In 1862 James McClintock and Horace L. Hunley used their and investors' money to design and build a submersible boat in New Orleans, Louisiana. Several attempts failed, but they persevered and improved their design.
To distance themselves from the war, McClintock and Hunley moved to Mobile, Alabama, where they had access to a machine shop. There they built a second boat and an improved third boat, which was sleeker and used improved engineering. The ship required eight men to hand crank the propeller.
The Union was blockading the major Southern port of Charleston, South Carolina, trying to catch Confederate blockade runners. Among the Union ships in the blockade was the USS Housatonic, which had a record of the capture and/or destruction of several Southern ships.
The Hunley was moved to Charleston Harbor. On Feb. 17, 1864, the Hunley sank the USS Housatonic with a torpedo. However, the Hunley disappeared while returning to port, and all hands were lost. The USS Housatonic became a part of history by becoming the first ship to have been sunk by a submarine.