Hunley burial postponed until next year

Myrtle Beach Online ^ | 16 May 2003 | AP

[stainlessbanner]

The burial of the H.L. Hunley's eight crewmen will be delayed until next year to give organizers more time to plan a Confederate ceremony to honor the men who died in the first submarine to sink an enemy ship in combat.

Hunley officials originally targeted this November to bury the crew, but the scope of the event and the work currently under way to study the bones caused that date to be bumped back.

The crewmen will be interred with full military honors 140 years after the Hunley's final mission ended with its disappearance.

Hunley officials expect the funeral to have a major impact on Charleston as Civil War re-enactors, submarine veterans and history buffs from around the world will be invited to attend. Attendance could be in the tens of thousands, they say.

"The attraction is that it truly may be the last Confederate burial," said Warren Lasch, chairman of Friends of the Hunley.

The burial is almost certain to include a period march through Charleston. That's what happened in 1999 and 2000 when the remains of about 30 Civil War soldiers, Marines and earlier Hunley sailors were buried.

[Conspiracy Guy]

Hope this doesn't bring all the race baiters out. But it probably will. Je$$e and his folks are probably getting their protests and rants together now.

[let us cross over the river]

I like your website.

[let us cross over the river]

re: protestors...I don't think so. The last burial in 99 was a very solemn occasion. Even the tourists from up north were deeply moved. Some stated they had a better understanding of why we love our heritage.

[bmwcyle]

Hand salute, TWO

[Robe]

As an SC reenactorI have stood as the honor guard at the Hunley. I also had the honor of serving as a pallbearer at both the '99 and 2000 burials, and have been invited to do so again for this crew.
The solemnity of the last funeral procession was overwhelming, part of the procession took us near a black section of town, it was stunningly patriotic to see older black men and women stand on the corners with their hats or hands over their hearts... there was no racism, just folks paying respects to true American heroes.
Forget all the hype... there isn’t as much controversy between the races here in SC as the
NAALCP and the media would like you to believe