Horace Lawson Hunley (December 29, 1823 – October 15, 1863) was a Confederate marine engineer during the American Civil War. He developed early hand-powered submarines, the most famous of which was posthumously named for him, CSS H. L. Hunley. Biography Horace Lawson Hunley was born in Sumner County, Tennessee to Louisa Harden Lawson and John Hunley. After relocating to New Orleans, Hunley studied law at the University of Louisiana and was admitted to the bar in 1849. He served in the Louisiana State Legislature and practiced law in New Orleans. In response to the Union blockade of southern ports the Confederate government offered bounties of up to $50,000 to anyone who sank a Union warship. In the summer of 1861, the Reverend Franklin Smith advocated southern businessmen pursue submarine warfare, in writings to Southern newspapers. At this time Hunley joined engineer James R. McClintock and Baxter Watson in building the . In order to prevent her capture, the submarine had to be scuttled during trials in Lake Pontchartrain when New Orleans fell to Union forces in early 1862. Hunley, with McClintock and Watson, followed by building the . The second submarine was towed to Fort Morgan and attempted an attack on the Union blockade of Mobile. However, the submarine foundered in foul weather and sank in the mouth of Mobile Bay. Hunley organized and arranged funding for a third submarine. The third boat was one-third financed by Horace, one-third by E. C. Singer (an associate of Horace's in the Confederate Secret Service and yes, of the sewing machine family) and the remaining third to Singer associates R. W. Dunn, Guss Whitney (yes, of the cotton gin) and J. D. Breaman. *Horace did not name the sub after himself. Singer named the third vessel the HUNLEY to honor Horace's devotion and efforts to his sub projects. After a demonstration held on July 31, 1863 was successful by sinking an old barge the submarine was transported to Charleston harbor and presented to General P.G.T. Beauregard. Five men from the first crew of H. L. HUNLEY died during early tests when she was accidentally swamped by the wake of a passing ship through her open hatches; four managed to escape. Another crew was recruited by Hunley who promised Beauregard a timely attempt. This crew included experienced crew members from earlier experiments. On October 15, 1863, Hunley took his turn at command during a