The Washington herald., 1914-02-17
THE WAR DAY BY DAY
Fifty Years. Ago.
Feb IT, Is64-e Federal War Steamer Housaton New Vessel Was
Destroyed Torpedo Launched by Submerged Boat Outside the
Bar at CharIeon-Heroim of Men Who Gave Lives the Attack
Cwrftten expressly for The nerald.)

1 more advanced type. and was the first
submarine boat used in the war. II was
the invention of a citizen of Mobile, Hor-
ace L. Hunley.
The boat was described as shaped like
| r nsh, made of galvanized iron, 20 feet
long, 3 IL feet wide and 5 feet deep"
1t was propelled by shaft worked by
seven or eight men. Its best speed was
less than tlree miles an hour.
The inventor had claimed that the boat
could be submerged to any required depth
and could remain under water several
hours. He had offered the boat to Gen.
T. @. Beauregard, commanding at
Charleston, and IL had been sent to
Charleston by rail from Mobile.
The men who experimental with the
boat in Charleston Harbor found 1t to
be a dangerous craft. As II lay along
side the wharf at one of the harbor
forts with its deck holes open, the
wash of a steamer upset and sunk 1t,
drowning two men
After the hull OF the boat had been
recovered from the bottom, the inven-
tor, Mr.. Hunley. went to Charleston. TAX
ing with him Lieut. GeOfge E. Dixon,
young officer in an Alabama regiment.
who had experimental successfully with
the boat in the harbor of Mobile, and
proposed to operate 1t for Gen Beaurc-
gard. of Charleston.
Lieut. Dixon made several descents In
the boat in Charleston Harbor, diving
on one occasion under a naval receiving
ship at anchor in the channel and coming
up safely.
Unfortunately. in the absence Of Lieut..
Dixon, Mr.. Hunley attempted to handle
the boat. With a crew of seven men,
he descended in the harbor. Watchers
on the wharves waited anxiously for
the temperance of the boat on the sur
tace, but in vain. When, after several
hours, the boat was brought to the sur
face, her crew and the inventor were
found to be dead. They lay in attitudes
which showed they had fought to open
p manhoIe by which to escape. The
spair and agony.
Men Warned of Danger.
After this accident Gen. Beauregard re-
fused to permit the use OF the boat again.
As originally designed, the boat was TO
tow n torpedo astern, and, approach
ing a vessel. was TO dive beneath il,
rising to the surface beyond and dragging
the torpedo against the ships side.
Lieut.. Dixon persuaded Gen. Beaure-
gard TO permit him to Use the boat
against the Housatonic in way not
previously tested. 4 spar torpedo was
alIlSed 10 tne forward end Oh tne DOdt
and. pushing this before il, with only
the tops of its manholes above the water.
the boat approached the ship in the man
ner described.
Lieut.. Dixon had been warned by one
of the men who had made the attempt
against the lronsides that he ran the
greatest risk of being carried down with
the Housatonic IL he should succeed in
exploding the torpedo against her side.
Men who saw the gallant young Ala
bama officer go on board the torpedo
boat at Sullivans Island on the evening
of his rash exploit said good-by to him
as to one who was going to certain death.
Already the Hunley. as .he boat was
called. had drowned thirty-three men.
She was n veritable coffin to this brave
officer and his men. Their names are
given in the records as Arnold Becker,
c. Simpkins, James A. Wicks, F. Collins.
and - Ridgeway, all OF the Confederate
navy, and Corp c. T. Carlsen "of Capt
Wagoner's company of artillery"
Tomorrow: Value of Confederate
currency cut a third.
ICopyight, lg4)