Union and Confederate Submarine Warfare in the Civil War

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Most Civil War enthusiasts have heard about the Hunley, the Confederate submarine that sank the USS Housatonic on February 17, 1864. Less well known, however, is that the Hunley was not alone in the water. Both the Union and the Confederacy built submarines; many were operational and patrolled for enemy ships. In Union and Confederate Submarine Warfare in the Civil War, Mark K. Ragan brings this little-known history to the surface. Ragan, who served as consultant on the 1999 TNT movie Hunley, uses contemporary letters, newspaper accounts, factory records, and log books to recount the early history of submarine warfare--from Bushnell's Turtle to the Hunley, from the Alligator to the Intelligent Whale. Many observers were enthusiastic about the new technology, describing it as "as formidable as it is economical." Others were violently opposed, labeling submarines "unchivalrous" and "infernal machines." For better or worse, the submarine was here to stay.

Thoroughly researched, engagingly written, well illustrated, and featuring an introduction by Clive Cussler (who led the successful 1995 effort to locate the sunken Hunley), Submarine Warfare deserves a place on every Civil War buff's bookshelf. --Sunny Delaney

Book Description

& 50 photos/illustrations & 6 maps & 6 x 9 & First scholarly book on Civil War submarines & Original construction diagrams and building plans Foreword by best-selling author Clive Cussler Submarine use and experimentation during the Civil War was far more widespread than generally known. Several were actually built and launched, and both sides experimented with the military possibilities of the new weapon. Drawing on years of archival research, submarine expert Ragan outlines the building programs, construction plans, and underwater operations of both the Union and Confederacy. Historic drawings show the state of the art in 19th century America, when prototypes included air-locks for diving and rudimentary periscopes. Mark K. Ragan is the author of The Hunley: Submarines, Sacrifice, and Success, and operates his own midget submarine. He is a consultant for TNT on the new movie "CSS Hunley." He lives in Maryland.

Customer Reviews:

One of the best books on Civil War Submarines.......2000-08-11

This has to be the most thorough books on Submarine warfare during the Civil War. Having studied the history of submarines during this period, and having a family connection to the design of one of the Confederate subs, the St. Patrick, I thought I knew a lot about Civil War subs. This book proved me wrong. The detail and depth of the book showed the incredible amount of work that went into the research for this book. It is a must for any submarine enthusiast.

An Amazing Book.......2000-05-31

I do not know where to start. This book is one of the best works concerning Civil War naval history that I have ever read. Mr. Ragan has done a superb job and should be very proud of his work. He talks about everything from the more well known submarines to the submarines for which little information exists. This book is amazing and essential for a student of Civil War naval history or naval history in general.

ground breaking work.......1999-09-11

An absolutely fascinating book on a subject much hinted at, but never until now discussed in one book.

The story of the Hunley has been told before, and there have been many hints as to other boats used and operated during the war. However, information has been sketchy. As the author says, information regarding this topic is scattered. He has done a great job bringing all known facts together. I especially enjoyed the coherent description of the Hunley's attack.

I was fascinated at the creativity of the efforts that went into buiding these boats and was amazed at the sophistication of the vessels, especially Hunley and Pioneer.

The Hunley was far in advance of its time. It was a very capable submarine, dogged by human error and ill-fortune. It will be interesting to see if the mystery of its final loss will finally be explained.

For anyone interested in naval history, as well as Civil War history, this book is a must.

". . . a standout. . .brilliant. . . " Civil War Book Review.......1999-08-06

"Mark K. Ragan shows us the rest of the iceberg in this volume which is a standout both for its scholarship and clear, concise writing. . . Ragan's job of research . . . is impressive. He had to scour through company records, newspaper accounts, and personal correspondence to produce this brilliant definitive work on a little-known aspect of the endlessly fascinating Civil War."

This book is THE title for submarine & Civil War enthusiasts.......1999-04-02

Mark Ragan, an acknowledged submarine expert has brought to light fascinating details and facts I've never read anywhere else! I found this book to be engrossing and detailed and was delighted to read the details from Confederate Secret Service papers that had never been seen before. I recommend this book to anyone interested in submarines and/or the Civil War. Mr. Ragan served as the historical consultant on the Hunley movie from TNT that's coming out this summer. I can't wait to see how much comes from this book! I've heard Ragan builds and pilots his own mini-subs so I know his interest in the subject is genuine. I can't wait for his next book!

