The H. L. Hunley: The Secret Hope of the Confederacy      First Edition,

The H. L. Hunley: The Secret Hope of the Confederacy First Edition,

by Tom Chaffin

4.3 (107)

4.3 stars from 107 reviews

324 pages~5.4 hr readPublished by Hill and WangPublished 2008-01-01

$15.67Near peak price

Last checked: May 15, 2026

Price history: $2.99 $16.97

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Perfect for you if...

  • You're fascinated by Civil War history beyond the usual battlefield narratives and want to understand the technological innovations that shaped the conflict.
  • You love meticulously researched historical accounts where the author has done the document work and lets you trust every detail.
  • You appreciate stories about ordinary people doing extraordinary things under impossible circumstances, especially untold stories from margins of history.

Maybe not for you if...

  • You want a fast-paced adventure story rather than careful historical reconstruction with all its complexities and dead ends.
  • You're looking for a book that settles every mystery neatly, because the Hunley still keeps secrets despite modern recovery efforts.
  • You prefer narratives centred on famous figures rather than the lesser-known engineers, inventors and submariners who built and crewed this vessel.

About this book

On February 17, 1864, the Confederate submarine H. L. Hunley sank the Union sloop of war USS Housatonic, becoming the first submarine in world history to sink an enemy ship. The Hunley and its crew of eight then disappeared in the Atlantic waters off Charleston, South Carolina. For generations, the Hunley's legend grew as searchers sought the vessel in the harbor. The submarine was located in 1995 and recovered in 2000, yet the legends surrounding it have persisted. Tom Chaffin draws on extensive document research and insights from the excavation to present a comprehensive account of the Hunley's story. The narrative spans from before the submarine's assembly through its final hours and recovery, covering the vessel's creation, wartime actions, and the decades-long search that followed.

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Free$8.48$16.97Apr '20Jan '25Aug '25May '26
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Price has dropped 13 times over the last 6 years. Goes on sale roughly every 46 days.

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#1,069#868,800#1,736,530May '18May '24Dec '25May '26

Currently around #549K in the Kindle store — a niche title. Sales have softened 40% recently.

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3.5★4.3★5.0★Aug '23Oct '25Mar '26Apr '26RatingReviews

Currently 4.3★ from 107 reviews

Gaining approximately 1 new review per month. Rating has dipped slightly from 4.4 to 4.3.

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Free$8.48$16.97Apr '20Jan '25Aug '25May '26PredictedMay '26

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Tom Chaffin

1 book on Vagrant Press

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