Changes

Then on the night of 17 February 1864 she found her destiny in the Federal steam sloop-of-war USS ''Housatonic'' anchored in about 27 feet of water some 2 miles from Battery Marshall in the north channel entrance to Charleston Harbor. Approaching silently through calm waters, ''Hunley'' made a daring attack in bright moonlight and approached within a hundred yards of the blockader before ''Housatonic's'' lookouts spied the Confederate craft. By the time observers determined she was not a log or other harmless object, she was so close that the heavy guns of ''Housatonic'' could not be depressed sufficiently to come to bear. She approached the keel of her victim at right angles and came under small arms fire from the watch officers and men of the ''Housatonic''.

Then on the night of 17 February 1864 she found her destiny in the Federal steam sloop-of-war USS ''Housatonic'' anchored in about 27 feet of water some 2 miles from Battery Marshall in the north channel entrance to Charleston Harbor. Approaching silently through calm waters, ''Hunley'' made a daring attack in bright moonlight and approached within a hundred yards of the blockader before ''Housatonic's'' lookouts spied the Confederate craft. By the time observers determined she was not a log or other harmless object, she was so close that the heavy guns of ''Housatonic'' could not be depressed sufficiently to come to bear. She approached the keel of her victim at right angles and came under small arms fire from the watch officers and men of the ''Housatonic''.

''Housatonic'' slipped her cable in great haste to try to back away. Her maneuver proved vain as ''Hunley's'' torpedo struck home under water just abaft the mizzenmast. There was a stunning crash of timbers and a muffled explosion like the report of a 12-pound howitzer and a severe shock. Some of ''Housatonic's'' crew reported pieces of timber hurtling to the top of the mizzenmast itself while a dark column of smoke rose high in the sky. ''Housatonic'', in shallow water, settled rapidly to the bottom as all her crew, save five who were killed by drowning or explosion, scrambled to the safety of the rigging which remained above the water's surface.

''Housatonic'' slipped her cable in great haste to try to back away. Her maneuver proved vain as ''Hunley's'' torpedo struck home under water just [[abaft]] the mizzenmast. There was a stunning crash of timbers and a muffled explosion like the report of a 12-pound howitzer and a severe shock. Some of ''Housatonic's'' crew reported pieces of timber hurtling to the top of the mizzenmast itself while a dark column of smoke rose high in the sky. ''Housatonic'', in shallow water, settled rapidly to the bottom as all her crew, save five who were killed by drowning or explosion, scrambled to the safety of the rigging which remained above the water's surface.

====Loss====

====Loss====