Raising the Hunley: The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine (American Civil War)

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Great Book !!
Praise for Raising the Hunley
Professional Skeptic
Readible book on the sub and on underwater archaeology
Civil War Delight.

Raising the Hunley: The Remarkable History and Recovery of the Lost Confederate Submarine (American Civil War)
Brian Hicks , and Schuyler Kropf
Manufacturer: Presidio Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0345447727
Release Date: 2003-04-01

Book Description

The history of the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley is as astonishing as its disappearance. On February 17, 1864, after a legendary encounter with a Union battleship, the iron “fish boat” vanished without a trace somewhere off the coast of South Carolina. For more than a century the fate of the Hunley remained one of the great unsolved mysteries of the Civil War. Then, on August 8, 2000, with thousands of spectators crowding Charleston Harbor, the Hunley was raised from the bottom of the sea and towed ashore. Now, award-winning journalists Brian Hicks and Schuyler Kropf offer new insights into the Hunley’s final hours and recount the amazing true story of its rescue.

The brainchild of wealthy New Orleans planter and lawyer Horace Lawson Hunley, the Hunley inspired tremendous hopes of breaking the Union’s naval blockade of Charleston, only to drown two crews on disastrous test runs. But on the night of February 17, 1864, the Hunley finally made good on its promise. Under the command of the heroic Lieutenant George E. Dixon, the sub rammed a spar torpedo into the Union sloop Housatonic and sank the ship within minutes, accomplishing a feat of stealth technology that would not be repeated for half a century.

And then, shortly after its stunning success, the Hunley vanished.

This book is an extraordinary true story peopled with a fascinating cast of characters, including Horace Hunley himself, the Union officers and crew who went down with the Housatonic, P. T. Barnum, who offered $100,000 for its recovery, and novelist Clive Cussler, who spearheaded the mission that finally succeeded in finding the Hunley. The drama of salvaging the sub is only the prelude to a page-turning account of how scientists unsealed this archaeological treasure chest and discovered the inner-workings of a submarine more technologically advanced than anyone expected, as well as numerous, priceless artifacts.

Hicks and Kropf have crafted a spellbinding adventure story that spans over a century of American history. Dramatically told, filled with historical details and contemporary color, illustrated with breathtaking original photographs, Raising the Hunley is one of the most fascinating Civil War books to appear in years.

From the Hardcover edition.

Customer Reviews:

Great Book !!.......2007-09-19

What an exciting and informative book! Part history, part research, part archealogy, but all joined and very readable. The incredible dedication and bravery of the crews who parished aboard the "fish-boat" deserve the highest honor. These men of the past never gave up, just as the modern day team who had to move natural and govermental mountains to raise her from her watery grave. Since the research is on going and the mysteries haven't been all solved this book does not have the definative answers, I try to log unto the hunley.org site periodically to check for new developments. It's well worth reading by anyone interested in Civil War history, early submarine warfare or archealogy.

Praise for Raising the Hunley.......2006-11-03

An absolutely fascinating book. In depth and accurate historical research
gives this book its feeling that the authors where there as it happened. A
work of non-fiction that can be as exciting as a work of fiction, but it is all true !!

Professional Skeptic.......2005-04-14

If your interests run to one of the most ingenious achievements in naval history, the gritty determination of desperate men, or simply a good, old-fashioned mystery, this book should captivate you as much as it did me. The authors have sifted through rarified documents and firsthand accounts to present a very intriguing story as only investigative writers in Charleston might. The real merit of this book is its careful, reader friendly presentation of what could otherwise have been an abstruse topic. Here are basic charts, drawings, photos, expert insights, interviews, and personal backgrounds all introduced in historical context. Throughout the book appropriate facts are cleverly recalled and embroidered in the story of the evolving discoveries. When you finally put this book down, you will wish it could have been twice as long and had provided answers to the Hunley's remaining mysteries.

Readible book on the sub and on underwater archaeology.......2003-04-25

I first ran across the story of the Hunley in a popular journal on archaeology and was fascinated by the tale of courage, desperation, and originality. Subsequently I saw parts of a film on the subject, and I was hooked. I found the book by Brian Hicks, Schuyler Kropf in Amazon.com's menu and decided to pursue more information on the subject.

