which I complied After I gal on hoard Commodore Hawkins asked me several question in relation to Capl Brown's proceedings while in the command of Lhe Invincible and al the same lime Capl Hurd requested Commodore Hawkins lo have the Invincible gol under weigh and carried up to Galveston. Upon which I told them Lhc thing would nol do and requested them nol lo allempl it. They informed me that they had come down to Lake the lnvincihle from Capt Brown as he would be hroke They lold me to lake a decided stand, and I would he discharged from the Invincible and that Capt Brown had brought with him from Orleans a man lo lake my place. I informed the Commodore thal agreeable to my Commander's order I should send the culler ashore at day-light the nexl morning which he forbid, giving me orders to allow no boat to leave Lhc vessel. During the conYersalion he (Commomodore H) staled thal he should lake some of our men away from the Independence Capt Hurd told me that Commodore Hawkins would take charge of the Invincible in the morning F. Johnson 1st Lieut Velasco June 1st 1836 On the 29th inst agreeably lo the orders of Capt Brown I left this place and went on board the Invincible then al anchor off the bar A strange sail appeared in sight beating up from the eastward. About 7 o'clock P. M. she made signals, which the Sailing Master stated to be Mexican signals. But we soon discovered them to be flashes of powder repeated every two minutes. and upon reference to the signal book ascertained them by our night signals which are two flashes from a musket repeated at the expiration of two minutes. The Brutus still continued to signalize, we repeated our answering signals three or four times. Shortly after tlm~e guns were fired from the Brutus the last of which was shoted at which time I was standing on the lee side of the quarter deck and saw the ball strike the waler a short distance from our vessel, it rebounded and fell withing thirty or forty yards of our lee quarter which produced considerable excitement among the crew and officers. The Brutus lacked ship and stood away for the bar. We done the same, whereupon the Brutus signalized us again, which we answered. After standing on this lack for some Lime we discovered the Brutus al anchor and approaching near her anchorage Capt Hurd came on board and slater! that the shoted gun was leveled by Commodore Hawkins, upon whom the
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