Richard Somers - Key Date Illustrated Chronology

Richard Somers - Key Date Chronology - Illustrated with graphics, photos and profiles 

                                                                   Off Tripoli Harbor 

Somers Mansion - Somers Point home of John Somers - father of Capt. Somers and grandfather of Master Commandant Richard Somers, USN, who left Somers Point to fight Tripoli pirates and has yet to return

1778 September – Richard Somers born in Somers Point, NJ.

               The house and tavern at Bethel and Shore Roads in Somers Point where Richard Somers was born. It still stands but was renovated into commercial offices. An historic marker marks the spot. 

1778 October 15 - Battle of Chestnut Neck included Col. Richard Somers, father of Master Commandant Richard Somers.
1783 March. Algerian Barbary coast pirates seize two American merchant ships.
1784 October 11 Morocco pirate corsairs seize American brig Betsey.
1785 June Henry Wadsworth born in Falmouth, Mass., now Portland, Maine, next door neighbor to Captain Edward Preble.
1785 Feb Algerian pirates seize two U.S. vessels, demand tribute; Pres. Jefferson deploys gunboats to the Mediterranean. “Millions for defense, but not one cent for tribute.”
1785 US opens diplomatic relations with Morocco, Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli.
1789 April 30 George Washington sworn in as President.
1793 December 16 President Washington notifies Congress that Barbary pirates were again seizing ships, consults with John Barry and Philadelphia shipbuilder Joshua Humphreys about building a fleet of warships.
1793 15 year old Richard Somers, first mate on family schooner in West Indies, takes command upon the death of the captain and returns ship safely home.
1794 Navy Act of 1794.
1794 March 19 John Barry requests command of the proposed fleet.
1794 March 27 an act of Congress orders building six new frigates.

George Washington, John Barry and young Midshipman - possibly Richard Somers, who obtained a ring with a lock of Washington's hair. 

1794 June 14 Washington orders John Barry “to form and train a class of midshipmen who would then be commissioned as Ensigns, and form the nucleus of a new American navy.” Barry commissioned first Captain, United States Navy.

            Stephen Decatur, Jr. - Sunk the captured U.S.S. Philadelphia and led the Second Barbary War

1794 Richard Somers attends private Philadelphia Free Academy with schoolmates Charles Stewart, Stephen Decatur, Jr., Richard Rush, and James Caldwell.
1794 September Captain John Barry supervises the construction of USS United States.
1794 October 22  Richard Somers' father Capt. Richard Somers, Sr. dies.
1795 December 21 US treaty with Morocco, Algiers “automatically under the clause in the Navy bill,” halts work on the six frigates.
1796 Jan. Sec of War McHenry reports that all six frigates could still be completed.
1796 April Congress approves the completion of three ships at Philadelphia, Boston and Baltimore, the United States, the Constitution and the Constellation.

                     The construction of a frigate took years of planning, design and construction

1796 September 19 Estimate for outfitting the frigate United States with 305 officers and men, fifty-four marines, for one month $7, 285.

                                                                    Ketch USS Intrepid 

1796 Gheretti/Mastico, a French built Ketch launched (later to become USS Intrepid).
1797 February 3 Richard’s mother Sophia dies.
1797 February 22 Washington, on his birthday, issues Commission No. 1 in the American Navy to John Barry, backdated to 1794. .
1797 March 4 John Adams becomes president.
1797 June 7 Treaty of Tripoli Approved by Senate.
1797 June 10 Treaty of Tripoli Signed by President Adams
1797 June 17 Notice of Treaty of Tripoli published in Pennsylvania Gazette.
1797 June 23 President Adams message to Congress re: Algiers/Barbary States.
1797 July 10 the USS United States is launched, John Barry Captain.
1797 350 applications for 59 commissions in new U.S. Navy.
1798 January 26 US counsel Richard O’Brian arrives in Algiers.
1798 March 9 Charles Stewart commissioned Lieutenant.
1798 April 30 Congress establishes Department of Navy
1798 April 30 Midshipman warrants issued to Richard Somers and Steven Decatur.
1798 May 7 President John Adams appears in Philadelphia at rally.
1798 May 8 Richard Somers takes oath of allegiance.
1798 May James R. Caldwell appointed Midshipman.
1798 May 30 Richard Somers returns to Egg Harbor to get his affairs in order.
1798 June 8 Sloop Delaware (20 guns) under Commodore Stephen Decatur, Sr., takes a French prize, Le Croyable off Egg Harbor, N.J. 

