All Hands on Deck

(A Brief History of the Hunley)

Whether it is specific history or history in general that you seek, few items hold the significance that the CSS Hunley does.

Not only is it significant to Charleston because it was the sight of its singular mission, and the resulting rescue and display, but it is formidable in its place in modern warfare. This was no easy task because in the effort to develop and build this craft much drama occurred. Multiple models and working prototypes were built and put to sea with both loss of product and loss of life (two versions of the Hunley sank with hands on board before the third was put to sea).

The efforts of multiple designers, builders and investors began in New Orleans, LA, in 1861. Mr. James Mcclintick and Mr. Baxter Watson began the development of a three-man underwater boat in the late fall of 1861. Horace Hunley joined them and added his expertise to theirs. They succeeded in creating two more crafts that eventually failed to satisfy the underwater testing. The inventors had to scuttle their second craft during subsequent trials due to the fact that the union forces had begun their siege of New Orleans, which forced them to flee to Mobile, AL.

With their plans in hand, they began to put together their third prototype which eventually became the CSS Hunley. Together with multiple new investors and the confederacy supporting them, they launched their efforts. After demonstrating that their submarine could pull a charge behind it, then dive towing the charge into its target and sinking it, and then resurface safely

beyond the target; the CSS Hunley was transported by rail to Charleston, SC for its ultimate use there.

The Hunley was being put through sea trials by Mcclintick after it arrived in Charleston, but it was seized by the confederacy because of the slow pace of readiness. On August 29th, 1863, the Hunley sank at the dock with several reasons being offered for the cause. Five crewmen died. During the ensuing months. Horace Hunley arrived in Charleston and demanded the return of his vessel. It was found and then hoisted from the bottom then refitted. Hunley then recruited a new crew which included himself. In October of the same year, a second test run was initiated with a second failure and with all hands lost. It appeared that someone forgot to close the seacock valve or lost the wrench needed leaving them unable to save themselves. Because of the two failed efforts, Union spies in Charleston learned of the new war machine and began developing anti-submarine measures which are still in use today.

Confederate general Beauregard reluctantly allowed lieutenants Dixon and Alexander both proponents of the project to move forward. They saw the need to modify the weapons delivery mode because their own intelligence informed them of the union understanding. General Beauregard demanded that they operate only on the service and therefore added urgency to the change that placed the torpedo on a spar which extended from the bow and would need to be rammed into the hull of the target vessel.

In February of 1864, the Hunley set out into the harbor on its first -and last- official mission - the sinking of the USS Housatonic. The rest as they say is history...

So, 150 plus years passed with numerous attempts made to locate the Hunley until in 1995 when a team with highly sophisticated sonar equipment and submersible vessels pinpointed the wreck. In 2000, a team of maritime recovery experts and historians began the recovery process with millions watching the broadcast.

Many years later, the submarine is still being probed and prodded for any clues as to why it sank on that fateful February night in 1864. There are several strong theories but no definitive answers without some communication from the eight men on board.

~ David Joyner