Hunley News Articles

[Stiles/Akin]

 

[connecticut yankee]

The third article seems quite factual except for one glaring misstatement. The article claims that the Union ship Housatonic backed up into the torpedo boat (Hunley) causing an immediate explosion. Although the cause of the Hunley's sinking is still unknown, the conservation efforts to date have eliminated ramming and/or explosion as reason(s) for sinking. Such a conclusion is based on the fact that the Hunley when discovered in the 1990's was entirely intact.

 

[AndyHall]

The third article seems quite factual except for one glaring misstatement. The article claims that the Union ship Housatonic backed up into the torpedo boat (Hunley) causing an immediate explosion.

Yep. That article is 47.4% more accurate than what was typically reported as news during that conflict.

 

[connecticut yankee]

Yep. That article is 47.4% more accurate than what was typically reported as news during that conflict.

I know, I know, there are more inaccuracies such as the claim that the explosion produced no noise and therefore the Union blockade fleet didn't know until morning that the Housatonic had sunk. Quite bogus. Overall though, not bad reporting.

 

[DaveBrt]

The third article is a report of what the Yankee captives said. I doubt anyone thought the newspaper sent a reporter out to the fleet to get the actual facts.

 

[mofederal]

Those were some very good period article. It is surprising that they were as accurate as they were for the time. Such was news at the time. At least they were close to the scene of the actual action.

 

[JPK Huson 1863]

Isn't it amazing 3rd hand stories could be news, and real news? Never heard the silent explosion part before- did that make it to any other reports? You never know what was picked up other papers.

Best part of the Hunley story is how men in a tiny tube peddled themselves, in the dark, under water and found a warship.

 

[Stiles/Akin]

Isn't it amazing 3rd hand stories could be news, and real news? Never heard the silent explosion part before- did that make it to any other reports? You never know what was picked up other papers.

Best part of the Hunley story is how men in a tiny tube peddled themselves, in the dark, under water and found a warship.

And the water in Charleston area is not what I would call clear