The most remarkable career in all torpedo history was that of a little boat built in Mobile Bay, and operated upon the fleet off Charleston. She was the pioneer of all submarine torpedo boats, as she was the first to achieve success.
She was built in 1863-4 at Mobile by Mr. Horace L. Hundley, at his own expense. She was made of boiler plate, was shaped like a fish twenty-four feet long, five feet deep, three feet wide; she had fins on each side, raised or depressed from the interior; her motive power was a small propeller worked by manual power of her crew seated on each side of the shaft; she was provided with tanks which could be filled or empitied of water to increase or dimish her displacement; but had no provision for air storage. The captain stood in a circular hatchway well forward and steered the boat, and regulated the depth at which she should proceed. When she dived all was made tight until she rose again. She had no ventilation. She was designed to tow a torpedo astern, dive under the vessel attacked, dragging the torpedo after; she would then rise to the surface on the other side, when the torpedo would explode by contact with the bottom of the vessel, and the torpedo boat make off in the darkness and confusion. General Maury states that on her trial trip, which he saw, she towed a floating torpedo, dived under a ship, dragging the torpedo, which fairly exploded under the ship's bottom, and blew the fragments one hundred feet into the air; and that not being able to use her in Mobile, he sent her, and her crew to Charleston. It is said that during another trial in Mobile she sank and all on board perished before she was raised.
Lieutenant Payne, of the Navy, volunteers to take her out, and secured a volunteer crew of sailors. She was named the "H. L. Hundley." While tied to the wharf at Fort Johnston, whence it was to start at night to make the attack, a steamer passing close by, filled and sank it, drowning all hands save Payne, who was at the time standing in one of the manholes. She was promptly raised, but was again sunk, this time at Fort Sumter wharf, when six men were drowned, Payne and two others escaping. When she was brought to the surface again. McKinley and a trained crew came from Mobile, bringing with him Lieutenant Dixon, of the Twenty-first Alabama Infantry, to fight the boat. He made repeated descents in the harbour, diving under the receiving ship again and again successfully. But one day, when Dixon was absent from the city, Mr. Hundley, wishing to handle the boat himself, unfortunately made the attempt; it was readily submerged but did not rise again and all on board perished, from asphyxiation. When the boat was discovered, raised and opened the spectacle was indescribably ghastly, the unfortunate men were contorted into all kinds of attitudes horrible to see; some clutching candles, evidently endeavouring to force open the manholes; others lying on the bottom tightly grappled together; and the blackened faces of all presented the expression of their agony and despair.
The "Hundley" had thus cost the lives of thirty-three brave men, but nevertheless, there were still found volunteers to risk theirs for their country—and Lieutenant Dixon found no difficulty in enlisting eight more heroes to attack the Federal steam sloop of war, "Housatonic," a powerful new vessel of eleven guns, lying on the north channel, opposite Beach Inlet, off Charleston. General Beauregard had refused to let it be used again, but Lieutenant Dixon, having undertaken to use the boat with a spar torpedo in the same manner as the "David," consent was given and preparations for the attack were again made.
Dixon was a Kentuckian and was moved by the highest principle and patriotism in making this venture. He had taken an active part in the construction of the vessel, and had caused other men to perish in her by dangers he had not shared, now bravely demanded this opportunity. His crew were Arnold Becker, C. Simpkins, James A. Wick, T. Collins and —— Ridgeway, of the Navy, and Corporal J. F. Carlson, of the artillery. All knew the fearful risk they ran—and all were willing to sacrifice their lives for their country, counting the cost as nothing if thereby they could procure the destruction of the "Housatonic."
Everything being ready at twilight on the 17th of February, 1864, these devoted heroes took their places in the boat at Sullivan's Island, and set off upon their perilous adventure. This time she got away successfully, but that is the last that we hear of her save the official report from the enemy, that about 9 o'clock an object like a plank was seen approaching, which in a moment more struck the ship with a great explosion, blowing up the after part of the ship, causing her to sink immediately to the bottom, drowning five men and injuring many more.
The "Hundley" was never heard of again till several years after the war, divers sent down to wreck the "Housatonic," found her little antagonist lying on the bottom near by.
Admiral Dahlgren reported to the Secretary of the U. S. Navy, as follows:
Sir, I much regret to inform the Department that the U. S. S. "Housatonic," on the blockade off Charleston, S. C., was torpedoed by a rebel "David" and sunk on the night of February 17th, about 9 o'clock.
From the time the "David" was seen until the vessel was on the bottom, a very brief period must have elapsed, as far as the executive officer can judge, it did not exceed five or seven minutes.