The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine
Brian Hicks is a senior writer with the Post and Courier in
Charleston, South Carolina, and the co-author of Into the Wind. The
recipient of a number of journalism awards, including the South
Carolina Press Association Journalist of the Year, Hicks has
covered the Hunley since 1999.
Schuyler Kropf is a senior political reporter with the Post and
Courier and the recipient of numerous reporting awards. He has
followed the Hunley story since 1995.
Both authors live in Charleston.
“Forget the Titanic; this sub wreck is hot.”
–The Wall Street Journal
Adult/High School-The Hunley was all but forgotten until its retrieval in August, 2000. Resembling a fictional adventure tale, the book takes readers back to federally blockaded Charleston, SC. Without access to goods brought in by ships to the formerly bustling harbor, the South feared certain defeat. An idea to develop a small underwater ship that could evade detection as it delivered a torpedo to a Union blockade ship was offered as a wisp of hope by New Orleans lawyer Horace Lawson Hunley. Its development, however, was fraught with danger, and the first two test runs resulted in the deaths of 13 crew members. Finally, the sub was sent for its maiden voyage on February 17, 1864, whereupon it accomplished its task: it sank the Housatonic. Shortly after signaling the shore that it was about to return, it disappeared. The struggles to locate and retrieve the ship, spearheaded by author Clive Cussler, and the efforts to preserve it as a historical treasure trove, are nearly as fascinating as the story of its construction. The description of the Hunley's reentry into Charleston Harbor on August 8, 2000, before a cheering, saluting crowd of more than 20,000, is quite an emotional moment. Photos are mostly from the salvage and raising operation, with a few portraits of the crew included. Diagrams give readers a feel for the confines of the limited space within the submarine and the frightening conditions in which these men died. This exciting, well-done slice of history should have broad appeal.-Carol DeAngelo, Kings Park Library, Burke, VA Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.
This book offers two separate but interconnected stories about the first attack submarine, the Confederate H.L. Hunley. The authors first discuss the development of the primitive, hand-powered vessel, its successes in battle, and its eventual mysterious loss at sea. Their second story focuses on the raising of the Hunley at the end of the 20th century, covering the various archaeologists, historical agencies, and treasure seekers who attempted to find the "fish boat." The boat was finally recovered in 2000 by a team led by adventurer and author Clive Cussler. Hicks and Kropf, two Charleston, SC, reporters, spent considerable time covering Cussler's recovery and the historical secrets it uncovered. Unfortunately, their book lacks sufficient background research. The first half is weak in historical context, while in the second half the authors fail to address the broader issues surrounding the boat's recovery. Certainly, Cussler was the hero in this case, but it may have been useful to address whether having historical treasures recovered by such private enterprise "cowboys" as Cussler is called is best for the future of such national artifacts. Recommended, with reservations, for regional libraries and libraries with large Civil War collections. Charles K. Piehl, Minnesota State Univ., Mankato Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.
"Forget the Titanic; this sub wreck is hot."
-The Wall Street Journal
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