Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-06-13
The G. s. Nnvy-it. subnnrinc.

The &. s. Nnvy-lts Submarines.
TO the Editor OF The Times Dispatch
Sir.--our navy originated the sub
marine. and used 1t TO break tho
bIochades on our ports. In moro
than one instance the ven,urous
Fedora! gunboat. going too far .up
our rivers. found Itself IN the air.
and then under the water. Their
mystery OF operation pnrulyzed tn.
invaders efforts In accommodating.
Two types are outstanding. and
Shail say Il word about them hero.
Tho nrst. known as the David, Wa
steam launch about htty feet long.
covered after the manner OF a duck
boat. small opening In the center
serving as hatchway. p.ot!udiu..
from her PROV was u pole. AZ tho
end OF which WAS "A percussion tor
pedo. which was usually triccd w.
being lowered below the water whom
ready for action. Her nGhtlng wnt.r
level LEFT but small rim o. en-
posture. on the night OF October 3.
1863. in command OF Captain Glns
sell. with Engineer j. II. Tomb.
Riot j. W. Cannon and Fireman
James sullivan. she went out o.
Charleston harbor. and torpcdoed the
pride OF the Federal navy. the New
ironsides. Had the pole been Longer
and the torpedo larger. II would
hay" sunk the ship. as II wan shr
was rendered hOrs du combat. ana
never amounted to anything posi-
tive in the war. The volume OF
water that was thrown up swanped
tho David. ana all hands took to the
waves. Glassell swain 10 the anchor
chain and was pulled aboard the ship.
SO vas sullivan who swan to the rud-
der chains. Tomb and Cannon, be-
Ing unable TO swim. fingered near
the David. with iife prescrvcrs OH.
and AS she arose. they climbed on
board again. restrained tho fires and
steamed back to Charleston.
The Hundley requires especial
career. and her heroic end. Will
never hc forgotten so long as pride
swells I'm the bosom OF Southern men
and women. She was n submarine
pure and simple. She was bull, in
Mobile by Iiund!cy & McClIntock. ami
aft"rward was shipped to Charles
ton. She was about sixty feet LONG.
with no inside deck. and was run h,.
man power, eight men. four on each
side. turning continuous crank.
Her torpedo was trailcd behind. in.
stead Of being in front like that Of
the David. IL was called tho FISH
TORPEDO. and was so constructed tina.
when she d'vcd under snip. pull
Ing her torpedo. after shc had passed
hcy ond tho torpedo would be pulled
against the SHIFTS lower onposit"
side. and tn mako hcr
cscApe -e TORPEDO
rope
Her record AL through was d!sas-
trous TO her crew, for at least four
Of these crews lost their lives in this
he al
marine they loft hope behind. for
there was little possibility that any
ono OF them would survive the en-
petition. Thrcc OF the casualties
resulted from experiments. and tho
fourth was n fata! success. On Feb
ruary Il, 1864. at night. under com
mand OF Lieutenant George r.. Dixon
with Arnold Brckncr. g. Simpltinr.
James a. Weeks. +. Collins. John
Ridgeway. and James Carlson, tho
Hundiey manned" out OF Charleston
harbor. passed under the splendid
man-of-war. Housatonic. exploded
her torpedo, and the Housatonic
sank. going down in four minutes.
After the war. when the harbor OF
Charleston was being cleared OF
sunken wrecks the Housatonic was
found. all on board being either
Killed or drowned, except n few that
saved themselves by timely climbing
into her rigging. y few feet away
from her lay the gallant little Humid
ley. filled with the bodies Of dead
heroes. mute record of what South
crn bravery had done.
Although every time she wen,
down she stayed down. and four
crews lost their lives as result
there was never any difficulty In
getting volunteers to serve her md
many men regretted that thew wnro
not permitted to be OF Ter crow
A. o. WRIGHT.
Admiral. u. G. v.
Richmond. Va. Juno 12, 1922.