[Notary Sojac]

Doesn't make sense. Why was the Hunley not then found within a few yards of the Housatonic, whose location is well known??

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

IIRC it was moved by currents and later hurricanes. The fear was that later hurricanes would possibly beach it.

[commish]

The Hunley did not sink immediately. They were able to light a signal lantern to tell people waiting on the shore that the attack had been successful.

The theory is that the sub was damaged enough though that it eventually sank on the return attempt.

While the concussion from the blast was probably quite big, the crew would not have known how bad the damage to the sub was from the inside.