The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1916-09-07
GUARD RECALLS DEEDS.
r. Nj. Haddon Talks of Confederate
Submarine Exploits.

one OF the pest known merchants III
upper South Carolina, has been
spending a few days in Charleston
and on Sullivan's Island, on his an
nual pilgrimage to the seacoast, and
he was especially interested yester-
day, in strolling about Charleston,
in the monument to the brave men
who lost their lives in the submarine
exploits in Charleston harbor during
the War Between the States.
The inscription on the monument
recalled to Mr.. Haddon very inter-
esting experience of his own boyhood.
He was in Charleston during a part
of the war, as boy of 16, and he
recalls we'll the excitement which ran
through the city in the fall of 1868,
when the word flew about that the
Hunley, which had gone down sew
eral weeks before and for which a
vigilant search had been made, had
been discovered and raised to the
surface.
Tried to Go Under the Indian Chief.
The Hunley sank, as those who are
familiar with the story of this Incl
dent will recall, October Is, when the
inventor of the submarine, Mr.. H. l..
Hunley, of Mobile, with a crew of
seven men undertook to dive under
the receiving ship Indian Chief in
the endeavor to prove that the Of
ficers of the Confederate navy were
mistaken in condemning the boat.
The vessel never came to the surface
and Mr.. Hunley and all the crew were
drowned.
Mr.. Haddon was off duty when he
heard the news that the Hunley had
been raised, and he hurried at once
to the wharf at the foot of Calhoun
street, he thinks it was, where a
great crowd had gathered. He made
his way to the front of the crowd and
was close by when the hatch was
lifted.
'"The inventor of the submarine" "
Mr.. Haddon said, twas standing up
right in the boat, with both hands
raised as if in an effort to open the
hatch from the inside. He was TAX
en- out and the crew were then re-
moved one by one. Officers who were
in charge of the work took from Mr..
Hunley's pocket the massive gold
watch which he carried and guam
tity of gold coins, greenbacks and
Confederate money. He was placed
in a hearse and carried to an under
taking establishment where his re-
mains were prepared for shipment to
his home. My recollection is that
the members of the crew were buried
in Magnolia cemetery.
Undeterred by Accidents.
AS those who are familiar with the
exploits of the Hunley know, Lieut..
Dixon and another crew, within a
few months took the little craft out
again, undeterred by the accidents
which had happened to it, and on
the 18th of February, 1864, sank the
Hoosatonic at the mouth of the har-
Dor.
It is especially interesting to know,
however, that Mr., Haddon recalls
vividly that even before the inventor
and his crew had been removed from
the wharf, it was generally under
stood in the crowd that seven or
eight others had already volunteer
ed on the spot.
Mr.. Haddon was also familiar with
the Little David. He was one of
those detailed to guard the boat
while repairs were being made, after
it had been hauled on the wharf.
lone of the officers of the boat came
down to superintend the repairs" "
Mr.. Haddon said, land while there
he gave me description of the trip
and the experiences through when
they passed when they were ap-
preaching the Ironsides. The object,
of course, was to blow up the Iron
sides, which was the great bugbear
in Charleston harbor. It was in fact
the main spoke in the wheel of block
ade, because of it's position, which
was between Fort Sumter and Nor
ris Island. In approaching the Iron
sides one of the men was standing
on the little deck and as they ap-
preached he was hailed by the senti-
mel on the Ironsides. He answered
with a shotgun and that, of course,
caused the sentinel to call for the
corporal of the guard. The lieuten-
ant stood at his post and returned
the fire of the Ironsides. The con-
cussion filled the little boat with a
great deal of water, the hatchway be-
ing open, and put the machinery out