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Sinking of USS Housatonic

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468: 42: 187: 156: 175: 142: 1282: 330: 431: 1292: 920: 585:, who reported seeing a "blue light" from his perch in the sunken ship's rigging. There was also a post-war claim that two "blue lights" were the prearranged signal between the sub and Fort Moultrie. "Blue light" at the time of the Civil War was a pyrotechnic signal in long use by the US Navy. Modern claims in published literature on 1338: 543:
Five men – two officers and three crewmen – went down with their ship while an unknown number of Union Navy sailors were injured. The survivors were later rescued by other elements of the Charleston blockading force. The first ship on the scene was
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was less than 20 feet (6.1 m) away from the point of detonation – much closer than previously realized – and thus the explosion probably damaged the submarine as well as its target, although it was impossible to tell at the time due to
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George Marshall, Marshall's Practical Marine Gunnery: Containing a View of the Magnitude, Weight, Description and Use of Every Article Used in the Sea Gunner's Department in the Navy of the United States (Norfolk, 1822), pp. 22 and
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on Sullivan's Island that prearranged signals from the sub were observed, and answered; he did not say what the signal was. Further support comes from the testimony of a lookout on the sunken
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became renowned as the first submarine to successfully sink an enemy vessel in combat, and was the direct progenitor of what would eventually become international
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Official Record of the Union and Confederate Navies during the War of the Rebellion Series I Volume 15 see page p.328 for List of USS
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have repeatedly and mistakenly been that the "blue light" was a blue lantern, when in fact no blue lantern was found on the recovered
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Noah Webster, International Dictionary of the English Language Comprising the Issues of 1864, 1879 and 1884, ed. Noah Porter, p. 137.
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sank for unknown reasons. However, a team of historians managed to examine the submarine's remains, and theorized that a crewman on
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A few moments later the torpedo detonated and sank the sloop-of-war. First-hand reports say no explosion was heard by the crew of
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was sunk as the result of her own torpedo exploding, but some claim that she survived as long as an hour after destroying
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was heard from, until her recovery from the waters off Charleston, South Carolina. While returning to her naval station
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approached just under the surface, avoiding detection until the last moments, then embedded and remotely detonated a
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The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion; Series I – Vol. 15, p. 335.
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and short-lived, since the submarine did not survive the attack and was lost with all eight Confederate crewmen.
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The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion Series I – Vol. 15, p. 328
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The Ordnance Manual for the Use of the Officers of the United States Army 3re ed., 1861, p. 307.
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NARA Publication M 273, Reel 169 Records of the Judge Advocate General (Navy) Record Group 125.
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covering the hull. Later studies showed that the crew was probably instantly killed through
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Lance, Rachel M.; Stalcup, Lucas; Wojtylak, Brad; Bass, Cameron R. (23 August 2017).
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Tom Chaffin, The Hunley The Secret Hope of the Confederacy (New York, 2008), p. 242.
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won her first victory, but was lost at sea the same night while returning home to
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Battles of the Lower Seaboard Theater and Gulf Approach of the American Civil War
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as the sloop began to sink stern first and list to port. Within five minutes,
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caused by the close proximity of the torpedo, though this remains disputed.
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was a 1,240-long-ton (1,260 t) vessel with an armament of twelve large
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Jacob N. Cardozo, Reminiscences of Charleston (Charleston, 1866), p. 124.
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was made about the story of H.L. Hunley and the sinking of the submarine
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Shipwrecks of the Civil War : Charleston, South Carolina, 1861–1865
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thus achieved the first sinking of a warship in combat via submarine.
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began her approach at about 8:45 pm, commanded by First Lieutenant
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Accounts differ about the initial approach; what is known is that
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Proceedings of the Naval Court of Inquiry on the Sinking of the
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New evidence announced by archaeologists in 2013 indicates that
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made her first mission against an enemy vessel during the
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Ships Beneath the Sea: A History of Subs and Submersibles
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s side before reversing and setting a course for home.