1798 July 7 USS Untied States gets underway under Capt. John Barry with Decatur, Jr., Charles Stewart and Somers as Midshipmen, head for the West Indies.
1798 Nov 4 Congress agreed to pay a yearly tribute to Tripoli.
1799 January 20 Richard Somers commissioned Lieutenant.
1799 June 2 Richard Somers writes will.
1799 June 22 Richard’s brother Constant dies in Russia in boating accident.
1799 Schooner Nautilus built as merchant vessel on Maryland’s East Shore.

                                                  Master Commandant Richard Somers USN 

1800

1800 Nov. James Caldwell promoted to lieutenant, serves on USS United States.
1801 Somers appointed first lieutenant Boston (28 gun) 250 man sloop sent to the Mediterranean.
1801 James Caldwell assigned to the USS Constellation.
1801 Treaty of Tripoli violated by Yousuf Karamanli, pasha of Tripoli.
1801 January 21 Boston off Tripoli. Somers gets first view of Tripoli Harbor.
1801 May 14, After learning that Pres. Jefferson refused to pay a renewed tribute of $225,000 the Pasha of Tripoli declared war on the US by cutting down the US flagstaff in front of the US Consulate.
1801 May 22 Captain Richard Dale takes command of Mediterranean Squadron.
1801 June – US Consul William Eaton contacts Hamad Karamanli, deposed pasha of Tripoli, and older brother of Yousuf and encourages him to return to Tripoli.

                                                   The Tripoli vs the USS Enterprise 

1801 July USS Enterprise under Lt. Andrew Sterrett defeats pirate ship Tripoli.

                                                          Tripoli destroyed by USS Enterprise 

1802 Congress orders the construction of four schooners, the Siren, the Argus, Nautilus and Vixen with Somers given command of the Nautilus.
1802 February 6 Congress recognizes Tripoli has declared war against USA.
1803 April 11 Richard Somers launches schooner Goard Blossom at Mays Landing.
1803 May 13 Richard Somers ordered to oversee the refurbishing of schooner Nautilus.

                                                               Captain Edward Preble 

1803 May 21 Captain Edward Preble given command of the Mediterranean squadron, with flagship frigate USS Constitution (44 guns).
1803 June 24 Somers’ schooner Nautilus ordered to join the Mediterranean squadron.
1803 September 13 Commodore John Barry dies.
1803 September 14 Somers and Nautilus reach Gibraltar.
1803 Preble obtains understanding in Tangier from the emperor of Morocco.

1803 Oct 31 frigate USS Philadelphia, Captain Bainbridge in command, runs aground off Tripoli, surrenders with full complement of crew, 300 men.

1803 Nov 7 the Argus, with Stephen Decatur, joins Nautilus and Constitution.

1803 Dec 23, Lt. Stephen Decatur, commanding the schooner Enterprise, captures a Barbary pirate ketch, which is entered into the US Navy logs as the USS Intrepid.

    

 The Intrepid escapes after setting the Philadelphia afire

1804 February 16 Decatur leads mission aboard Intrepid into Tripoli Harbor and successfully scuttles the captured frigate USS Philadelphia.
1804 June 2 USS Constitution, Enterprise, and Intrepid, a floating hospital, anchor off Syracuse. Siren, Agrus, Vixen and Scourage (also a pirate prize) blockade Tripoli.
1804 July Mediterranean squadron heads for Tripoli, lead by Preble’s flagship, the Constitution, four brigs, the Argus, Siren, Vixen and Scourge, two schooners, Nautilus (Somers) and Enterprise (Decatur) and eight gunboats (156 guns in all).     1804 July 25 Battle of Tripoli begins.

1804 August 3 Somers and Decatur lead flotillas of gunboats against Tripoli fleet, win decisively, though Decatur’s younger brother James Decatur is killed; Caldwell distinguishes himself in boat action; three enemy gunboats captured.

1804 August 7 Attack made against Tripoli fleet; Caldwell killed in Gunboat #9.
1804 Sept 3 Attack made against Tripoli fleet.

