Background information for those checking in:

The Confederate, hand-cranked submarine HL Hunley became the first sub in history to sink an enemy warship when she rammed the USS Housatonic with a spar torpedo but also sank in the process. The HL Hunley was recovered in 2000 and is now in a laboratory in North Charleston undergoing conservation.

Across town, only a few miles away, is a resort that claims to have the anchor from Hunleys victim the Housatonic. I’ve asked local old-timers about the authenticity of the anchor and the best answer I can get is, “the anchor was found by shrimpers at the Houstonic site and now the resort has it.”

Maybe we can’t confirm it is authentic but perhaps some smart people out there can eliminate it from consideration.

Was this type of anchor used on a ship like the Houatonic?

Here is a illustration taken from a 1999 site assessment of the Housatonic. An anchor was found but it doesn’t look like the one at the resort to me.

How many anchors would a ship like this have?

What could be done to authenticate this anchor?

Maybe somebody already knows where the anchor(s) are?

Here is the site assessment to the Housatonic if you are interested.

I can run out there and take better pics of the anchor if needed.

Thank you!