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warship when she staged a clandestine night attack on
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map by E. Lee Spence (Sullivan's Island, S.C., 1984)
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that rapidly sank the 1,240 long tons (1,260 t)
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Battles of the American Civil War in South Carolina
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United States of America: McGraw Hill. pp.  953: 577:s brief survival is a report by the commander of 829:"Experts find new evidence in submarine mystery" 1329:Confederate victories of the American Civil War 23: 1025: 8: 817:, 28 January 2013, accessed 28 January 2013. 931:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships 608:was able to fire a rifle round into one of 1032: 1018: 1010: 396:, mounted to a rod extending out from her 20: 993:Cover Story: Time Capsule From The Sea – 891: 881: 505:, and only hit her with small arms fire. 370:Learn how and when to remove this message 1041:South Carolina in the American Civil War 925:This article incorporates text from the 1319:Naval battles of the American Civil War 679: 811:Hunley legend altered by new discovery 698:from the original on 25 September 2011 16:Incident during the American Civil War 692:National Underwater and Marine Agency 304:with the loss of five Union sailors. 7: 1291: 986:. Associated Press. 18 October 2008. 382:On the evening of 17 February 1864, 352:adding citations to reliable sources 274:made her first and only attack on a 1324:Battles involving the United States 669:and sunk in 1917 by a German U-boat 1132:Second Battle of Charleston Harbor 501:was unable to fire a broadside at 254:was an important turning point in 14: 1334:Charleston County, South Carolina 1112:First Battle of Charleston Harbor 615:s viewing ports. A film entitled 1290: 1281: 1280: 918: 827:Smith, Bruce (28 January 2013). 688:"Siege of Charleston Expedition" 464:and crewed by seven volunteers. 328: 185: 173: 154: 140: 40: 562:It was originally thought that 339:needs additional citations for 250:on 17 February 1864 during the 570:. Support for the argument of 1: 934:. The entry can be found 1224:Union forces occupy Columbia 1137:Second Battle of Fort Sumter 1127:Second Battle of Fort Wagner 1122:Battle of Grimball's Landing 995:U.S. News & World Report 990:Trip Atlas, "Events of 1970" 883:10.1371/journal.pone.0182244 1117:First Battle of Fort Wagner 1096:Second Battle of Pocotaligo 456:and had a crew of 150 men. 312:, although the victory was 1370: 1219:Skirmish at Congaree Creek 1081:First Battle of Pocotaligo 952:Robert F. Burgess (1975). 531:was partially underwater. 509:attached her explosive to 413:Charleston, South Carolina 407:s mission was to lift the 82:Charleston, South Carolina 61:17 February 1864 1276: 1194:Campaign of the Carolinas 452:was commanded by Captain 224: 205: 166: 133: 53: 39: 31: 1209:Skirmish at James Island 1204:Battle of Broxton Bridge 1199:Action at Rivers' Bridge 1091:Battle of Simmon's Bluff 1086:Battle of Secessionville 497:. Official accounts say 596:This was the last time 475:; sketch by war artist 1344:1864 in South Carolina 479: 438: 167:Commanders and leaders 1065:Port Royal Experiment 1055:Battle of Fort Sumter 470: 433: 225:Casualties and losses 103:32.71861°N 79.80472°W 1354:February 1864 events 1173:Battle of Honey Hill 1060:Battle of Port Royal 815:The Post and Courier 454:Charles W. Pickering 348:improve this article 180:Charles W. Pickering 1178:Battle of Tulifinny 874:2017PLoSO..1282244L 232:1 sloop-of-war sunk 108:32.71861; -79.80472 99: /  831:. Associated Press 651:Chilean ship  480: 439: 415:by destroying the 390:American Civil War 