
Video from Saturday, April 17,
2004 Events Ceremonies at White Point
Gardens Funeral Procession to
Cementary Funeral Service at Magnolia
Cementary
On the evening of
February 17, 1864, the H. L. Hunley became the world's
first successful combat submarine by sinking the USS
Housatonic. After signaling to shore that the mission
had been accomplished, the submarine and her crew of
eight vanished.
 
Lost at sea for over a century, the
Hunley was located in 1995 by CliveCussler's National
Underwater Agency (NUMA). The hand-cranked vessel was
raised in 2000 and delivered to the Warren Lasch
Conservation Center, where an international team of
scientists are at work conserving the vessel and piecing
together clues to solve the mystery of her
disappearance.
Meet the Crew of the H.L.
Hunley The Hunley project scientific
staff worked with forensic expert Doug Owsley of the
Smithsonian Institution and forensic genealogist Linda
Abrams to identify the remains of the Hunley
crewmembers. They did this by combining the
archaeological and genealogical information with the
osteological analysis of the skeletal remains. For
example, the remains can tell us the age range and
region of origin for each crewmember. If the
genealogical information on age and birthplace match the
forensic data, they can estimate the crewmember's
identity through the process of elimination. However, a
completely positive identification of each crewmember
can only come from a DNA match with a
descendent.
 |
George
Dixon George Dixon, the H. L.
Hunley's commander, was a young and athletic man
with sandy blond hair. Forensic analysis places
Dixon in his mid-twenties. However, his
responsibility on the Hunley was what would have
been expected of an experienced
veteran. |
 |
Joseph
Ridgaway Joseph Ridgaway was
second-in-command the night the H. L. Hunley
became the first successful combat submarine in
world history, a feat that would have no doubt
made his father proud. |
 |
Arnold
Becker Arnold Becker was not a
native of the South. He was not even born in
America. In fact, when he became a crewmember of
the world's first successful combat submarine, he
had not been living in the United States for very
long. |
 |
Lumpkin We only
know his last name. Perhaps in his early forties,
Lumpkin was one of the oldest crewmembers of the
H. L. Hunley and sat at the second crank position.
Currently, little is known about him, except the
strenuous lifestyle the forensic analysis points
to. |
 |
Frank
Collins Collins was a towering
figure, even for today's standards, measuring over
6 feet in height. The largest and possibly the
strongest crewmember onboard, he volunteered to
man the third crank of the Hunley, an experimental
underwater vessel that would become the world's
first successful combat
submarine. |
 |
Miller The man we
know only as Miller may be the most elusive member
of the crew of the H. L. Hunley, the world's first
successful combat submarine. About him we know
only a few sketchy details. Miller stood 5 feet 8
inches tall, above average for a man of the
Nineteenth Century. |
 |
J.F.
Carlsen He was a European by
birth. He seems to have been drawn to danger and
adventure. Before he lost his life on the H. L.
Hunley at approximately 20-23 years of age, he had
crossed the Atlantic, run the blockade surrounding
the South, and been part of a crew taken over by a
mutiny. |
 |
James A.
Wicks He
experienced his share of danger throughout his
life, and even survived a famous maritime battle
during the Civil War, while serving as a Union
sailor. Thanks to information available from his
family as well as Union records, we know a good
deal about
Wicks. |
Video Clips
 |
News 2 had complete Live coverage of the
Hunley Memorial Services throughout Saturday,
April 17, 2004 with the Opening Ceremonies from
the Battery and then again returning at 1:30pm
with the Funeral Services at Magnolia Cementary.
You can catch the complete video coverage by
visiting the video clip section
above. |
Schedule of Events -
Saturday, April 17, 2004
8am Staging begins at White Point Gardens at The
Battery
8am - 10:30am Registration at Battery for all
participants
8am - 10:30am Arm Bands to participants
8am Bodies to arrive at Confederate Monument in 8
Hearses Retired Submarine Vets - pallbearers
8am - 10:30am Honor Guard for Bodies at Confederate
Monument
9:15am Memorial Service Speakers Randy Burbage,
Commander of the Troops Father James
Parker Commander in chief SCV Ron G. Wilson Patsy
Limpus, National President UDC Johanna Pate, OCR
Representative Commander of MOSB Jeff W.
Massey Charleston Men's Chorus - Amazing
Grace Chuck Woodhead, Bugler, Tattoo and Taps 10am
Bodies placed on Caissons
10:30am Procession Departs
The Scottish American Military Bagpipers and The
Cabell-Breckinridge Brass Band from VMI will be
performing throughout the time
PROCESSION TO MAGNOLIA CEMETERY
Down East Bay St to Morrison Dr. turn right on
Cunnington
12:15pm Procession arrives at Magnolia Cemetery
10am - 12:15pm Music will be provided by: 5th
Alabama Band 8th Georgia Band The Citadel
Bagpipers
12:30pm - 1:15pm Break (Music will play during
break)
1:30pm The Funeral Ceremony 2:30pm Procession to
Burial Plot Interment Rites Masonic Last Rite
Ceremony for Lt. George Dixon Sgt. Wayne Wilson,
Bugler, Tattoo and Taps
6:30pm Civil War Band Concert Ft. Moultrie
National Monument Sullivan's Island 8th Georgia
Band Unreconstructed Band
8pm until Concert By The Rebelaires Charleston
Rifle Club 2221 Heriot St
8pm - 1am Grand Ball McAllister Field House The
Citadel

A portion of the information and images
reproduced on this page is a courtsey of the Friends of
the Hunley, Inc |