Originally published on November 7, 2022 (Episode 292)
Introduction
In November 1842, one of the most sensational scandals in early American naval history—perhaps in all of American naval history—erupted aboard the USS Somers. What first began as rumors and whispers of conspiracy turned into an attempted mutiny—astonishingly led by the U.S. Secretary of War’s teenaged son, who supposedly aspired to lead a life of piracy. The fallout from the failed rebellion included a court martial, weeks of headlines, a fistfight in the President’s cabinet, and quite possibly the eventual founding of the United States Naval Academy.
The Somers affair reverberated across American culture, touching figures such as James Fenimore Cooper, Herman Melville, Richard Henry Dana Jr., Commodore Matthew Perry, and Raphael Semmes. In The Curse of the Somers: The Secret History Behind the US Navy’s Most Infamous Mutiny (St. Martin’s Press, 2022), historian and underwater archaeologist James Delgado revisits this dramatic episode and its enduring legacy.
About the Guest
James Delgado is an internationally recognized maritime historian, underwater archaeologist, and author of more than 30 books. Among the many shipwrecks that he has dived on and surveyed is that of the USS Somers.
For Further Investigation
James Delgado, The Curse of the Somers: The Secret History Behind the US Navy’s Most Infamous Mutiny (St. Martin’s Press, 2022)
James Fenimore Cooper, The Pilot: A Tale of the Sea — often considered the first American nautical novel
Richard Henry Dana Jr., Two Years Before the Mast — a bestseller that shaped how Americans imagined life at sea
Commodore Matthew Calbraith Perry — “Old Bruin,” best known for leading the U.S. expedition that opened Japan to international trade
Raphael Semmes — once commander of the USS Somers, later captain of the Confederate raider CSS Alabama
Herman Melville — elements of the Somers mutiny appear in White Jacket and Billy Budd
💬 Listen & Discuss
What does the Somers mutiny reveal about discipline, hierarchy, and fear in America’s early navy? Share your thoughts in the comments, and pass this episode along to anyone fascinated by naval history and forgotten scandals.