     The USS Intrepid at Tripoli Harbor 

1804 Sept 4 Intrepid explodes in Tripoli harbor killing Somers, Wadsworth and ten volunteer sailors, whose remains wash ashore and are recovered.
1804 Sept 5 Intrepid crew buried in two nearby graves, by Dr. Cowdery and other American prisoners, “one cable’s length” (720 feet) from the walls of the old castle for  Captain Bainbridge of the USS Philadelphia and the Dey 

The Tripoli Monument at Annapolis was the first U.S. war memorial paid for by the offices and men who served with those officers who were killed in action - and lists the names of those officers. 

1805 Lt. David Porter takes up collection for Tripoli Monument, which includes the names of all the officers killed in the first Barbary War.

                                                          U.S. Counsel William Eaton 

U.S. Counsel to Egypt William Eaton - warrior- diplomat - convinced Hamid Karamanli to try to win back his power in Tripoli from his renegade pirate brother.

  1805

U.S. Counsel William Eaton, Lt. Presley O'Bannon and eight USMC and     their motley army march across the desert and capture Derna, raising the U.S. Stars & Stripes above captured foreign territory for the first time. 

Tobias Lear, former personal secretary to President Washington, signed treaty with Yousef Karamanli that paid $60,000 ransom for the 300 prisoners of the captured frigate U.S. Philadelphia, despite U.S. policy not to pay tributes or ransom for prisoners or hostages. Lear later committed suicide.                                                                      
     

                                                     US Marine Corps Dress Sword 

Despite being sold out by U.S. diplomat Tobias Lear - Hamid Karamanli thanked Lt. O'Bannon for fighting for him and gave him his Mammaluk sword, now the dress sword of the U.S. Marine Corps. 

  Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

1807 Feb Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is born and named after Lt. Henry Wadsworth
1812 British take Washington. The Tripoli monument is damaged, repaired and relocated to the grounds of the US Capitol.
1830 Wife of British Counsel to Tripoli dies and is buried near existing graves, believed to be American sailors, and a wall is built around the cemetery.

Midshipman hung for mutiny aboard the USS Somers - Inspired "Billy Bud" and the establishment of the Naval Academy at Annapolis to train midshipman. 

1842 Alleged mutiny aboard USS Somers II, a training vessel, results in hanging of Midshipmen, and the end of training officers at sea.

1845 US Naval Academy established by Navy Secretary George Bancroft and the Tripoli Monument is relocated there.

                                                              James Finimore Cooper 

1850 James F. Cooper writes biography of Richard Somers suggesting that someday the captain of an American cruiser should return with his remains so that he can be reburied in his native land among his friends and loved ones.

1900

                                                                     John Paul Jones 
\

         John Paul Jones in 1905 when repatriated from under a Paris street and reburied at Annapolis 

1905 President Theodore Roosevelt orders the repatriation of the remains of Captain John Paul Jones from a Paris crypt and reburied in the chapel at the Naval Academy.

                                                             Mussolini at Old Castle Fort 

1911 Italians begin occupation of Libya. Take over port and create the Plaza/Square.
1930 Italian Army road work crew reportedly uncovers the remains of five men from the original grave site and they are reburied at Old Protestant Cemetery.
1938 President Franklin Roosevelt orders a search for the location of the graves of the men of the Intrepid in Tripoli. Mustafa Burchis, a Libyan working for the Italians at the port of Tripoli investigates and learns some of the men of the Intrepid are buried at Old Protestant Cemetery.
1940 World War II. Burgis’ report is lost at the American Embassy in Rome. Libya becomes battleground 

Nazi General Erwin Rommel maps out desert warfare strategy at Tripoli Harbor 

         U.S. General Patton - many of his troops are buried in a US protected military cemetery in Tunisia 


1945-1969 - Wheelus Air Force Base - Tripoli 

                                                       Wheelus Air Force Base in Tripoli 

1948 - Muastafa Burchis informs the new US Consul Orray Taft, Jr. of his research and the members of the State Dept, US Navy, British embassy and local Libyans hold memorial ceremony and place historic markers at the Old Protestant Cemetery in 1949.