260:Confederate States 252:American Civil War 34:American Civil War 1306: 1305: 665:, later named SS 557:Sullivan's Island 425:Charleston Harbor 380: 379: 372: 310:submarine warfare 241: 240: 161:CSA (Confederacy) 129: 128: 78:Charleston Harbor 1361: 1294: 1293: 1284: 1283: 1034: 1027: 1020: 1011: 987: 975: 959: 922: 921: 906: 905: 895: 885: 847: 841: 840: 838: 836: 824: 818: 807: 801: 798: 792: 789: 783: 779: 773: 770: 764: 761: 755: 748: 742: 739: 733: 732: 725: 719: 714: 708: 707: 705: 703: 684: 614: 576: 515: 492: 406: 375: 368: 364: 361: 355: 332: 324: 237:1 submarine sunk 200: 190: 189: 188: 178: 177: 159: 158: 145: 144: 114: 113: 111: 110: 109: 104: 100: 97: 96: 95: 92: 68: 66: 55: 54: 44: 21: 1369: 1368: 1364: 1363: 1362: 1360: 1359: 1358: 1309: 1308: 1307: 1302: 1272: 1251: 1230: 1214:Action at Aiken 1182: 1161:Sinking of USS 1149: 1100: 1069: 1043: 1038: 997:, 2–9 July 2007 982: 972: 951: 919: 915: 910: 909: 868:(8): e0182244. 849: 848: 844: 834: 832: 826: 825: 821: 808: 804: 799: 795: 790: 786: 780: 776: 771: 767: 762: 758: 749: 745: 740: 736: 727: 726: 722: 715: 711: 701: 699: 686: 685: 681: 676: 653:Almirante Lynch 647: 612: 574: 541: 513: 490: 471:Destruction of 462:George E. Dixon 404: 392:. Armed with a 376: 365: 359: 356: 345: 333: 322: 245:Sinking of USS 236: 231: 196: 192:George E. Dixon 186: 184: 172: 153: 146:United States ( 139: 107: 105: 101: 98: 93: 90: 88: 86: 85: 84: 64: 62: 45: 24:Sinking of USS 17: 12: 11: 5: 1367: 1365: 1357: 1356: 1351: 1346: 1341: 1336: 1331: 1326: 1321: 1311: 1310: 1304: 1303: 1301: 1300: 1288: 1277: 1274: 1273: 1271: 1270: 1265: 1259: 1257: 1253: 1252: 1250: 1249: 1244: 1238: 1236: 1232: 1231: 1229: 1228: 1227: 1226: 1221: 1216: 1211: 1206: 1201: 1190: 1188: 1184: 1183: 1181: 1180: 1175: 1170: 1157: 1155: 1151: 1150: 1148: 1147: 1142:Attack on USS 1139: 1134: 1129: 1124: 1119: 1114: 1108: 1106: 1102: 1101: 1099: 1098: 1093: 1088: 1083: 1077: 1075: 1071: 1070: 1068: 1067: 1062: 1057: 1051: 1049: 1045: 1044: 1039: 1037: 1036: 1029: 1022: 1014: 1008: 1007: 998: 991: 988: 980: 976: 970: 949: 940: 914: 913:External links 911: 908: 907: 842: 819: 802: 793: 784: 774: 765: 756: 743: 734: 720: 709: 678: 677: 675: 672: 671: 670: 657: 646: 643: 540: 537: 378: 377: 336: 334: 327: 321: 318: 239: 238: 233: 227: 226: 222: 221: 215: 208: 207: 203: 202: 182: 169: 168: 164: 163: 151: 136: 135: 131: 130: 127: 126: 120: 116: 115: 76: 74: 70: 69: 59: 51: 50: 37: 36: 29: 28: 15: 13: 10: 9: 6: 4: 3: 2: 1366: 1355: 1352: 1350: 1347: 1345: 1342: 1340: 1337: 1335: 1332: 1330: 1327: 1325: 1322: 1320: 1317: 1316: 1314: 1299: 1298: 1289: 1287: 1279: 1278: 1275: 1269: 1266: 1264: 1261: 1260: 1258: 1254: 1248: 1245: 1243: 1240: 1239: 1237: 1233: 1225: 1222: 1220: 1217: 1215: 1212: 1210: 1207: 1205: 1202: 1200: 1197: 1196: 1195: 1192: 1191: 1189: 1185: 1179: 1176: 1174: 1171: 1169: 1168: 1164: 1159: 1158: 1156: 1152: 1146: 1145: 1144:New Ironsides 1140: 1138: 1135: 1133: 1130: 1128: 1125: 1123: 1120: 1118: 1115: 1113: 1110: 1109: 1107: 1103: 1097: 1094: 1092: 1089: 1087: 1084: 1082: 1079: 1078: 1076: 1072: 1066: 1063: 1061: 1058: 1056: 1053: 1052: 1050: 1046: 1042: 1035: 1030: 1028: 1023: 1021: 1016: 1015: 1012: 1006: 1004: 999: 996: 992: 989: 985: 981: 979: 977: 973: 971:9780070089587 967: 963: 958: 957: 950: 948: 947:OCLC 11214217 944: 941: 939: 937: 932: 929: 928: 927:public domain 917: 916: 912: 903: 899: 894: 889: 884: 879: 875: 871: 867: 863: 862: 857: 855: 846: 843: 830: 823: 820: 816: 812: 809:Brian Hicks, 806: 803: 797: 794: 788: 785: 778: 775: 769: 766: 760: 757: 753: 747: 744: 738: 735: 730: 724: 721: 718: 713: 710: 697: 693: 689: 683: 680: 673: 668: 664: 662: 658: 656: 654: 649: 648: 644: 642: 640: 636: 631: 626: 624: 620: 619: 611: 607: 603: 599: 594: 592: 588: 584: 