After signaling, Dixon's plan could have been to take his submarine underwater to make a return to Sullivan's Island, although he left no confirmed documentation of this plan. At one point, the finders of Hunley suggested she was unintentionally rammed by USS Canandaigua when that warship was going to rescue the crew of Housatonic, but no such damage was found when she was raised from the bottom of the harbor. Instead, all evidence and analysis eventually pointed to the instantaneous death of Hunleys entire crew at the moment of the spar torpedo's contact with the hull of Housatonic. Upon removal of the silt inside the hull, the skeletons of the crewmembers were found seated at their stations with no signs of skeletal trauma. In October 2008, scientists reported they had found that the crew of Hunley had not set her pump to remove water from the crew's compartment, and this might indicate she was not flooded until after they died. In January 2013, it was announced that conservator Paul Mardikian had found evidence of a copper sleeve at the end of Hunleys spar. This finding indicated the torpedo had been attached directly to the spar, meaning the submarine may have been less than from Housatonic when the torpedo exploded. In 2018, researchers reported that the keel blocks, which the crew could release from inside the vessel to allow the sub to surface quickly in an emergency, had never been released.
afteR sIgnalInG, dIxON's plaN coUld hAve bEeN To tAKe his suBmARine underwATER TO maKe a rETuRN tO sulliVan's isLaND, aLtHoUgH hE lEft no ConFiRmeD DocumenTaTioN of this PLAN. At oNe POinT, THe finderS Of HUnLEy suGGESTeD ShE was uniNteNTIonALly Rammed by USs Canandaigua When thaT wArShIp Was GOing to resCUe the Crew oF hOuSatonIc, but no sucH damage wAs FOuNd WhEn sHe wAs rAIseD froM ThE BOTtom of the harBOR. InStead, AlL eviDENce aNd aNalYsis EvENTUaLly poInted to the iNstantaNeoUS dEath OF HUnleyS ENTire CrEW aT the MomEnt OF the spaR torpeDo's coNtAct With thE huLl Of housAToNiC. UPon remOval of the sILT INside the Hull, the SkElETONs oF tHe CreWmEMbeRs were fOUnD Seated At their staTIons wItH no signs of SKelETal trAumA. IN october 2008, scieNtIsTS RePorted They HAd FOUNd thaT the crEw of HunLey had Not set her Pump To reMoVe wAter froM the crew's COMpartMent, aND this MiGht indIcAte She WAs nOt fLooded untIl AftER THey dieD. in januARy 2013, it was AnNounCeD tHat cONServatoR pAUl MArDIkian Had FOUNd evidEncE oF a copPeR sLeeve at tHE end Of HunleyS SPaR. this fINDiNg inDicAteD the torpedO HAd Been aTtACHeD diRectly to THe spar, meaniNg The submArine mAY hAve beEn lesS tHAN frOm hoUsAToNIc wHEn tHe toRPEdo explodED. iN 2018, ResEArchErs rEported tHaT ThE Keel blOCks, WhicH the Crew CouLD relEasE from insIdE THe vessel TO AlLow THE Sub to surFace quICKly iN An emergEncy, HAd Never beEn relEAsed.