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NavSource Online: Submarine Photo Archive

Hunley

Introduction from the United States Naval Historical Center:

H.L. Hunley a small, hand-powered submarine, was privately built at Mobile, Alabama, in 1863, based on plans furnished by Horace Lawson Hunley, James R. McClintock and Baxter Watson. Her construction was sponsored by Mr. Hunley and superintended by Confederate officers W.A. Alexander and G.E. Dixon. Following trials in Mobile Bay, she was transported to Charleston, South Carolina, in August 1863 to serve in the defense of that port. On 29 August, while moored to a steamer, the submarine was accidently pulled over on its side and sank, drowning five members of her crew. After salvage, she was given a new crew and began a series of tests. However, during diving trials on 15 October 1863, she failed to surface. Horace Lawson Hunley, who was directing her operation, and the rest of her men were drowned.

H.L. Hunley was again raised and repaired. With a third crew, and under orders to only operate on the surface, she began a series of attempts to attack United States Navy ships on blockade duty off Charleston. On 17 February 1864, these efforts were successful. H.L. Hunley approached the steam sloop of war USS Housatonic and detonated a spar torpedo against her side. The Federal ship sank rapidly, becoming the first warship to be lost to a submarine's attack.

However, H.L. Hunley did not return from this mission, and was presumed lost with all hands. Her fate remained a mystery for over 131 years, until May 1995, when a search led by author Clive Cussler located her wreck. On 8 August 2000, following extensive preliminary work, the H.L. Hunley was raised and taken to a conservation facility at the former Charleston Naval Base. At present, she is the subject of a careful preservation effort that ultimately should place her in suitable condition for general public exhibition.

Specifications: Length 30'; Beam 4'; Speed, Submerged 4 mph; Complement 9; Armament, 1 spar torpedo.

