Secrets Of A Civil War Submarine: Solving The Mysteries Of The H. L. Hunley
Starred Review.Grade 6-10–Walker brings a little-known story of the Civil War to life in this fascinating book. When the Union blockade of all ports in the South stopped supplies from reaching the Confederate Army, Horace L. Hunley decided to create a submarine that would be able to sneak up on enemy ships and blow them up. After many years of trial and error, theH. L. Hunleyactually succeeded in sinking the USSHousatonicin February of 1864. But the submarine never returned to port, and her crew perished in the Charleston Harbor. This is a finely crafted account of theHunleyfrom its inception to the modern archaeological quest to exhume her from the water. It is divided into chronological chapters complete with pictures, maps, and primary sources. Half of the book discusses the construction and design of the submarine, in addition to its practice runs and its first and only mission. The second half consists of the process of locating and excavating theHunley, as well as piecing together the puzzle of exactly what happened on that fateful night in 1864. The archaeological process is well documented in both words and pictures, and the conclusions are interesting and even surprising. Highly recommended for school and public libraries.–Anna M. Nelson, Collier County Public Library, Naples, FLCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.