The Republic of Texas was, and still is, a country.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Texas
And it still has its own navy!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Republic_of_Texas
People not from Texas think Texans to be full of themselves, but for
those of us who growed up there, and who have ancestors who fought in
its revolution in the first half of the 19th century, it is a unique
and wonderful American subculture.
~ted/2NO