Sailors started to fire upon the Hunley, with bullets bouncing off the steel structure. Dixon and his crew were ready for their final battle.Ī lookout on board the Housatonic spotted the Hunley as it approached. After months of repairs on the Hunley and training of the crew, Lt. Dixon believed the gold coin to be his good luck charm and carried it in his pocket. Upon recovering from his injuries at Shiloh, Dixon inscribed the gold coin, noting how the coin had saved his life. He was saved from being killed by a $20 gold piece his fiancé had given him. Dixon had been injured at the Battle of Shiloh. This crew was to be under the guidance of Lt. The Hunley’s final crew was selected even before it was recovered from its location. The Hunley was found with its bow buried in the bottom of the sea, indicating pilot error. Why Hunley was on board remains a mystery. Again, tragedy struck when on October 15, 1863, the Hunley sank once more, this time with its inventor, Horace Hunley, on board. Tragedy struck again as all of the crewmembers except Payne perished when a sea swell swamped the Hunley during a training session.Ī 1902 illustration depicting Horace Lawson Hunley standing next to his submarineįor the next training session Horace Hunley selected a set of sailors from Mobile – all men who were familiar with the Hunley. Upon the recovery of the Hunley, a new crew was recruited from a group of civilian volunteers. The Hunley was recovered and the five drowned sailors were buried in Charleston. John Payne, accidentally stepped on the diving mechanism, causing the submarine to dive while the hatches were still open. One of the sailors stated that the captain, Lt. Five were trapped and drowned and four managed to escape. The first effort to strike against Union ships ended in disaster when the Hunley sank with nine men on board. Dixon persuaded Beauregard to commission the Hunley for its mission. George Dixon, later a captain of the Hunley, who quickly understood the importance of the role that the Hunley could play in ending the blockade of Charleston Harbor. Hunley was transported to Charleston where a presentation was made to General P.G.T. The Hunley, on orders of its captain, slowly surfaced and sailed back to shore – a success! Then it happened! A loud explosion occurred, sinking the barge. When the Hunley was in position, a final compass reading was taken, a candle was lit for the only light on board the vessel, and the Hunley disappeared under the surface. Hunley, trailing a powder-filled cylinder attached to her stern by a long rope, headed toward the barge. An old barge was floated in the Mobile River. On July 31, 1863, a demonstration of the Hunley, as their submarine was now called, was held. Hunley was constructed in Mobile, Alabama This is interesting to note as the spool of rope used in the torpedo rigging was patterned after a spool of thread used in the sewing machine.īuilding where the H.L. Singer, nephew of the man who invented the sewing machine. Hunley and his partners then moved their operations to Mobile, Alabama and enlisted other investors to assist in the project. However, heavy seas forced the men to abandon that vessel shortly before it sank. This decision resulted in a craft that was sent to sea near Fort Morgan. It was at this time that they decided that they must build a propeller shaft that would be powered by four men. However, these efforts were halted when they believed they could not generate sufficient power to outrun the blockades. They continued to experiment with new designs, including an attempt to outfit their new craft with steam and electric engines. All three knew the importance of their new invention. However, with enemy forces advancing on their location, the three men abandoned the vessel. Christened the Pioneer, it proved seaworthy and was transported to Lake Pontchartrain for further testing. In February of 1862, the men were ready for the first test of their new vessel. The three men started their ambitious project in 1861.
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