1949 

Commanders of the USS Spokane, Orray Taft, Jr. and Tripoli Mayor Yousef Karamanli, namesake and direct relative of the pirate Basha who was the first to declare war against the United States 

Here lies an American Sailor Who Gave His Life in the Explosion of the United States Ship INTREPID in Tripoli Harbor September 4, 1804 

1950-1956 Two reports are published in the US Naval Proceedings journal based on Burgis
1955 USMC study determines that no Marines are among the Intrepid victims.
1950-1969 The Officer Wife’s Club of Wheelus Air Force base maintains the cemetery.

                                            The Old Protestant Cemetery before Renovations 

1977 Two women from New Jersey discover the displaced graves at the cemetery, overgrown with weeds, and write about it in American Legion Magazine.
1980 Rep. William Hughes (D. 2NJ) introduces legislation in Congress to reserve graves for the men of the Intrepid at Arlington in anticipation of their repatriation.
1988 Pres. Ronald Reagan orders the US military to bomb Tripoli in retaliation for terrorist attacks. Two US Navy pilots are shot down, and the remains of one recovered.
1991 Chris Stevens posted to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia with US State Dept.

2000

2002 Members of the Somers family and Somers Point, N.J. civic leaders petition US government and the Gadhafi Charities Foundation for repatriation. US State Dept. says there is no diplomatic relations with Libya.
2004 Gadhafi renounces terrorism, gives up Weapons of Mass Destruction and the US reestablishes formal diplomatic relations with Libya.
2004 Libyans reportedly excavate the original grave site and discover “bones and buttons.”
2004 US Dept. of State opens liaison office in Tripoli.
2004 Libyan guards tell US regional security officer Dan Mehan about American graves at cemetery, overgrown with weeds and in disrepair.
2006 March LTC Robert “Kyle” Carnahan arrives in Tripoli as defense attaché and meets with Dr. Giuma Anag, director of Antiquities.

2006 May Memorial Day ceremonies held at cemetery graves.
2007 Chris Stevens begins serving as Deputy Chief of US Mission to Libya at Tripoli (2 years)

          Grave flags sent to American Embassy in Tripoli fly by Somers Point residents fly over grave crypts 

2007 May Memorial Day ceremonies held at cemetery graves.
2008 “Secrets of the Old Protestant Cemetery” book is published in Arabic in Libya.

2009 Gadhaif celebrates the 40th anniversary of coup with a parade at Green Square.
2009 Sept 5 Sec of State Condi Rice visits Gadhafi on the 105th anniversary of the burial of the men of the Intrepid but doesn’t visit graves.

2010 March US Ambassador Cretz placed flags at cemetery graves.
2010 March Chief of Naval Operations Adml. Gary Roughead determines that the Old Protestant Cemetery is to be the final resting place for those men of the USS Intrepid, but does not mention the original unmarked mass grave site outside the old castle walls.

2010 April - 20 shipmates from USS Somers (DD947) meet in Oklahoma and establish the USS Somers Crew members Association. 

2010 September – Tripoli flag from U.S. Embassy is raised in Somers Point, NJ 

                                                               Tripoli Cemetery Renovated

2011- February 17 Revolution in Libya begins, which Gadhafi violent suppresses.
2011 March UN & NATO prevents Gadhafi’s military from attacking Benghazi.
2011 April 5 Chris Stevens arrives in Benghazi as US Representative to the rebels

Chipp Reid, Rep. Frank LoBiondo, Greg Sykora, Sally Hastings, Walt Gregory, Mayor Jack Glasser, Dennis Somers, Bill Kelly, Michael Caputo and Rep. Michael Rogers 

2011 April 15 Delegation from Somers Point meets with Rep. Frank LoBiondo (R. NJ), Mike Rogers (R. Mich) and the American Legion in Washington DC.

2011 April Rep. Michael Rogers introduces House Resolution 1497 to repatriate the remains of the men of the Intrepid from Tripoli, co-sponsored by LoBiondo.

                         Michigan Rep. Mike Rogers - Chairman of the House Intelligence Committee 

                                                     New Jersey Rep. Frank LoBiondo 

2011 May 26 Rep. Rogers attaches the Rogers/LoBiondo repatriation resolution to the 2012 Defense Authorization Act (DAA) as an amendment, which passes the House.

