The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1904-11-13

II AAhi
She carried s~ixty-four guns and had a complement of
four hundred eighty men. After years of foreign service
she came to the Colonies and joined the British squad
ron at the siege of Boston. Longfellow refers to the
Somerset as living at her moorings in Boston Bay on
the night of Paul Reveres memorable ride At the
battle of Bunker Hill she storned the Notifications in
the early morning. and afterward covered the landing
of the redcoats. During the two following years she
lowered about Cape Cod. doing much damage to
American commerce. and often made a rendezvous in
Provincetown Harbor and levied upon the people for
supplies. Such was the dread that the vessel inspired
that the Cape Cod mothers would brighten their re-
fractory children by telling them that the frigate
would carry them off unless they behaved themselves.
Finally the Somerset was ordered southwark. and
when she returned to Cape Cod waters it was as part
of the British squadron in search of the French fleet,
which was reported to be in Boston harbor. The
Somerset was espied under full sail driving before a
freshening Worcester" evidently striving to weather
the cape by a close tack. in her haste to reach Boston
Bay; but in lacking ship as she was rounding Race
Point, she "misS-stayed" and struck on the outer
bar.
\ shout went up from the watchers on the shore
they knew that the stanch vessel was doomed. Soon
the beach was crowded with people; but as there were
no life-boats in those days no material assistance
could be rendered. For hours the ship pounded upon
the bar. and the great waves broke over her. Boats
were lowered. but they were dashed to pieces. Guns.
ammunition and other heavy articles were thrown
overheard; the maSts. which had been broken off near
the deck, were cut away; and finally at high water
the leaking hull was driven by force of wind and
waves over the bar and upon the shore. Here the
officers and remnant of the crew were rescued. and
held as prisoners of war.
The next day two companies of militia. one from
Provincetown and the other from Truro. proceeded
to the scene OF the wreck and took the prisoners to
Barnstable and thence to Boston. Under the direc-
ton of the board of war the ship was stripped. The
guns that remained on board were utilized in the
notifications at Gloucester and on the coast OF Maine.
The small arms, ammunition and stores were devoted
to the use of the Continental troops. Thus did the
sea that washes the first landing place of the Pilgrims
help the cause of their descendants.
One Of the prisoners from the Somerset was not
taken to Boston. This was the ships surgeon.
DR.. William Thaver. He was paroled and took up a
practice at Provincetown and its vicinity. Finally.
falling in love with a Cape Cod maiden. he married
her. -Four daughters blessed this union, and their
descendants are still to be found along the Cape.
As the years rolled by the evcr-shifting sands of the
cape buried the hulk of the Somerset from sight; but
in 1880 a high course of tides and a succession of
northeast gales SO cut away the beach that a portion
of the timbers and planking were exposed. The
massive tinbers, the portfolios and the general build
established the fact beyond doubt that here indeed
We're the remains OF the Somerset: and when the news
got about hundreds OF people visited the wreck. and
carloads OF timber. ~planking and iron bolts were
taken from 1t and brought to town. where they were
converted into canes. models OF vessels. watch-charms
and other souvenirs. But the beach shore began to
extend out again, and ere long the old hulk was once
more buried under the sands. Now the beach grass
IS growing over it, but the location of the wreck is
still pointed out, and souvenirs of it may be purchased
at almost any store in Provincetown.
II misery loves company, the old wreck can comfort