Richard Somers facts for kids
Richard Somers (born September 15, 1778 – died September 4, 1804) was a brave officer in the United States Navy. He sadly lost his life during a daring attack on Tripoli as part of the First Barbary War.
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Richard Somers was born in Great Egg Harbor, New Jersey. He went to school at the Episcopal Academy in Philadelphia. There, he became friends with other future naval heroes like Stephen Decatur and Charles Stewart.
Somers joined the Navy as a midshipman on April 23, 1797. He served in the West Indies during a conflict with France called the Quasi-War. He was on the frigate ship United States, which was led by Captain John Barry. His friends Decatur and Stewart were also on this ship. Somers was promoted to lieutenant on May 21, 1799.
In 1801, Somers was assigned to the ship Boston. He sailed with this frigate in the Mediterranean Sea. After Boston returned to Washington, DC, Somers took a break from duty in November 1802, waiting for his next orders.
Fighting in the First Barbary War
On May 5, 1803, Richard Somers was given an important job: to prepare and command the ship USS Nautilus. Once the schooner was ready, he was to sail it to the Mediterranean. Nautilus set sail on June 30 and arrived in Gibraltar on July 27.
Somers then met Commodore Edward Preble, who was leading a new group of ships, called a squadron, to fight against the Barbary pirates. These pirates were causing trouble for American ships in the Mediterranean. Nautilus sailed with Preble's squadron to Tangier, where their strong presence helped renew a peace treaty. After this, Preble's main focus became Tripoli.
Somers did an excellent job commanding Nautilus during the operations against Tripoli. Because of his great service, he was promoted to master commandant on May 18, 1804. That summer, he led a group of gunboats in five different attacks on Tripoli during the First Barbary War.
The Intrepid Mission
On September 4, 1804, Somers took command of a special ship called the fire ship Intrepid. This ship was packed with explosives and was meant to be a "floating volcano." Somers and 12 volunteer crew members had a very dangerous mission: to sail Intrepid into Tripoli harbor and blow it up among the enemy ships, right near the city walls.
That night, Intrepid began its journey into the harbor. But sadly, the ship exploded too soon. Richard Somers and his entire crew were killed in the explosion.
Remembering Richard Somers
News of Somers' death took several months to reach the United States. Newspapers reported the tragic event in January 1805. Some stories at the time suggested that Somers might have deliberately blown up the ship to avoid being captured by enemy sailors. This idea led to Somers being seen as a hero who sacrificed himself for his country. However, the exact reason for the early explosion is still not fully known.
Richard Somers is buried in Tripoli, along with the bodies of other sailors found after the explosion. In 2004, the New Jersey State Assembly passed resolutions asking for his remains to be brought back home. Even after the fall of the government in Libya in 2011, efforts to return his remains were not successful as of 2015.
Since 1804, six ships in the US Navy have been named USS Somers to honor him.
The town of Somers, New York, located in Westchester County, is named after him. Also, Somers Point, New Jersey, is named after Richard's great-grandfather. Every year, there is a special Richard Somers Day celebration in Somers Point to remember his bravery.
See also
- Tripoli Monument
