H.L. Hunley and His Crew Drown Today, 150 Years Ago

OCTOBER 15TH, 1863.

The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley, evidently never accepted into Confederate Navy service since I don't usually see CSS in front of it, under the command of inventor and part-owner H.L. Hunley, sank in Charleston Harbor while making practice dives under the Confederate receiving ship Indian Chief.

A report of "the unfortunate incident" stated: "The boat left the wharf at 9:25 a.m. and disappeared at 9:35. As soon as she sunk, air bubbles were seen to rise up to the surface of the water, and from this fact it is supposed that the hole in the top of the boat by which the men entered was not properly closed. It was impossible at the time to make any effort to rescue the unfortunate men, as the water was some 9 fathoms deep."

Thus, H.L. Hunley and his gallant seven-man crew perished. The submarine had claimed the lives of its second crew.

The submarine was raised for a second time and, for a second time, the crew was buried.

Practice Makes Perfect, But At What Cost? --Old B-R'er