The H L Hunley was not a vessel with a good reputation, it had already claimed the lives of two of its crews when it set out to make history by sinking the Union ship the Housatonic that blockaded Charleston Harbour during the American Civil War. It would succeed in its mission, but the H L Hunley would never return, leading to a mystery that endures to this day. It was clear that the H L Hunley had gone down for the third time, but the enduring question remained, why?

Ship Name: H L Hunley

Launched: 1863

Sank: February 1864

Tonnage: 7.5

Ship Type: Submarine

Propulsion: Hand Crank Screw Propeller

Nation of Origin: Confederate States of America

Lives Lost: 21 in total over multiple founderings