This day 150 years ago in Rebel Raiders’ History

-Dedicated to Civil War episodes, battles, people and ships that also appear in my game, GMT’s Rebel Raiders on the High Seas,  

August 29, 1863 –  Bad Day for the CSS Hunley

            Historical Event:   On this day in 1863 the experimental submarine CSS Hunley sank during trials in Charleston.  Five crew members drowned.  The ship’s commander, Confederate Navy Lt. John A. Payne and two other crewmen escaped.  The vessel was raised but a second trial on October 15 proved even more catastrophic – as the ship’s inventor, H.L. Hunley, and seven others drowned.  The Confederate Army, which despite the Navy crew remained in charge of the vessel, raised her again.   CSS Hunley did go on to attack the Union fleet, and for that story see the blog entry cited below.

            Game Connection:    The CSS Hunley is represented in Rebel Raiders by CSN Card 73.  The target of its attack in 1864, the USS Housatonic is also represented in the game (USN Card 27).   For the story of their tragic yet historic duel, see my entry from August 26:

http://markgmclaughlin.blogspot.com/2013/08/uss-housatonic-first-warship-to-be-sunk_26.html