The authors are journalists rather than professional historians or archaeologists, but they do have a talent for writing and a sense of the character of the South and Civil War history that gives the book a more readable quality. They also seem to have researched their topic well. The final pages of the book recount their efforts to follow the "fish boat's" story from first inception to final successful strike against the USS Housatonic, a Union ship participating in the blockade of the Charleston harbor. Considering that the Hunley was a secret weapon and a stealth weapon at that, its paper trail would be expected to be a difficult one to follow. The authors made a remarkable success of it, giving life to their subject.

Interesting too was the narrative of the Hunley's resurrection and restoration. The serendipitous survival of the boat in a nearly intact condition is itself an amazing story. The great care with which it was removed from the water and painstakingly preserved is a credit to underwater archaeology. Certainly it could easily have been a disaster. What the preserved remains had to say about the vessel itself: its construction, its advanced styling, the likelihood of it's having continued to be water free for long enough to allow small stalactites to form, etc. made it an even more entertaining study. It's definitely on par with the Titanic for human interest.

Civil War Delight........2002-11-22

To a Civil War buff, the story of the Hunley is irresistable. The book begins with the conception and execution of the "fish boat" in Mobile and continues with its introduction into service in Charleston. The book then interweaves the distant past with the very recent past, telling the tale of the boat's crews (3 crews, none who answered to 'Lucky') and the tale of the multiple personalities involved in raising her some 135 years later. The writing is only adequate; the story of the boat and her design is more interesting reading than that of her crew and her salvagers. Nonetheless, this is an enjoyable book that can easily be read in one (pleasant) day.

Average customer rating:

Great book!
A Glaring Factual Error
Well covered subject
The Infernal Machines of the Civil War

Submarine Warfare in the Civil War
Mark K. Ragan
Manufacturer: Da Capo
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0306811979
Release Date: 2003-05-27

Book Description

Many people have heard of the Hunley, the experimental Confederate submarine that sank the USS Housatonic in a daring nighttime operation. Less well known, however, is that the Hunley was not alone under the waters of America during the Civil War. Both the Union and Confederacy built a wide and incredible array of vessels that could maneuver underwater, and many were put to use patrolling enemy waters. In Submarine Warfare in the Civil War, Mark Ragan, who spent years mining factory records and log books, brings this little-known history to the surface. The hardcover edition, Union and Confederate Submarine Warfare in the Civil War, was published to wide acclaim in 1999. For this new paperback edition, Ragan has revised and updated the text to include the full story of the Hunley's recovery and restoration

Customer Reviews:

Great book!.......2006-05-25

I'm only about halfway through this book, but so far I love it! I've been reading it in preparation for writing a paper about Civil War submarines, and it's an incredibly interesting and fact-filled book. I first heard about the Hunley a couple months ago, and in reading this book, I've learned that many other submarines existed during the Civil War--on both sides! If you are interested in Naval history, Civil War history, or just history in general, I highly recommend this book!

A Glaring Factual Error.......2004-03-18

While this is THE BIBLE for Civil War submarine fans, Regan makes a huge error regarding the history of the Intelligent Whale.

He says crew members were killed in testing the boat (not true- not one person died on the Whale.) He also says it is at the Washington Navy Yard (it is not - it is at the Army National Guard Militia Museum at Sea Girt, New Jersey and has been since April of 1999. See
http://www.nj.gov/military/museum/militia.pdf

Well covered subject.......2004-01-16

This is an excellent look at all of the evidence available
of all attempts by both North and South to create the first
viable submarines.It's well written and carefully notes when the
writer's words are hypotheses rather than fact. Unfortunately for the overall story, many documents were lost when the Union
burned Richmond to the ground. Many were also destroyed because submarines fell under the cloak of secrecy and many records
were lost in the attempt to avoid postwar guilt, should such machines be considered "unfair" war devices. A very fine coverage of a little known area of the War Between the States..

The Infernal Machines of the Civil War.......2003-06-10

As other reviewers have already noted, this is a fantastic book.
The author has fully researched the subject and presents details of many little known facts from the first Confederate submarines which attempted unsuccessful underwater attacks to the first Union submarine that had been intended to sink the ironclad Merrimac (Virginia). The book goes far beyond the history of the Hunley and certainly is a must for anyone interested in the Civil War or the history of the development of submarines. Highly recommended.

