The history of the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley is as
astonishing as its disappearance. On February 17, 1864, after a
legendary encounter with a Union battleship, the iron “fish boat”
vanished without a trace somewhere off the coast of South Carolina.
For more than a century the fate of the Hunley remained one of the
great unsolved mysteries of the Civil War. Then, on August 8, 2000,
with thousands of spectators crowding Charleston Harbor, the Hunley
was raised from the bottom of the sea and towed ashore. Now,
award-winning journalists Brian Hicks and Schuyler Kropf offer new
insights into the Hunley’s final hours and recount the amazing true
story of its rescue.
The brainchild of wealthy New Orleans planter and lawyer Horace
Lawson Hunley, the Hunley inspired tremendous hopes of breaking the
Union’s naval blockade of Charleston, only to drown two crews on
disastrous test runs. But on the night of February 17, 1864, the
Hunley finally made good on its promise. Under the command of the
heroic Lieutenant George E. Dixon, the sub rammed a spar torpedo
into the Union sloop Housatonic and sank the ship within minutes,
accomplishing a feat of stealth technology that would not be
repeated for half a century.
And then, shortly after its stunning success, the Hunley
vanished.
This book is an extraordinary true story peopled with a
fascinating cast of characters, including Horace Hunley himself,
the Union officers and crew who went down with the Housatonic, P.
T. Barnum, who offered $100,000 for its recovery, and novelist
Clive Cussler, who spearheaded the mission that finally succeeded
in finding the Hunley. The drama of salvaging the sub is only the
prelude to a page-turning account of how scientists unsealed this
archaeological treasure chest and discovered the inner-workings of
a submarine more technologically advanced than anyone expected, as
well as numerous, priceless artifacts.
Hicks and Kropf have crafted a spellbinding adventure story that
spans over a century of American history. Dramatically told, filled
with historical details and contemporary color, illustrated with
breathtaking original photographs, Raising the Hunley is one of the
most fascinating Civil War books to appear in years.
From the Hardcover edition.