580: 579:Fort Moultrie 573: 569: 565: 560: 558: 554: 550: 549: 538: 536: 534: 530: 526: 522: 517: 512: 508: 504: 500: 496: 489: 485: 478: 474: 469: 465: 463: 459: 455: 451: 447: 443: 437: 432: 428: 426: 422: 418: 414: 410: 403: 399: 395: 391: 387: 386: 374: 371: 363: 360:February 2013 353: 349: 343: 342: 337:This section 335: 331: 326: 325: 319: 317: 315: 311: 307: 303: 299: 295: 291: 287: 286: 280: 277: 273: 272: 267: 264: 261: 257: 256:naval warfare 253: 249: 248: 234: 229: 228: 223: 220: 216: 214: 210: 209: 204: 201: 199: 193: 183: 181: 176: 171: 170: 165: 162: 157: 152: 149: 143: 138: 137: 132: 124: 121: 118: 117: 112: 83: 79: 75: 72: 71: 60: 57: 56: 52: 49: 46:A drawing of 43: 38: 35: 30: 27: 22: 19: 1296: 1166: 1162: 1160: 1143: 1002: 994: 955: 942: 933: 924: 865: 859: 853: 845: 833:. Retrieved 822: 814: 805: 796: 787: 777: 768: 759: 751: 746: 737: 723: 712: 702:16 September 700:. Retrieved 682: 666: 660: 655: (1891) 652: 639:blast injury 629: 627: 622: 616: 609: 605: 601: 597: 595: 590: 586: 582: 571: 567: 563: 561: 552: 547: 542: 532: 528: 520: 518: 510: 506: 502: 498: 487: 483: 481: 477:William Waud 472: 457: 449: 441: 440: 435: 420: 417:sloop-of-war 401: 394:spar torpedo 384: 381: 366: 357: 346:Please help 341:verification 338: 305: 302:sloop-of-war 298:spar torpedo 293: 284: 270: 246: 244: 242: 213:sloop-of-war 197: 134:Belligerents 47: 32:Part of the 25: 18: 1242:Confederate 854:H.L. Hunley 630:H.L. Hunley 623:H.L. Hunley 610:H.L. Hunley 602:H.L. Hunley 598:H.L. Hunley 591:H.L. Hunley 587:H.L. Hunley 572:H.L. Hunley 564:H.L. Hunley 553:H.L. Hunley 548:Canandaigua 533:H.L. Hunley 507:H.L. Hunley 503:H.L. Hunley 484:H.L. Hunley 458:H.L. Hunley 402:H.L. Hunley 385:H.L. Hunley 306:H.L. Hunley 294:H.L. Hunley 271:H.L. Hunley 123:Confederate 106: / 48:H.L. Hunley 1313:Categories 1263:Charleston 1163:Housatonic 1005:fatalities 1003:Housatonic 835:26 January 752:Housatonic 674:References 667:Housatonic 661:SS Georgia 635:concretion 618:The Hunley 606:Housatonic 583:Housatonic 568:Housatonic 529:Housatonic 525:life boats 521:Housatonic 511:Housatonic 499:Housatonic 488:Housatonic 473:Housatonic 450:Housatonic 442:Housatonic 436:Housatonic 421:Housatonic 290:Charleston 285:Housatonic 247:Housatonic 94:79°48′17″W 65:1864-02-17 26:Housatonic 546:USS  539:Aftermath 283:USS  266:submarine 219:submarine 91:32°43′7″N 1286:Category 1268:Columbia 902:28832592 861:PLOS One 696:Archived 645:See also 409:blockade 292:harbor. 235:8 killed 230:5 killed 206:Strength 73:Location 1297:Commons 893:5568114 870:Bibcode 446:cannons 320:Sinking 314:Pyrrhic 198:† 125:victory 63: ( 1256:Places 1167:Hunley 968:  923:  900:  890:  663:(1890) 258:. The 194:  119:Result 1247:Union 1235:Units 613:' 575:' 514:' 491:' 405:' 276:Union 148:Union 1187:1865 1154:1864 1105:1863 1074:1862 1048:1861 966:ISBN 936:here 898:PMID 837:2019 704:2011 495:hull 434:USS 419:USS 279:Navy 263:Navy 243:The 58:Date 1165:by 962:238 888:PMC 878:doi 782:24. 423:in 411:of 398:bow 350:by 288:in 1315:: 964:. 896:. 886:. 876:. 866:12 864:. 858:. 813:, 694:. 690:. 625:. 559:. 551:. 493:s 427:. 400:, 268:, 217:1 211:1 80:, 1033:e 1026:t 1019:v 974:. 938:. 904:. 880:: 872:: 856:" 839:. 731:. 706:. 373:) 367:( 362:) 358:( 344:. 150:) 67:)

Index

American Civil War

Charleston Harbor
Charleston, South Carolina
32°43′7″N 79°48′17″W / 32.71861°N 79.80472°W / 32.71861; -79.80472
Confederate
United States
Union
Confederate States of America
CSA (Confederacy)
United States Navy
Charles W. Pickering
George E. Dixon

sloop-of-war
submarine
American Civil War
naval warfare
Confederate States
Navy
submarine
H.L. Hunley
Union
Navy
USS Housatonic
Charleston
spar torpedo
sloop-of-war
submarine warfare
Pyrrhic

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