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Hunley versus Housatonic.
A dramatic, insightful, and fascinating study

The Voyage of the Hunley
Edwin P. Hoyt
Manufacturer: Burford Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

This is an account of the Hunley's development and career, her mysterious sinking, and her recovery and restoration to date.

Customer Reviews:

Hunley versus Housatonic........2005-05-15

I like Hoyt's books but as he has gotten older, some of his books have a slapped together feel to them. This is one of them. In this short book, Hoyt tells the story of the developement of the Hunley as a weapon of war for the Confederate States of America. The development of the submarine and the use of the Hunley in the sinking of the Housatonic covered two thirds of the book. The remaining third details the rediscovery of the lost submarine.
Here is what I don't like about the book. It tells the story in very simple terms. The first two fatal accidents with the Hunley are very briefly described. The further development of Davids (advanced Confederate subs) was mentioned once. The sinking is covered in ten pages. The rediscovery of the sub is covered in over thirty pages. I want to know the history of the sub and what other developments occurred, but this is missing in this book. This could have been a better than average read. It was not.
This is an OK story of the Hunley. There are better books out there, but as a short book it accomplishes its task of informing the reader.

A dramatic, insightful, and fascinating study.......2003-04-19

The Voyage Of The Hunley: The Chronicle Of The Pathbreaking Confederate Submarine by military historian Edwin P. Hoyt is the fascinating story of the first successful submarine attack in history - an innovative triumph for which the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley paid the ultimate price as it was lost with all hands aboard, and not to be raised from the watery depths for another 136 years. A dramatic, insightful, and fascinating study of a turning point in naval military history, The Voyage Of The Hunley is a welcome and highly recommended contribution to Civil War Studies and American Naval History reference collections and reading lists.

Civil War Sub: The Mystery of the Hunley: The Mystery of the Hunley (All Aboard Reading)

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Civil War Sub: The Mystery of the Hunley

Civil War Sub: The Mystery of the Hunley: The Mystery of the Hunley (All Aboard Reading)
Kate Boehm Jerome
Manufacturer: Grosset & Dunlap
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0448425971

Book Description

In 1864, during the Civil War, the C.S.S. Hunley became the first submarine in the world to sink an enemy ship. The Hunley and its crew mysteriously vanished. What happened on that cold winter night? After over a century, scientists finally have some of the answers.

Customer Reviews:

Civil War Sub: The Mystery of the Hunley.......2007-01-12

The review discribing the book did not mention it was for children. I mistakely bought it for my 41 year old son. My 42 year old daughter did the same thing. I received my copy and was disgusted. I talked to my daughter and she had received hers and was equally disgusted. So I sent my copy to my neice because she home-schools and I knew she would like it. My daughter went ahead and sent it to her brother and he gave it to his kids. They liked it. He read it in 10 minutes!
My complaint is in the reviewing of the book in your listings. You should have put the age group with it.

Confederate Submarines and Torpedo Vessels 1861-65 (New Vanguard)

Average customer rating:

An interesting Read

Confederate Submarines and Torpedo Vessels 1861-65 (New Vanguard)
Angus Konstam
Manufacturer: Osprey Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 1841767204
Release Date: 2004-08-20

Book Description

The primary Union strategy during the American Civil War was a massive naval blockade of the entire Southern coastline of the Confederacy, and it was in the effort to counter this blockade that the Confederates developed their first submarines and torpedo boats. This book traces the development of these new technologies, including the CSS ‘Little David’ and ‘Hunley’ - respectively the first torpedo boat and submarine to sink an enemy warship. The wreck of the ‘Hunley’ was raised in 2000, and this is the first book ever to integrate details of its recovery with an account of Confederate submarines in action.

Customer Reviews:

An interesting Read.......2005-02-10

This book contains much interesting information and many excellent illustrations. It addresses the David class torpedo boats (and related classes) and the Hunley (and its predecessors), as well as Union examples such as the Alligator and the Spuyten Duyvil. Regrettably, it also contains a considerable amount of information that is either wrong or misleading, particularly with respect to developments in the time prior to the American Civil War.

