Sinking of USS Housatonic

The USS Housatonic sinking marks a location in Charleston Harbor where a warship was destroyed during the American Civil War. The attack occurred in February 1864 when a Confederacy vessel used a spar torpedo as its weapon.

The 1864 sinking of the USS Housatonic was the first successful underwater attack on a military vessel in warfare. This event changed how naval forces would approach defensive and offensive strategies in future conflicts.

The discovery of both vessels' remains in Charleston Harbor has provided researchers with valuable information about Civil War naval technology and construction methods.

The site lies several miles offshore in Charleston Harbor at a depth accessible primarily to divers or boat tours. Visitors interested in the location should contact local maritime museums or tour operators for the best way to learn about the event and wreck locations.

The attacking submarine vanished after its successful strike and remained lost for more than a century before being found again. Its recovery gave researchers an intact example of 1860s underwater engineering.