On February 17, 1864, the H.L. Hunley became the first successful combat submarine in world history when eight men entered an experimental vessel with a mission to sink the USS Housatonic. The Hunley successfully rammed her spar torpedo into the hull of the Housatonic, causing the warship to sink within minutes. After completing this momentous feat, the Hunley crew signaled their success to shore but then mysteriously vanished.
That night, history was made. At the same moment, a mystery was born. Why had she suddenly disappeared? What caused her to sink? And would she ever be found?
After being lost at sea for over 130 years, the Hunley was finally located in 1995 and raised on August 8, 2000. The submarine was brought to the Warren Lasch Conservation Center in Charleston, South Carolina where scientists continue to work to unlock the mysteries of the Hunley. The submarine was in essence a time capsule, holding a wide array of artifacts from the nineteenth century.
