The night of February 17th, 1864, the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley attacked and sank the USS Housatonic off the coast of Charleston. She then mysteriously vanished with her crew of eight. That night, history was made and a mystery was born. The Hunley became the first submarine ever to sink an enemy ship. But why had she suddenly disappeared? What caused her to sink? And would she ever be found? Lost at sea for over a century, the Hunley was located in 1995 by author Clive Cussler and raised on August 8th, 2000. The innovative hand-cranked vessel was delivered to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center, where an international team of scientists are at work to conserve the submarine for future generations and piece together clues to solve the mystery of her disappearance.
The Hunley Project is conducted through a partnership with Friends of the Hunley, the South Carolina Hunley Commission, Clemson University Restoration Institute, Naval History and Heritage Command, and the Charleston Naval Complex Redevelopment Authority.
Video
This episode of Curiosity Trek! dives into the history behind the legendary “Life Preserver” of Lieutenant George Dixon – a gold $20 coin which saved his life at the Battle of Shiloh in the American...