Size	Image Description	Source
332k	Sepia wash drawing by R.G. Skerrett, 1902, after a painting then held by the Confederate Memorial Literary Society Museum, Richmond, Virginia. The Confederate Submarine *H.L. Hunley* is credited with the first recorded successful underwater attack, against the *USS Housatonic* using a torpedo, which was projected from the submarine by a pole. Eight men turned the propeller using a handcrank. Maximum speed was 4 knots. Air was provided by two four-foot pipes, although the hull contained enough air for approximately ½ hour of submerged operations.	Text & photo courtesy of USNHC & chinfo.navy.mil.
113k	*H.L. Hunley* inboard profile and plan drawings, after sketches by W.A. Alexander, who directed her construction.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 53544.
101k	*H.L. Hunley* midships section drawing, after sketches by W.A. Alexander, who directed her construction.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 53545.
73k	Cutaway drawings of the *H.L. Hunley* published in France, based on sketches by William A. Alexander, who directed her construction.	U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 58769.
53k	Model of the *H.L. Hunley* built by Floyd Houston, New Suffolk, New York. It was presented by him to the Naval Historical Foundation on 7 April 1960. Note spar torpedo projecting from the submarine's bow.	Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 63085.
51k	Model of the *H.L. Hunley* built by Floyd Houston, New Suffolk, New York. It was presented by him to the Naval Historical Foundation on 7 April 1960. Note spar torpedo projecting from the submarine's bow.	Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 51949.
115k	Park and Lyons machine shop building, Mobile, Alabama where the Confederate submarine *H.L. Hunley* was constructed in 1863. Located at the corner of Water and State Streets, in Mobile, this old building housed the Gill Welding and Boiler Works when photographed in about 1960.	Courtesy of the Naval Historical Foundation, Washington. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 53543.
16k	Artist concept of the *H.L. Hunley*in action. Computer generated graphic by Dan Dowdey.	Photo courtesy of National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA)numa.net.
48k	Scale models of the *Housatonic* and the *H.L. Hunley* commissioned by Clive Cussler. The *H.L. Hunley* model is circled. Both ships were found by NUMA.	Photo courtesy of National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA)numa.net.
90k	Trigger (SS-564) behind a replica of the Hunley at Pier November in Charleston, SC in 1968. Taken from the bridge of the Chivo (SS-341). In the distance at pier Lima there appears to be other subs and possibly the tender Howard W. Gilmore (AS-16).	Photo courtesy of Mike Cappucci. Photo added 02/04/07.
21k	Artist concept of the *H.L. Hunley* on the sea floor. Computer generated graphic by Dan Dowdey.	Photo courtesy of National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA)numa.net.
118k	*H.L. Hunley* breaks the surface, suspended from its supporting truss, as it is raised from the sea bottom off Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of 8 August 2000.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97355-33-KN.
108k	*H.L. Hunley* suspended from its supporting truss, just after it was raised from the sea bottom off Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of 8 August 2000.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97356-01-KN.
83k	*H.L. Hunley* lifted beside the working platform Karlissa B, just after it was raised from the sea bottom off Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of 8 August 2000. Suspended from its supporting truss, it is to be placed on the barge at left to be taken to the conservation facility in North Charleston.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97356-06-KN.
105k	*H.L. Hunley* suspended from its supporting truss, just after it was raised from the sea bottom off Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of 8 August 2000.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97356-12-KN.
113k	*H.L. Hunley* suspended from its supporting truss, a few minutes after it was raised from the sea bottom off Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of 8 August 2000.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97356-23-KN.
72k	*H.L. Hunley* suspended from its supporting truss, a few minutes after it was raised from the sea bottom off Charleston, South Carolina, on the morning of 8 August 2000.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97356-28-KN.
82k	*H.L. Hunley* on board a barge to be taken to the conservation facility in North Charleston, South Carolina, soon after it was lifted from the sea floor off Charleston on 8 August 2000. H.L. Hunley, suspended from a supporting truss, was raised by the working platform Karlissa B, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which is seen at right.	Photographed by Barbara Voulgaris, Naval Historical Center. U.S. Naval Historical Center Photograph # NH 97356-36-KN.
219k	At the Charleston Navy Yard, S.C., Mar. 7, 2003, the pocket watch that belonged to the commanding officer of the Civil War-era submarine *H.L. Hunley* , Lt. George Dixon. The watch was retrieved from the *H.L. Hunley* and archeologists hope to use it to determine the time the sub sank on February 17, 1864.	USN photo N-0000X-002, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
132k	At the Charleston Navy Yard, S.C., Mar. 7, 2003, Senior Conservator of the Civil War-era Confederate submarine the *H.L. Hunley* , Paul Mardikian, uses a microscope to examine a pocket watch that belonged to the sub’s commanding officer, Lt. George Dixon. The watch was retrieved from the *H.L. Hunley* and archeologists hope to use it to determine the time the sub sank on February 17, 1864.	USN photo N-0000X-001, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
75k	At the Naval Historical Center, Navy Yard, Washington D.C. Feb. 21, 2003, scientists at the Warren Lash Conservation Center examine a Civil War-era wallet found during excavation of the Confederate submarine *H.L. Hunley* . The archeologists stated that the wallet was in remarkably good condition. *Hunley* was recovered from the ocean floor in 2000 and has been under an excavation and conservation program, which has been led by the Naval Historical Center team for three years.	U.S. Navy photo courtesy Naval Historical Center # O-0000O-002, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
76k	At the Naval Historical Center, Navy Yard, Washington D.C. Feb. 21, 2003 this Civil War-era wallet was discovered by Naval Historical Center archeologists during their excavation of the Confederate submarine *H.L. Hunley. The archeologists stated that the wallet was in remarkably good condition. Hunley* became the first submarine in history to sink a warship during the Civil War in 1863.	U.S. Navy photo by Chris Ohm. courtesy Naval Historical Center # O-0000O-001, courtesy of news.navy.mil.
525k	Civil War Confederate submarine *H.L. Hunley* conservators Philippe de Vivies, left, and Paul Mardikian remove the first section of the crew’s bench at the Warren Lash Conservation Lab in the former Charleston Navy Shipyard, S.C. on Jan. 28, 2005. Archaeologists and conservators are hopeful that once the bench is removed, they will discover new *H.L. Hunley* artifacts.	U.S. Navy photo O-0000X-001, courtesy Naval Historical Center courtesy of news.navy.mil.