet to return. These orders did not reach Moore until March 1842, and he returned in May to Texas. During the cruise the fleet captured the Mexican merchant vessel Progreso on February 6 and the Doric, the Dolorita (or Doritas), and the Dos Amigos in April.
Topic: 12/13/2025 A Two Fer! (Read 18 times)