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NavSource Online: "Old Navy" Ship Photo Archive

USS Somers (I)

Schooner:

The first Somers, a schooner purchased under the name Catherine by the United States Navy on Lake Erie in 1812

Somers was blockaded in the Niagara River during the spring of 1813 by powerful British batteries at Fort George which commanded that stream from its Canadian bank

Late in May, an American joint Army-Navy operation captured Fort George enabling CDR.. Oliver Hazard Perry to get USS Somers, the brig USS Caledonia, and three other schooners from the Niagara to the open waters of Lake Erie and to his base at Presque Isle (now Erie), Pa. where he was building larger and more powerful ships than Somers and Caledonia and the other schooners

With the British under Commodore Robert Heriot Barclay cruising off his base Perry's problems were further compound by the fact that the draft of his new ships was to great for them sail over the bar at Presque Isle

The stalemate was ended on 2 August when Barclay sailed away from Presque Isle.

Perry took full advantage of the opportunity by landing the guns from USS Lawrence's and using two large scows as pontoons to lift the lightened brig over the bar

On the morning of 5 August, just after Lawrence had crossed the bar and before her guns had been replaced, the British fleet reappeared

Somers and her sister schooners sailed out and opened fire on the enemy

However, Barclay, not realizing that Lawrence was helpless, replied with a few rounds at the schooners and retired

Once Perry had both brigs "rearmed and ready for battle" on the lake, the stage was set for trial by combat

Perry sailed his squadron to Put-in-Bay where he could threaten British General Procter's line of supply thus forcing Barclay's ships at Fort Maiden, Amherstsburg, Ontario to come out

The British fleet, reinforced by full-rigged ship HMS Detroit emerged from Fort Maiden on 10 September, and Perry eagerly set sail to meet it

Barclay, who enjoyed the advantage of more long range guns, opened the action shortly before noon when his flagship Detroit fired on Perry's, the brig Lawrence

Through most of the battle, Somers engaged the smaller British ships at long range, contributing to Perry's decisive victory

Hunter and Queen Charlotte occupied her attention during the first part of the battle, and Little Belt and Lady Prevost were her principal targets during its closing phases

In the end, the entire British fleet surrendered, giving the American cause all but unchallenged supremacy on Lake Erie for the remainder of the war

However, on the night of 12 August 1814, British boats, pretending to be provision boats, rowed up to Somers and USS Ohio and captured the American ships

Somers subsequently served the Royal Navy under the same name

Specifications:
Displacement 98 t.
Length unknown
Beam unknown
Depth of Hold unknown
Draft unknown
Speed unknown
Complement 30

Armament

one long 24-pdr gun

one short 32-pdr gun

Propulsion sail

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description		Source
	110k	*Namesake* Richard Somers was born in 1778 or 1779 at Great Egg Harbor, N.J. and was appointed midshipman on 25 April 1797 and served in the West Indies during the Quasi War with France in frigate USS United States commanded by Captain John Barry. Promoted to lieutenant on 21 May 1799, Somers was detached from *United States* on 13 June 1801 and ordered to USS Boston on 30 July 1801. He served in the latter frigate in the Mediterranean. After *Boston* returned to Washington, Somers was furloughed on 11 November 1802 to await orders. On 5 May 1803, Somers was ordered to Baltimore to man; fit out; and command USS Nautilus and when that schooner was ready for sea, to sail her to the Mediterranean. *Nautilus* got underway on 30 June; reached Gibraltar on 27 July; and sailed four days later to Spain. He then returned to Gibraltar to meet Commodore Edward Preble, in USS Constitution, who was bringing a new squadron for action against the Barbary pirates. *Nautilus* sailed with Preble on 6 October to Tangier where the display of American naval strength induced the Europeans of Morocco to renew the treaty of 1786. Thereafter, Tripoli became the focus of Preble's attention. service as commanding officer of *Nautilus* during operations against Tripoli won him promotion to master commandant on 18 May 1804. In the summer, he commanded a division of gunboats during five attacks on Tripoli. On 4 September 1804, Somers assumed command of bomb ketch USS Intrepid which had been fitted out as a "floating volcano" to be sailed into Tripoli harbor and blown up in the midst of the corsair fleet close under the walls of the city. That night, she got underway into the harbor, but she exploded prematurely, killing Somers and his entire crew of volunteers.		Bill Gonyo
098696301	253k	Schooners USS SOMERS, USS OHIO, and USS PORCUPINE Attacked by British Boats Near Fort Erie, August 1814 On 18 August 1814, the three United States armed schooners USS Somers, USS Ohio, and USS Porcupine, each with 35 men commanded by a lieutenant, being stationed close to Fort Erie, then in the possession of the Americans for the purpose of flanking the British army in their approach against it. Captain Dobbs of HMS Charwell, with a detachment of 75 seaman and marines from his vessel and from HMS Netley, LT. C. Radcliffe, lying opposite to Fort George resolved to attempt their capture or destruction. For this purpose, the seamen carried the captain's gig upon their shoulders from Queenstown to Frenchman's Creek, 20 miles. From this spot by the aid of LTCOL Nichol, 5 bateaux as well as the gig, were got across through the woods to Lake Erie, 8 miles. The *Somers* and *Phio* were presently carried and the third would certainly have fallen had not the cables been cut which caused her to drift to leeward among the rapids. American losses, 1 seaman killed and 3 officers and 4 seamen wounded. British losses, LT. Radcliffe and one seaman killed and four seaman wounded. U.S. National Archives Photo # USN 902811 from the U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command collection		Robert Hurst

USS Somers (I)
Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships (DANFS)

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Last Updated 25 February 2022