The South had about 10 armed warships and a number of merchant vessels donated by the succeeding states at the outbreak of war. At the beginning of the war, the North fielded 83 warships ranging from heavy "Men-of-War" types sporting 84 guns to Brigs having just six onboard cannons. By the middle of 1861, the three partners began to work on the craft for simple fame, profit, and - of course - Southern patriotism.īeing the first to build a working submarine would bring the three partners the fame they desired and the profit would come sales to the Confederate government as well as the sinking of Union ships - the Confederacy was paying upwards of $50,000 or more for the sinking a single Union ship. Whether it was Hunley, McClintock or Watson who first entertained the idea of formally building the submarine, we will never know. His patriotism was his partnership with James McClintock and Baxter Watson and their joint ownership of a machine shop that lead to the development of the "submarine torpedo boat". Horace was to never join the Confederate Army or Navy per se as his feelings for the southern cause did not lead him down the road to joining the military. The InventorsĪs the mood of succession increased between the rural South and the mechanized North, Horace supported succession from the United States proper. His sales of sugar cane from his plantation and some incoming legal fees only served to increased his individual wealth. To increase his wealth, Horace accepted a job as a Customs House clerk with a yearly salary of $1,500. In 1850, he had become a prosperous land owner and went on to purchase eight slaves for domestic and plantation work. Business was good and Horace was able to buy an 80-acre sugar plantation in Assumption Parish and some land in Texas. He subsequently opened a law practice in New Orleans and worked part time at the Customs House, a business center for cotton, sugar cane and tobacco brokers. Horace graduated with a law degree in 1849. Life proved evermore challenging when young Horace lost his father but the situation was made better when Horace was able to gain admission into the University of Louisiana (now Tulane University). In 1830, times proved challenging across Tennessee so the family uprooted to New Orleans where John became a cotton broker. His father, John, had fought with General Andrew Jackson in the battle of New Orleans against the British in the War of 1812. Horace Lawson Hunley was born to a farming family on December 29th, 1823 in Sumner County, Tennessee. The historical action was recorded during the American Civil War Between the Northern and Southern states with the Hunley - a classified as a submarine boat - serving in the Navy of the Confederate States of America (South). Hunley was the first submarine in history to sink an enemy ship while submerged, this occurring on February 17th, 1864 against the screw sloop USS Housatonic.
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