Restoring a piece of S.C.'s Civil War history

(CBS News) 

As South Carolina Republicans were making history at their primary Saturday, a newly-displayed piece of the state's Civil War history is attracting attention from all over the country. CBS News correspondent Elaine Quijano takes us on a voyage through time:

No one knows more about the history of the H.L. Hunley than South Carolina Senate president Glenn McConnell.

"When the Hunley went out on Feb. 17, 1864, and sank the U.S.S. Housatonic, it forever changed the rules and game and techniques by which warfare would be fought on the water," he said.

The Confederate submarine H.L. Hunley completed its mission, but then mysteriously sank four miles off the coast of South Carolina. McConell has worked to salvage the vessel's legacy since 1995.

"This is not just about South Carolina's history?" Quijano asked.

"It's about America now," said McConnell. "And it's world history because it's the world's first successful combat submarine."

The submarine was carefully raised from the ocean floor in 2000. Last week, the steel truss that lifted the vessel was removed, allowing the public to see the Hunley unobstructed for the first time.

Quijano and McConnell were looking at the submarine in a pool of water.

"When you look at that, what do you see?" she asked.

"I see a sleek, hydro-dynamically-designed vessel 50 something-years ahead of its time," said McConnell.

A New Orleans lawyer, Horace Hunley, designed the 42-foot long technical marvel. It was powered by hand crank, and it's depth-controlled by filling tanks with seawater. An artist's rendering illustrates how the Hundley sank the Housatonic by ramming it with a 135-pound torpedo.

The reason the Hunley sank is still a mystery. Eight sailors were aboard and their bodies discovered still at their stations 136 years after their final mission. McConnell is one of a select few who've sat inside the Hunley.

"It's like having your head in Darth Vader's mask," he said. "You can hear your breathing and the echoing of everything around your head."

When conservation work is complete, the Hunley will be placed in its own museum -- a permanent resting place for what was in its day the only weapon of it's kind.

[Sloughfoot]

Is this a wise choice for the expenditure of tax payer's dollars? Millions of dollars to restore a rusted out hunk of junk, build its own museum, and then staff and maintain its own museum. Already hundreds of thousands of dollars have gone into this and for what? Oh, but we've got to have this, well then where do you start our tax reduction of wasteful spending?

[MacDerb]

Vermont 6th.

None more courageous than these.

[lonestar9000]

Whatever the cause these guys fought for, they were all a hell of a lot braver than I could ever be. I would never have got into the thing, even if it was perfectly safe.

[Fatesrider]

I have never understood the glorification of the civil war that people do. Reenactments of the wholesale slaughter of Americans BY Americans, brother killing brother.

The Hunley represents the epitome of that insanity - 21 Americans died to kill 5 Americans with absolutely no impact on the course of a war that only until recently killed more Americans than all the other wars in which America ever fought. It's beyond shameful - the darkest days of American history made into a weekend event or glorified for the "sacrifice" made by the millions who fought.

I wish the Hunley would be displayed as a testament to the ignorance and stupidity that pitted citizen against citizen, but I sadly expect that it will be enshrined to some glorified past that violently oppressed a whole race in the name of economic prosperity and "state's rights".

[phwtb100]

I have a LOT of respect for ALL the soldiers who fought, but I have a huge amount of PRIDE in those who fought, and died, for the South. My ancestors were there, and I will never stop being proud of them and what they did, and WHY they did it. I don't think any Southerner will.

I am proud of my qualifications that entitle me to be a member of the Daughter's of the Confederacy, AND the Daughter's of the American Revolution, and I see no reason for me to feel otherwise.

What I STILL find fault with the "United" States is still the same as I have always found fault with them over- with one in particular- the Civil War Battlefields and Cemeteries. Perhaps you are aware of this one fact, but I will enlighten you just the same.

NOT ONE CONFEDERATE SOLDIER was allowed to be buried in those cemeteries, NOT ONE, and yet I am FORCED, to this day, to pay for the upkeep on every Union soldiers' grave on them. NOT ONE CONFEDERATE MONUMENT was ALLOWED to be erected when ALL the Northern states were building their monuments for their soldiers.

Why? Because the 'United' States refused to let a FOREIGN SOLDIER or a testament of his allegiance, be buried in a NATIONAL CEMETERY.

I think you better rethink your opinion. It was NOT a war of American against American. It was one nation fighting another and it IS the "United" States of America who will never let us forget it.

[gunshack1]

I saw this submarine a few years ago and what I saw was a death trap. It killed THREE CREWS for God sake! A desperate plan for a desperate cause.

[lilbear925]

It will take a number of years to "restore" the Hunley. It is currently only being preserved to keep the disintegration of the iron plate to a minimum.

[rwsmith29456]

The Hunley was indeed a landmark in Naval warfare but it must be noted that the Hunley itself killed a total of 21 people in three sinkings while 5 were lost on the Housatonic, along with the ship.

[krisinal]

THANK YOU CLIVE CUSSLER AND NUMA.....THE DISCOVERERS OF THE HUNLEY'S LOCATION.

DIRK PITT COULD HAVE DONE NO BETTER!!!