AH-WR-1378

USS Somers

Brig-Of-War · United States · Lost 1846 · The Mexican Gulf Coast & Campeche

A US Navy brig famous for a mutiny scandal, lost in a squall off Veracruz while blockading the port in 1846.

Artistic recreation based on recorded historical documents. See the documented evidence.

Historically Reconstructed. Drawn from partial documentation of this vessel together with her known class and configuration. See the documented evidence.

The Vessel and Her Loss

USS Somers, notorious for the 1842 mutiny affair aboard her, served on blockade duty off Veracruz during the Mexican-American War. On 8 December 1846 a sudden squall capsized and sank her within minutes. Roughly half her crew drowned, including men who tried to run the blockade to intercept a suspected blockade-runner. The wreck was located and archaeologically investigated in the late 20th century.

Vessel

Built: 1842
Builder: New York Navy Yard
Yard: New York, New York
Material: Wood
Length: 100 ft
Beam: 25 ft
Tonnage: 266
Propulsion: Sail, brig-rigged
Owners: United States Navy

Loss

Date: December 8, 1846
Cause: Storm
Location: Off Veracruz, Mexico
Water: Gulf of Mexico
Voyage: Not established
Cargo: Not established
Aboard: 76
Lives lost: 32
Master: Raphael Semmes

The Wreck Today

Depth: 110 ft
Condition: Broken and scattered
Orientation: Not established
Discovered: 1986
Protection: Protected as an archaeological site under Mexican law

Position

Coordinates: 19.18° N 96.05° W
Accuracy: Approximate position
Nearest: Veracruz, Mexico
Region: The Mexican Gulf Coast & Campeche

Approximate position off Veracruz harbor.

Evidence

Overall confidence: Documented (75/100)

Exact casualty figures vary slightly between historical accounts.

Naval History and Heritage Command
Vessel history, loss date, casualties.
Instituto Nacional de Antropología e Historia (INAH)
Wreck site location and archaeological study.