ARM Guadaloupe
The Mexican Navy paddle frigate Guadalupe was the flagship of the Mexican Navy from 1842 to 1847. She participated in the Naval Battle of Campeche in 1843. She was one of the first iron-hulled (hull that was made of wood lined with an iron sheet) warships ever built and one of the first to see action in a naval battle. Background of the Mexican Navy The Mexican Navy has its origins in the creation of the Ministry of War in 1821. From that year until 1939 it existed jointly with the Mexican Army in the organic ministry. Since its declaration of independence from Spain in September 1810, through the mid decades of the 19th century, Mexico found itself in a constant state of war, mostly against Spain which had not recognized its independence. Therefore, its priority was to purchase its first fleet from the U.S. in order to displace the last remaining Spanish forces from its coasts. Construction of the Guadalupe The Guadalupe, probably named after the city of Guadalupe, was built in the Liverpool shipyard of Jonathan Laird of Birkenhead, England in 1842. Guadalupe was referred to as a steam paddle frigate and had a full brig rig. Guadalupe was 183 feet in length with a displacement of 878 tons. She was the biggest iron warship in the world when built. Due to diplomatic action by the Republic of Texas she was delivered unarmed as a merchant ship with her guns in her hold. "In May 1842, William Kennedy, Republic of Texas consul general in London, and Ashbel Smith, minister to England, protested the building of the vessels for Mexican use against Texas and urged the English government to detain them. Lord Aberdeen of the British Foreign Office decided that arms might be placed on the vessels so long as they were not mounted in English ports, and the Guadaloupe sailed in June despite Republic of Texas protests. Aberdeen insisted that the English would maintain strict neutrality in the struggle between Texas and Mexico and that no English commissioned officer would be allowed to serve in the Mexican nation against Texas." When she arrived in Mexico she was equipped with two 68-pounder Paixhans guns which fired explosive shells, two 32-pounder guns and two 24-pounder long guns. A feature that was unusual for the period was her construction with watertight compartmentation throughout her hull, a feature that impressed famous French naval architect Henri Dupuy de Lôme. She carried a crew that included many British nationals, led by her captain Edward Phillip Charlwood, Commander RN, who started while she was building in 1841 and who remained her captain until 1843. Career Naval Battle of Campeche 30 April 1843 and 16 May 1843 The Mexican fleet now possessed the paddle steam frigates Guadalupe and Montezuma. About 40 of the crew of the Guadalupe were sick with yellow fever. The Texas Navy commander Moore hoped to encounter the Guadalupe separate from her escort Montezuma. Austin and Wharton made for the Yucatán coast and