No Answers Yet in Hunley Sinking

From the August 6th Sun News of South Carolina "South Carolina scientists to rotate 23-ton Confederate sub" by Bruce Smith, AP.

In North Charleston, people working on the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley will be carefully rotating the vessel to an upright position early next year. This will expose a section of hull that has not been seen as of yet.

When it was found, the submarine was on its side and has been left in that position.

Scientists still do not know why it sank after successfully sinking the USS Housatonic.


HUNLEY REPLICA

I see that a replica of the Hunley will be at the Battle of Brimfield this weekend in Springfield, Massachusetts.

Quite a Ship. --Old B-Runner

Second Hunley Crew Burial Site

Once again, the good folks at HMDB, Historical Marker Database, were good enough to find another marker of particulat interest to us Navy buffs. From October 15, 2009

This one is in North Charleston, South Carolina.

"Here rests the crew of the Confederate Submarine Hunley who died October 15, 1863 when making a practice dive in the harbor."

And then a list of names:

Horace L. Hunley
Robert Brockbank
Joseph Patterson
Thomas W. Park
Charles McHugh
Henry Beard
John Marshall
Charles L. Sprague

Horace Hunley was, of course, the inventor of the Hunley. He was not supposed to be on the crew, but at the last minute decided to take command. He received a full military honors burial in Charleston's Magnolia Cemetery where Lt. Dixon is now buried. He was the commander of the Hunley when it sank the USS Housatonic and then itself disappeared for over a hundred years.

I also read that 32 had lost their lives on the Hunley.

Quite an Innovative Piece of Technology, But Probably More Deadly to Its Own Side. --B-R'er

Looking for the H. L. Hunley During the Civil War-- Part 2

A private collector donated this letter and 27 other documents to the Relic Room. They are part of the Letters to and from William L. Churchill, A. W. Johnson and John A. Dahlgren dated from the early days of the war to 1869.

By 1869, Churchill had his own submarine company.

In the first letter there is notification to Churchill of his appointment as Master's mate on the USS Susquehanna. Churchill witnessed the pivotal naval battle between the Monitor and Virginia. Later, he was transferred to the USS Nipsic, blockading Charleston Harbor.

He declared the wreck of the USS Housatonic as being worthless" owing to the large amount of damage done by the Hunley's 90-pound charge.

He then searched for the Hunley. He didn't find it, however and Robert Neyland, head of the Naval Historical Center's Underwater Archaeology Branch says that was fortunate. Had he discovered it, there would be nothing left of the submarine today.

When the Hunley was raised in 2000, grappling hooks were found on it. Perhaps they were Churchill's?

These letters are expected to be on a web site as some date soon.

An Interesting "New View" of the Navy in the Civil War. --Old B-Runner

Looking for the H. L. Hunley During the Civil War-- Part 1

The search for the Hunley went on for over a hundred years after the war, but it actually began back in 1864 according to an article in the Nov. 3, 2009 Charleston (SC) Post and Courier "Letters illiminate first search for the Hunley" by Brian Hicks.

In the fall of 1864, Naval officer William L. Churchill, executive officer of the gunboat USS Nipsic and a diver himself, volunteered to survey the wreckage of the USS Housatonic, but he was looking more for the Hunley according to letters donated to the South Carolina Confederate Relics Room and Military Museum in Columbia, SC.

"He is desirous of exploring the ocean bottom in the vicinity of the ill-fated Housatonic, with the view of finding the Torpedo Boat, which, by mail and clippings taken from Rebel Journals, may have sunk very near her," USS Nipsic commander A. W. Johnson wrote Rear Admiral John A. Dahlgren.

More to Come. B-R'er

Connecting Today's Students With the Civil War

From the March Hamburg(Pa) Area Item.

Students at Hamburg Area High School from grades 9-12 are combining American history, drafting, metal shop and web design all in one project where they are building three signal lanterns like the one shone by the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley in its famous attack on the USS Housatonic.

These are to match the one that is believed to have given the last signal from the historic vessel. A web site will be created to show their progress.

The best one will be taken to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston, SC, where the Hunley is being preserved at present time. Plans call for it to be used in a re-enactment of the Hunley's last moments.

From the November 8, 2009 Republican Herald. The students will be divided into three teams of five and each will build their own replica lantern which was made of tin with a single lens. Each of these will have a different fuel to see if it was possible to see the blue light that Union soldiers ashore reported seeing at a great distance.

