Confederate sub upright for first time since 1864

Associated Press ^ | Fri Jun 24, 2011 | Bruce Smith

[Hunton Peck]

NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – The first submarine in history to sink an enemy warship is upright for the first time in almost 150 years, revealing a side of its hull not seen since it sank off the South Carolina coast during the Civil War.

Workers at a conservation lab finished the painstaking, two-day job of rotating the hand-cranked H.L. Hunley upright late Thursday.

The Hunley was resting on its side at a 45-degree angle on the bottom of the Atlantic when it was raised in August 2000 and scientists had kept it in slings in that position in the lab for the past 11 years.

But they needed to turn it upright to continue with the job of conservation.

Scientists hope the hidden side of the sub will provide clues as to why the Hunley sank with its eight-member crew in February, 1864, after sending the Union blockade ship Houstonic to the bottom.

While there was no immediate clue from a first look at the hidden hull but "we are seeing some tantalizing clues on that side," Hunley archaeologist Maria Jacobsen said Friday.

***

There are various theories why the sub sank. It could have been damaged by fire from the Housatonic or the sub's crew was knocked out by the concussion from the blast that sank that ship. Or it could have been damaged by another Union vessel rescuing the Housatonic.

***

The next step in conserving the Hunley comes next week when it will be lowered onto keel blocks to hold it upright. It will probably be a month before a truss and the slings that suspended the sub from it will be removed, providing an even better view of the submarine.

[PhiloBedo]

There was a television series, back in the ‘60’s that would tell a story of American history every week. The first was about Drake (played by Cliff Robertson) and his discovery of oil in Pennsylvania.

They did an excellent episode on the Hunley, the Lieutenant ( or Captain?) being played by Jackie Cooper.

[PhiloBedo]

You are correct, sir! I didn’t bother to search, I was just drawing from my memory. I learned more US history from that show than I did from elementary school.

[tophat9000]

The South will rise again!

But like the Hunley, waterlogged and rusty?

[rockrr]

The H.L. Hunley was basically made out of a boiler. As a teenager I took a summer job at a boiler-works. Among the slightly less prestigious tasks was removing the slag after the ends were welded on.

In order to do that I had to enter the boiler through a tiny hatchway. Claustrophobia always got the better of me and I would bail after 5-10 minutes. I can’t imagine going underwater in one.

[rockrr]

Here is a time-lapse video of them rotating the Hunley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v2cBAkCHHU

[Hunton Peck]

“Here is a time-lapse video of them rotating the Hunley: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5v2cBAkCHHU “

Very, very cool. Thanks!

It’s almost spooky to see her up close and in motion like that, like she’s coming to life. That and the thought of how cramped and claustrophobia-inducing it had to be for the sailors.... Chilling.

[GeronL]

bump

[Old Teufel Hunden]

"the Lieutenant ( or Captain?) being played by Jackie Cooper."

Actually, you are correct on both accounts. The Commander of the boat when it sunk was Lt. Dixon. It was his second time commanding it. He was the original commander and by far the most successful. He was a Lieutenant in the Army. However, whoever is in command of a ship has the honorary title of captain and he would have been referred to as Captain or Skipper while commanding the Hunley.

Interestingly enough, it sunk a number of times and was raised before this ill fated last mission. One of the times it sunk and killed HL Hunley himself while he was in command of it.

[SunkenCiv]

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[kanawa]

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