Posted in South Carolina
April 05, 2020
155 Years Ago, The U.S.S. Harvest Moon Ship Sank Off The Coast Of South Carolina Where It Remains Today
The waters near the coast in South Carolina are known to harbor sunken vessels. In August of 2000, the famous sunken submarine, the H. L. Hunley, was raised from the floor of the Atlantic where she rested for 136 years after disappearing in February of 1864. But the H. L. Hunley isn’t the only Civil War vessel to sink near the coast of South Carolina.


The image seen here is from the similar side-wheel steam-powered gun boat, the U.S.S. Hunchback, used during the Civil War by the Union navy. Its crew is gathered on deck for an informal photo.

By March, with the war coming to an end, the ship was en route to Charleston and traveling at a speed of about five miles per hour when the captain and the crew felt a shock and soon noticed the smell of gunpowder.

Today, unlike the H. L. Hunley, the U.S.S. Harvest Moon still remains (mostly) underwater at the site where she sank in 1865. At low tide a large portion of the ship's smoke stack can be seen peeking above the water line. In this image captured in 1965, divers examine the remains.

Want to know more about the U.S.S. Harvest Moon? Check out the South Carolina Maritime Museum in Georgetown.
Know of another hidden piece of history in South Carolina that we could feature here? Let us know at this link!
Address: Winyah Bay, South Carolina, USA