Great to Get the Kids Involved. --B-R'er

H. L. Hunley-- Part 2

OTHER OBJECTS FOUND


A primitive shelf which served as the Hunley's dashboard which was notched for a depth gauge to fit behind it.

A compass box and oil can on a shelf where it is believed a candle was located.

Three pocket knives, one belonging to Lt. Dixon that looked like silver but actually was a nickel and copper alloy. Dixon did not engrave his name on it as he did with most of his possessions.

A silk bandanna was on James Wick's neck. He was one of the oldest crewmen. Silk is one of the few surviving textiles from the wreck because it is the strongest of cloth fibers. Cotton can degrade in a week.

However, the knot, probably tied by Wick, can not be untied. The color of it also can't be determined, but it was probably a vegetable die which washes out. The orange tint on it probably came from the oxidizing of the ship's iron hull.

Always Interested in This Kind of Stuff. --B-Runner

H. L. Hunley-- Part 1

The January 2, 2008 Charlotte (NC) Observer, ran an article on the ongoing efforts to restore the Confederate submarine Hunley.

At the time, an oil can, silk bandanna, and a pocket knife had been recovered and a lot of conserving was being on done on these as they would fall apart quickly after over 100 years underwater.

Clemson University is preparing the Hunley for a multi-year restoration by scientists at the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in North Charleston. They have been working to save the hundreds of artifacts found on board.

This will take many years as a long soak in fresh water to draw corrosive salts out is necessary.

More to Come. --Old B-R

Didn't Do As Much Civil War Stuff As I Would Have Liked

I didn't get to see the H. L. Hunley or get out to Fort Sumter on the recent trip to Charleston, SC. But, I intend to get back.

We just didn't get going from Bluffton early enough Sunday to see the Hunley (which is only open on the weekends) and the weather wasn't cooperating on Monday or Tuesday. Miserable and rough weather isn't the best time to take a boat ride. I'd like to combine a Grayline Tour and Fort Sumter visit.

I guess you could say we took an inverse Sherman's March across South Carolina, starting in the northwest part of the state and proceeding to his destination of Columbia, south to Charleston (which he didn't attack) and then south to near Savannah.

Of course, OUR OBJECTS OF PILLAGE AND PLUNDER were NTN boxes, soft drinks, and alcoholic beverages. We had more fun.

Then, we spent a night at Folly Beach, SC, near Fort Wagner and the Swamp Angel.

Next Time. --B-R'er

H.L. Hunley Mysteries Continue-- Part 2

Both Union ships and Confederates along the shore mentioned seeing a blue light signalling an end of the mission. A lantern with thick lenses that would have sifted the light spectrum was found which might have appeared blue from a distance.

The USS Canadaigua rushed to aid the stricken Housatonic and it is thought the blue light might have been from it. Perhaps this ship also might have grazed the Hunley, disabling it so it couldn't surface. Inspection of the hull might just answer this question.

It is known that the Hunley would have to wait for the incoming tide to return to base. Perhaps Dixon miscalculated the oxygen supply and blacked out. A grappling hook was found near the wreck. Perhaps it was used as an anchor. If evidence of a rope is found, this might prove it.

Dixon's watch stopped at 8:23 PM. Even though Civil War time varied widely, it is known that the Housatonic was attacked about 20 minutes later. Maybe it had run down and Dixon hadn't noticed this close to the attack.

There is a theory the the concussion from the explosion knocked the crew out. Also, the Hunley might have miscalculated distance and surfaced too close to the Housatonic and causing the crew to be unable to replenish oxygen.

Monterey, Ca. Jan. 15, 2009, by Bruce Smith, AP.

Hoping a Lot of Mysteries Will Be Solved. --Old B-Runner

H.L. Hunley Replica

The famous Confederate submarine Hunley was shown at the end of August at the 5th Annual Virginia City, Nevada, Civil War Days. John Dangerfield, a shipyard worker from Charleston, SC, built it out of scrap metal. It measures 40 feet long, 4 feet high, and 3 and a half feet wide.

The August 30th Nevada Appeal went into some detail on the Hunley and its successful attack on the USS Housatonic. Dangerfield used his own funds to make the vessel because he felt it should be a mobile exhibit. Right now, he is touring the west with it.

Very Appreciative of Your Effort Mr. Dangerfield. --Old B-R'er