2011 August Green Square is liberated and renamed Martyrs Square.

                                            Old Protestant Cemetery at Tripoli Harbor 

2011 September – American Legion video released.
2011 Nov. Sen. Dean Heller (R. Nev.) introduces complimentary Senate bill.
2011 Dec. Sen. John McCain (R. Arizona), ranking Republican on the Sen. Armed Services Com. (SASC) removes Repatriation Amendment before DAA is approved.
2011 Dec. 6 SASC and HASC Conference irons out differences in the DAA and ten US Senators sign letter requesting the Repatriation Amendment be reinserted in the DAA. 2011

2011 Dec. 17 Sec. Defense Leon Panetta visits Tripoli and graves and leaves coin.

2011 Dec. 31 President Signs Defense Authorization Act that includes a provision requiring the Navy to “evaluate the feasibility” of repatriating the remains of the men of the Intrepid from Tripoli and report back with recommendations in September 2012. 

2012 – AMVETES commander supports repatriation.

2012 Christopher Stevens appointed US Ambassador to Libya. Media excluded from ceremony.
2012 Feb. 4 Intrepid Project meets at Somers Point Historical Society to consider options. 

2012 February – Greg Sykora does radio interview on the story thus far.

2012 March – Secrets of Old Protestants Cemetery is published 

2012 May US Ambassador Chris Stevens leads Embassy delegation for Memorial Day ceremony at Intrepid graves at Old Protestant Cemetery.

US Ambassador Chris Stevens at the graves of the American sailors of the Intrepid at Tripoli Cemetery

2012 May – LHA 7 – USS Tripoli laid out.

                              USS Intrepid Sea Air Land Museum also has theTV Starship Enterprise 

2012 June Intrepid and Enterprise together again. Namesakes of Barbary Ships meet in NYC

2012 September Film farce "Innocence of Muslims" incites anti-American protests. 

2012  September 9 – Richard Somers Day celebrated in Somers Point

2012 September 11 Ambassador Stevens and three Americans killed in attack on US mission at Benghazi.

2012 September 12 US intelligence agencies determine attack led by al Qaeda linked militia

2012 September 12 40,000 Libyans protest the attack against Americans and storm militia HQ.

2012 September 18 UN Ambassador says Benghazi attack spontaneous response to film. 

2012 October Navy/DOD Report on Intrepid remains recommends they not be repatriated.

2012 October Tripoli Project issues rebuttal and meets with Armed Services Committee in DC

2012 November Benghazi becomes an election issue during debates. 

2012 December Tim McGrath’s bio of John Barry includes Richard Somers

2013 January Secretary of State Hilary Clinton testifies before Congress about Benghazi.

2013 January Former Sen. John Kerry nominated for Secretary of State

2013 March – Deborah K. Jones named new U.S. Ambassador to Libya – based in Malta

2013 September - Somers Monument dedicated in Somers Point

2013 July – Press of Atlantic City: Somers Point hoping for deal soon on repatriation
2012 January Islamic militants retreat from Timbucktu after imposing Islamic law for six months, destroy historic manuscripts, books, mausoleums and graves of Sufi Saints. 

2013 Somers Point and Somers family initiate another private backchannel negotiation.

2014 Bust of Richard Somers is placed at Veterans Park next to library.

2014 “Happy in Tripoli” video goes viral.

2014 Islamic militias take Tripoli Airport (former Wheelus AFB) and Tripoli

2014 Elected and recognized Libyan congress moves to Tobruk to escape militias.

2014 City of Derna – liberated by US Marines from pirates in 1805, declared an Islamic State

2015 Philadelphia Inquirer: New calls for the emergency repatriation of remains of all Americans from Libya.

2015 Somers Point Arts Commission has Richard Somers historic murals painted on Library walls adjacent to Somers bust.

2018 June - USS Somers Crew member Association 300 strong, meet for their annual reunion in New Orleans and commit themselves to mounting a plaque at the US Navy Yard Memorial in Washington D.C. and getting a new ship named USS Somers - the seventh.
2018 August - Sen. John McCann dies. 

2018 - 4 September - USS Somers Crew members dedicate plaque at Navy Yard and ask the Secretary of the Navy to name a new ship after Somers.

                                              The Old Castle Fort at Tripoli Harbor today

                          The padlocked green door to the Old Protestant Cemetery in Tripoli