H.L. Hunley

Since the beginning Americans have sought for ways to make life easier, more convenient and more fun by inventing things and pushing technology further and further into our everyday life styles. You can find evidence of this by just looking a little way into our history. Sometimes these inventions are made by daredevils willing to risk their lives just so their names will be recognized, and sometimes these inventions are made because of the need of new designs and ideas in order to preserve a way of life. The latter is the case of most of the inventions during the civil war. In war, conditions often create random necessities that require inventions. The civil war was no exception; with its unique circumstances it often required unique solutions. One in particular is the famous H.L. Hunley. Built by the Confederate States of America, this submarine played a small part in the war between the north and south. This vessel is surrounded by mystery and full of questions. What is the Hunley? Where did it come from? Why was it built? Where did it go? These questions and many more have been asked time and time again. The story of the H.L. Hunley is a story unsolved, unknown by many, and almost completely forgotten by time. Many submarines of all shapes and sizes had been created in this time period. However, the Hunley was the first submarine to sink a warship. The 40-foot long sub was designed to combat Union ships that were blockading confederate ports. The Hunley had already sunk twice, killing its crews. But the idea of destroying a blockade without being spotted was just too great of an opportunity to pass up, and one man still believes in the Hunley. Lt. George Dixon is the brave soldier who volunteers to take charge of the submarine. Dixon has already come close to death at a Civil War battle where he was struck by enemy fire. The bullet that came close to killing him was amazingly stopped by a gold coin in his pocket his girlfriend gave him for