Wednesday, January 30, 2013

New Evidence to Hunley's Sinking-- Part 2

The Hunley was built in Mobile, but deployed in Charleston Harbor to break the blockade.  For years after the war, people searched for the wreck of the submarine which never returned after its attack on the the USS Housatonic before it was finally located in 1995.  Raised in 2000, it had been in a conservation lab in North Charleston ever since.

Conservator Paul Mardikiam had to remove material crusted onto one end of the spar.  Beneath it, he found evidence of a copper sleeve, which was shown on the plans of the Hunley.  "The sleeve is an indication the torpedo was attached to the end of the spar."  The rest of the 16-foot spar shows evidence that could be associated with its being bent during the torpedo's explosion.

At one time it was believed the Hunley placed the torpedo against the Housatonic then backed away and triggered it remotely.  This would indicate that the Hunley was within 16 feet of the explosion, which with all those pounds of gunpowder, 135, would have caused quite a shock to the submarine.

The crew was found at their seats with no evidence of any attempt to escape.  This quite possibly could mean that they were knocked unconscious by the explosion, drifted away, and died before they came to.

More to Come.  --Old B-R'er

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