| CSS Hunley The CSS H.L. Hunley was the first submarine in the history of warfare to sink an enemy ship in combat. On the night of Feb. 17, 1864, at the entrance of the harbor at Charleston, S.C., the Hunley rammed a torpedo into the side of the USS Housatonic. The Housatonic sank within minutes after the torpedo exploded. Although the crew of the Hunley gave a prearranged signal to sentries on shore after the attack, the submarine sank before reaching shore. All hands perished. Why she sank remains unknown.
This was not the first time that the Hunley sank and killed her crew. She sank once in 1863 while being towed. Later that same year, the Hunley's designer – Horace L. Hunley – died while commanding the sub. It sank during a test dive. The wreck of the CSS Hunley was discovered in 1995 and raised for study and preservation in 2000.
The crossed cannon and anchor design on the hat is based on the design used by the Confederate Navy during the Civil War. The design can be found on buttons worn by naval officers and on china patterns used in the wardrooms of officers. |
