The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-04-12
THAT EARLY SUBMARINE BOAT.
Four Crews Lost Before Her Mission
Was Accomplished.

Lieutenant Maury, who, after long
and distinguished service in the United
States navy, at the beginning of the
civil va cast his fortunes with the
southern c~onfedearcy, in 1866 wrote as
follows of the first submarine torpedo
boat, Pay Director Billings interesting
story of which was recent told in the
Evening Sun.
1T was built of boiler iron, was
about thirty-ive feet long. and was
manned by a crew OF nine men. eight
Of whom worked the propeller by hand.
The ninth steered the boat and manip-
ulated her movement below the sur
face Of the water. She could be sub
merged at pleasure to any depth or
could be propelled upon the surface.
In smoth, still water her movements
were exactly controlled, and her speed
was about four knots. 1t was intend
ed that she should approach any vessel
lying at anchor, pass under her keel
and drag a floating torpedo, which
would explode on striking the bottom
or side of the ship attacked. She could
remain submerged for more than half
an hour without Inconvenience TO her
crew.
Soon after her arrival at Charles
ton, Lieutenant Payne, of the confed-
crate navy, with eight others yolun-
teered to attack the federal fleet with
her. While preparing for their expe-
dition the swell of a passing steamer
caused the boat to sink suddenly and
ali hands except Lieutenant Payne,
VINO was at the moment tanding in
the open hatchWay, persisted. She was
soon raised and again made ready for
service. sLieutenant Payne again vol
unteered to command her. While w.
ing near Fort Sumter she capsized and
again sank in deep water, drowning all
nandS except her COMMANDER and two
others. Being again raised and pre-
pared for action, Mr.. Aunley, one of
the constructors made an experimental
cruise in her in Cooper river. While
submerged at great deapth, from some
unknown cause she became
ageable and renamed for many DAYS
at the bottom Of tn. aver, with her
crew OF nine dead men. 4 tlird time
was the boat raised, IA -eutenant
DIXON, OF Mobile, of the 1weIry first
Confederate Volunteers, van eight
others, went out of Cnarias,uu aarbor
IN her and attacked and sunk the
Federal steamer Housatonic. Her
mission at last accomplished, she dis
appeared forever with her crew. Moth
ing is known of their fate, but it is be-
lleved they went down with the en-
envy"
That plausible belief was made a
certainty ten years later, as Pay Direc-
Tor Billings explains, when the wreck
OF the HOusatonic was raised and the
little destroyer, with the skeletons of
her crew, was found fast in the hole
that her torpedo had made in the hull
OF the war vessel.
Captain j. w. Congdon, now of the
United States revenue cruising service.
was a lieutenant in the South Atlantic
blockading squadron in 1863, and vas
oflcer of the deck of the Housatonic
the night she was sunk by this diving
torpedo carrier off RattIesnake Shoals,
before Charleston Harbor. He saw a
dim light suddenly appear, only a pis-
tol shot away, and low in the water.
He fired his revolver at the strange ap-
partition. 1t disappeared almost in
Stantly.
A few seconds later the Housatonic
was blown up, and but for the FORUM
ate circumstance that she was lying in
shoal water all IN board would I'M
doubtedly have gone down Will her.