1. The author begins his history of the submarine with a reference to Alexander the Great (c. 330 BC) using a diving bell, a claim first attested in a medieval European work 1500 years later and not supported by any ancient sources (including Aristotle, who has been cited as a source). Next he mentions Bushnell's Turtle in 1775 (and includes an illustration that shows it as an oar-powered craft, which is not accurate; the Turtle was propeller-driven), Robert Fulton's efforts during the Napoleonic wars, and one of the submarines used the Americans during the War of 1812. This is misleading, other prior efforts include:
Cornelius Drebbel (1620-1624)
Two other American submarines during the War of 1812
Wilhelm Bauer (1850-1875)
Ross Winans' cigar boats (from 1858 and given the similarities to the Confederate Davids and extensive coverage in Scientific American magazine, a surprising oversight)
Plus numerous other civilian submersibles.

2. The book states that Confederate Secretary of the Navy Stephen Mallory "took the idea (of the naval mine) one stage further and sought ways to use this torpedo technology in an offensive way." Later in the book, this development is attributed to Robert Fulton. Indeed, offensive torpedoes were not a new idea by 1861. Prior examples include:
Drifting torpedoes: China (mid-1300s), Frederico Gianbelli (1585), Cornelius Drebbel (1626-1627), David Bushnell (1777-1778), Robert Fulton (1800-1814)
Limpet mines: David Bushnell (1775-1776), Robert Fulton (1800-1814), Wilhelm Bauer (1850-1875)
Towed torpedoes: Robert Fulton (1800-1814)
Spar Torpedoes: Cornelius Drebbel (1626-1627) and Robert Fulton (1800-1814, proposed for his "Block Ship")

3. The book attributes the use of electricity to fire black powder charges to Michael Faraday (born 1791), without stating what exact advancement he contributed to this. In fact in 1751, Benjamin Franklin of Philadelphia wrote to a colleague in the Royal Academy in London that he had "been able to fire Gunpowder by the Electric Flame." Alessandro Volta (1745-1827), Bavarian Samuel Sommering (around 1812), and Baron Pavel L'vovich Shilling von Cannstadt also made significant contributions to electrically fired torpedoes. Indeed around 1811, Robert Fulton wrote, "I investigated the mode and practicability of firing by electricity under water," with the Americans having designs for electrically fired torpedoes to defend Alexandria, Virginia from the British invaders in 1814.

4. The book also mentions that some mines in the American Revolution were fired "by hand-operated lanyards from a boat or the shore." This claim is not supported by a reference. All of the mines known to have been designed and used by David Bushnell had either clockwork or contact fuzes.

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The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley
Gerald F Teaster
Manufacturer: Junior History Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Confederate Underwater Warfare: An Illustrated History

Average customer rating:

good book

Confederate Underwater Warfare: An Illustrated History
Louis S. Schafer
Manufacturer: McFarland & Company
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Book Description

Though the Union Navy held a numerical advantage over its Confederate counterpart, the South's forces had one weapon that was not readily available to the North-underwater mines, known at the time as torpedoes. More Union ships were destroyed by torpedoes than by all other means combined. The South's superiority in underwater weaponry can be directly traced to the work of an oceanographer named Matthew Fontaine Murray. Recognizing the South's limited capabilities, Murray persuaded its leaders to develop underwater weapons. This is the first detailed history ever of the South's development and deployment of both offensive and defensive underwater weaponry.

Customer Reviews:

good book.......2000-01-14

This is a great book. Good research & good writing about a very little-known front of the War. By the way, the review has a misspelling -- it's Matthew Fontaine Maury, not Murray.

Infernal Machines: The Story of Confederate Submarine and Mine Warfare

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Infernal Machines: The Story of Confederate Submarine and Mine Warfare
Milton F. Perry
Manufacturer: Louisiana State Univ Pr
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0807112852

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Mine Warfare at Sea
Howard Levie
Manufacturer: Springer
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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This book includes a study of the history of mine warfare at sea from the earliest days to the present time. It will be of interest to military lawyers and to all those concerned with the conduct and control of warfare. At the technical level, it is intended for laymen. While there is a chapter dealing with many technical matters relating to both mine warfare at sea and mine countermeasures, the sole purpose of that chapter is to give the non-technician, whether naval officer or civilian, a basic understanding of various categories of sea mines and their accessories and of mine countermeasure gear. It assumes that, like the author, the reader will have a minimum of electrical and mechanical knowledge. However, it is believed that after finishing this volume the reader will have a much better understanding of the part that mines have played in warfare at sea in past conflicts as well as the part they may be expected to play in any future conflict.

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