Confederate submarine finally revealed after being buried at sea for 150 years

UK Daily Mail ^ | January 13, 2012 | Staff

[C19fan]

The world got an unobstructed view of the Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley for the first time since the Civil War on Thursday as a massive steel truss that had surrounded the first sub in history to sink an enemy warship was finally removed. The truss weighing more than 8 tons had shrouded the sub since it was raised off the coast of South Carolina almost a dozen years ago.

[dog breath]

This is fascinating, thanks for the post. It is interesting how rapidly military technology started to evolve starting from that time to the present.

[tanknetter]

It will be interesting to compare the real Hunley submersible with the reconstructed replicas (IIRC, one is in Columbia, the other in Charleston).

I've been to see the Hunley twice. Once about a year after they recovered it, then again last year (right after they'd righted it - it had been set at about a 45 degree "roll" angle since recovery).

The differences between it and the Charleston replica are significant. As are the differences between it and the various models used in the making of "They Hunley" movie. They've found all sorts of fascinating innovations, such as much better hydrodynamics (particularly in the streamlined and concave bow area) and an flywheel running around the inner hull that was used as a "power assist" to the guys turning the crank.

Couple added notes. First, although it's nice to see the Hunley out of the truss, in the two visits I made I never really found it to be all that obstructive. Second, any visit to the Hunley should be accompanied by a visit to Magnolia Cemetery right down the road. That's where all three crews lost on the sub are buried. The Cemetery is fascinating in its own right - very old, very Southern. Not some place I'd want to be after dark (and I've walked places like Devil's Den and the Slaughter Pen at Gettysburg at night).

[C19fan]

The low freeboard meant it was a small target compared to the casemate design utilized by the CSA. Also, the turret contained 2 huge guns if I remember right 10 or 11 inchers. At Hampton Roads the Monitor was quicker and more agile than the CSA Virginia.

[headsonpikes]

Where’s the screen-door and porch?

Americans living near to Canada have always told me that Confederate subs sank because of these features - not true?

[C19fan]

Think about just about 50 years before Nelson was fighting in sailing ships that say Sir Francis Drake would of recognized.

[central_va]

Americans living near to Canada

You mean jerks? Easier to say than "Americans living near to Canada".

[Hegewisch Dupa]

Well the missing sections of hull probably served the same purpose. But I understand they needed the metal for the ground troops...

[Lazamataz]

Lincoln was a GOD and the South was sadly mistaken in all it did. Why you want to embrace those extra-constitutional monkeys defies imagination. I am so glad that untold misery was visited on the South, for they were truly evil in every way. I HATE THE CONFEDERACY and all it stands for and if you love them THEN I HATE YOU!

[Lazamataz]

Robert E. Lee was a GOD and the North was sadly mistaken in all it did. Why you want to embrace those extra-constitutional monkeys defies imagination. I am so glad that untold misery was visited on the North, for they were truly evil in every way. I HATE THE UNION and all it stands for and if you love them THEN I HATE YOU!

[dog breath]

Since one of my ancestors served with Sherman on his famous march I definitely should stay out of most old Southern cemeteries at night.

[Moose4]

The Monitor was way ahead of its time, very innovative. The combination of the armored turret and the low design made it superior to the Virginia ironclads in a lot of ways. Growing up in Virginia, we heard a lot about the “Monitor-Merrimac” fight...generally portrayed as that “we” fought the Monitor to a draw, even though the Virginia proved unable to break the Union blockade of Hampton Roads.

}:-)4

[Hegewisch Dupa]

LOL - great answer to the invitation!

[Pan_Yan]

Slow morning? To cold to go out for a walk? So you just had to start sumpin’ didncha?

[Lazamataz]

The monitor was not a submarine. It was just a boat that did not have much freeboard.

FREE BOARD!!!1!!

[Cringing Negativism Network]

To: Admin Mods:

Mitt Romney seems to have hacked Laz’s account.

[Army Air Corps]

Of course, there was a snide, uniformed comment:
it's so cute to see the American War Machine in its infancy.

Never mind that the European "war machine" was well established...

[ladyvet]

Hard to imagine eight men working in that sub.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

That was some movie. Lt. Dixon who was never married was haunted by the ghost of his “wife.” His sweetheart, Queenie Bennett, died in 1883.

[BuffaloJack]

Holy moly! I didn’t realize that they mounted 10 or 11 inch guns on it. It makes more sense now why CSS Atlanta surrender after 5 well placed hits by USS Weehawken.
My great great uncle who was captured was a corporal in the CS Marine Corp and sat out the rest of the war in the federal prison at Elmira, NY.

[Lazamataz]

Slow morning? To cold to go out for a walk?

Cold morning for a walk, yaa.

So you just had to start sumpin’ didncha?