Modeled closely after the United States Marine Corps, wearing discontinued Marine uniforms and following a similar pay grade, the Marine Corps of the Republic of Texas served a similar role as that of the USMC and other Marine Corps around the world. The primary duty of the Texas Marines was to enforce discipline aboard ship, provide security at shore stations and to act as sharpshooters and boarders during naval engagements.

Active from 1836 until annexation in 1845, the Marines served aboard all four of the original Texas Navy warships: Invincible, Brutus, Independence, and Liberty. Marines were also present on the ships of the second Texas Navy after the original four ships were all lost.

Texas Marines aboard Liberty distinguished themselves against the Mexican Pelicano, fighting fiercely as members of the boarding party and helping to capture the ship. Both The Texas Navy by Alex Dienst and volume 59 of “Proceedings of the United States Naval Institute” state that the Pelicano was captured by three boarders alone, slaying seven Mexican marines and causing more to flee overboard. While neither text specifically claims that the three men were Marines, based off the role of Marines aboard naval ships we can assume that at least part of the boarding party consisted of marines.

Marines continued to serve in all of the naval engagements that took place between Texas and Mexico after the Texas navy was rebuilt. One of their most famous, or more accurately,infamous actions took place on February 11, 1842 when Marines and sailors aboard the San Antonio mutinied against their officers in New Orleans. The mutineers were captured and marines Antonio Landois and William Simpson were hanged.