Friends of the Hunley

PRESS RELEASE

More Personal Items of Crew Located

MORE PERSONAL ITEMS OF CREW LOCATED April 30, 2001 Archaeologists excavating the H. L. Hunley have uncovered more personal items from the crew of the submarine. Two folding knives were discovered over the weekend. Dr. Robert Neyland, Project Director says, “The artifacts are what we would think of as pocketknives, but they are heavily concreted, so we’re not able to open them up at this time.” “The available technology will enable us to learn much more about the knives without opening them,” said Warren Lasch, Chairman, Friends of Hunley. Also today, archaeologists are recovering a “slouch” hat that belonged to one of the crewmembers of the H. L. Hunley. A “slouch” hat is a wide-brimmed military hat, common in the Civil War era. The hat is dark in color, and in an extremely fragile state. “Although common to that era, for a foot soldier it is very uncommon that a slouch hat wold be onboard the Hunley,” said Sen. Glenn McConnell, Chairman of the Hunley Commission. “As with the other artifacts discovered, the Hunley continues to surprise and amaze us,” he continued. The Hunley project has been made possible in part through the generous support of the National Geographic Society.