Legacy, Vol. 5, No. 1, June 2000, p.
26.
By Christopher F.
Amer
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Plans are now set for the recovery of the submarine H.L. Hunley. The S.C. Hunley Commission met on Thursday,
February 10, 2000, to review presentations by the principal groups involved in
this effort. Audio visual presentations detailed the work conducted to date on
the project, the current state of funding and fundraising, the present status of the conservation laboratory (Building 255 on the old
Charleston Navy Base), and the proposed recovery strategy.
Currently, the project has generated more than five million dollars, or a little over one-third of the estimated sixteen million dollars
needed to ensure curation of this historic boat in perpetuity. Refurbishment of
Building 255 is in full swing and the contractors predict a late April
completion date for the facility. Oceaneering, the company that recently
successfully recovered Gus Grissom's Liberty Bell capsule from the sea floor,
gave a highly detailed accounting of their strategy to excavate, lift, and
transport the Hunley to the
conservation facility complete with a computer animation of the entire process.
Following the presentations, the commission voted to move ahead with the
plans.
Current plans include a joint SCIAA,
Hunley Center, Naval Historical
Center, National Park Service, and Oceaneering excavation and preparation of the
site during the latter part of May and June with the lift occurring in July.
Analysis of the hull and excavation of the interior of the boat will proceed
over the following year, with conservation continuing for an estimated five or
six years. The remains of the third crew, which we assume to be still inside
the submarine, will be buried at Magnolia Cemetery beside the graves of Horace
Hunley and his crew (the second crew) and the five sailors exhumed from beneath
The Citadel (the first crew) last year.
A primary consideration throughout this
project has been the safe recovery and preservation of the Hunley and its occupants. To that end, in
last November the Hunley Center
sponsored a symposium to explore the latest techniques and strategies for
dealing with artifacts of this magnitude and complexity. Top metals
conservators and archaeologists from around the world were brought to Charleston
to apply their expertise to the project. The recommendations of the group are
being incorporated into the excavation, recovery, and conservation
plans.
When conservation of the hull and artifacts
is complete, the Hunley will be
moved to a yet-to-be-built wing of The Charleston
Museum.
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