Samuel Cromwell
American sailor and petty officer
About Samuel Cromwell
Samuel Cromwell was a sailor and boatswain's Mate (United States Navy).
Samuel Cromwell (died December 1, 1842) was a sailor and petty officer (boatswain's mate) aboard the brig USS Somers. Cromwell was feared by the young apprentices who made up the majority of the ship's crew, and was rumored to have served on a slaver at one time. These rumors lent credence to the idea that he would have been amenable to Philip Spencer's alleged plot to mutiny, kill the ship's officers and such of the crew as were not wanted and sail the Somers either as a pirate ship or a slaver.
On the homeward leg of a voyage to Liberia, Cromwell was put in irons a few days after Spencer and Elisha Small, another sailor rumored to have been part of a slave ship's crew. After a meeting of the officers concluded that a mutinous plot existed, all three men were hanged without a court-martial.
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Important facts
Frequently asked questions
Who was Samuel Cromwell?
American sailor and petty officer
When did Samuel Cromwell die?
Samuel Cromwell died on 1 December 1842 in USS Somers.
What was Samuel Cromwell's occupation?
Samuel Cromwell was a sailor and boatswain's Mate (United States Navy).
Sources & further reading
Cite this page
APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Samuel Cromwell. https://biography.guide/samuel-cromwell/
MLA: "Samuel Cromwell." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/samuel-cromwell/.
Chicago: "Samuel Cromwell." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/samuel-cromwell/.
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