Submarine Hunley Sinks: Inventor Dies in Test Dive
The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley sank for the second time during a test dive in Charleston Harbor on October 15, 1863, killing all eight crew members including Horace Hunley himself, the private citizen who had financed its construction. The vessel had already sunk once before during testing, drowning five men. Despite two fatal sinkings, the Confederates raised it again and found a third volunteer crew. On February 17, 1864, the Hunley rammed a spar torpedo into the hull of the USS Housatonic, becoming the first submarine to sink an enemy warship in combat. The Hunley never returned. Its wreck was found in 1995 and raised in 2000, revealing the crew still at their stations. Forensic analysis suggests the concussion from their own torpedo killed them.
October 15, 1863
163 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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