As the American Civil War entered its second year in 1862, the Confederacy found itself in an increasingly desperate situation. The Union’s naval blockade, a strategy known as the Anaconda Plan, was slowly but surely strangling the South’s ability to trade and resupply. In port cities like Charleston and Mobile, the sight of Federal warships patrolling just offshore was a constant reminder of the noose tightening around the Confederate cause.

But in the shadows of this conflict, a group of innovative minds was hatching a plan so audacious, so revolutionary, that it seemed more like something out of a Jules Verne novel than a practical military strategy. What made this group so unique wasn’t just their incredible ambition, but their shared brotherhood in one of the world’s oldest fraternal organizations: Freemasonry.

The Masonic Network Awakens

In the fall of 1861, in the dimly lit back rooms of Masonic lodges across the South, a network of brothers began to coalesce and try to find new ideas to help the effort of war. These weren’t just any Masons; they were men of diverse talents and backgrounds, united by their fraternal bonds and a shared vision of creating a weapon that could change the course of the war.

One man found himself at the center of this clandestine project he name was, Horace Lawson Hunley, a prominent New Orleans attorney and Secretary of Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 59. Hunley wasn’t just a legal mind; he was an innovator with a keen interest in engineering. As he gazed out at the Union ships blockading Southern ports in late 1861, a radical idea began to form in his mind. What if, Hunley pondered, there was a way to strike at these ships with the invisible might of Poseidon himself? An unstoppable force, unseen until the moment of impact, that could smite enemy vessels as if by divine intervention? He envisioned a weapon that would make the Confederacy as powerful on the seas as the mythical god of the oceans, able to unleash devastation at will upon the Union blockade.

Hunley’s vision resembled more of an unrealistic dream than a possible weapon for the time, but he was not alone. He had his Masonic Brothers by his side. In early 1862, Hunley wrote a long piece of architecture – a formal proposal in Masonic terms – to present to his Lodge, Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 59.

The presentation was a success. The members of the Lodge, bound to secrecy by their sacred oaths and shared values of brotherhood and progress, began earnest discussions on the financial, technical, and logistical feasibility of such a bold and futuristic project. The brothers of Mt. Moriah Lodge No. 59 knew that their resources alone would not be sufficient for such an ambitious undertaking. They began to look for help within other Lodges, carefully keeping the project highly secret, protected by the discretion that Masonry holds dear.

The Masonic Dream Team Assembles

By the spring of 1862, Hunley’s vision had caught the attention of James McClintock, a skilled engineer and fellow Master Mason from Mobile Lodge No. 40 in Alabama. McClintock brought the technical expertise needed to transform Hunley’s concept from dream to reality. The two men, though from different Lodges, found in their shared Masonic values the trust and understanding necessary to collaborate on such a sensitive project.

But creating such a revolutionary and high technology weapon wouldn’t be cheap, and the Confederate government, strapped for resources, could not help fund such an unproven and daring concept. This is where the true power of Masonic networks came into play. Word of the project secretly spread through whispered conversations in lodge rooms and coded messages using Masonic ciphers passed between brothers. Soon, support began to arrive from unexpected quarters.

In the summer of 1862, Dr. John R. Fretwell and Edgar Singer, both members of Lavaca Lodge No. 36 in far-off Texas, caught wind of the secret project. Intrigued by its potential and bound by their Masonic duty to aid a brother in need, they provided an immense and crucial financial backing for the project. Singer, a relative of the famous sewing machine inventor, brought more than just money to the table. His expertise in torpedo design, honed through his work with the “Singer Secret Service Corps,” would prove invaluable as the project progressed.

By the fall of 1862, William Alexander, a British-born mechanical engineer and member of Mobile Lodge No. 40, had joined the team. He brought an international perspective to the project, and his experience with Old World engineering techniques provided fresh insights that would prove crucial to the submarine’s success. The involvement of Alexander highlighted one of the greatest strengths of the fraternity – its ability to bring together men of diverse talents and backgrounds in pursuit of a common goal.

The Hunley Takes Shape

Work on the first prototype, named the “Pioneer”, began in New Orleans in late 1861 and was completed in early 1862. This initial vessel was crude by modern standards – essentially an iron cylinder with conical ends, propelled by a hand-cranked propeller. Despite its simplicity, the Pioneer showed promise in initial tests in Lake Pontchartrain.

While this vessel showed promise in initial tests, it never saw combat. When New Orleans fell to Union forces in April 1862, Hunley and his team were forced to scuttle the Pioneer to prevent its capture and move their operations to Mobile, Alabama. Undeterred by this setback, they immediately began work on a second submarine, the “American Diver”.

Construction on the American Diver started in the summer of 1862. This vessel was a lot more sophisticated than its predecessor. The team of Masons experimented with various propulsion methods, including electromagnetic engines and steam power, before settling on hand-cranked propulsion. This more sophisticated vessel was launched in January 1863 but proved too slow to be practical. In February 1863, while being towed to Fort Morgan for a planned attack on the Union blockade, the American Diver foundered in rough seas and sank. The crew managed to escape, and no lives were lost.

Despite these setbacks, the Masonic team persevered. They began work on their third and final submarine, the “H.L. Hunley”, in early 1863. By July of that year, the vessel was ready for its first demonstration.

The Hunley was a marvel of 19th-century engineering, a testament to the ingenuity and resourcefulness of its Masonic creators. At 40 feet long, with a beam of about 4 feet, the Hunley was designed to be crewed by eight men – seven to turn a hand-cranked propeller and one to steer.

James McClintock’s engineering expertise was crucial in designing the Hunley’s unique propulsion system. The hand-cranked propeller was connected to a crankshaft that ran the length of the submarine. This design allowed the crew to generate enough power to move the vessel through the water, albeit slowly.

William Alexander’s experience with Old World engineering techniques proved invaluable in solving one of the submarine’s biggest challenges: buoyancy control. Alexander helped design a system of ballast tanks and pumps that allowed the Hunley to submerge and surface with relative ease – a feat that had stumped previous submarine designers.

Edgar Singer’s expertise in torpedo design came into play with the Hunley’s armament. The submarine was equipped with a spar torpedo – a copper cylinder containing 135 pounds of black powder attached to a 22-foot long pole extending from its bow. This weapon was designed to be rammed into the hull of an enemy ship and detonated, causing catastrophic damage.

Every aspect of the Hunley’s design reflected the careful thought and craftsmanship of its Masonic builders. The hull was crafted from rolled iron boiler plate, carefully shaped and riveted to create a hydrodynamic form that could cut through the water with minimal resistance. The complex system of ballast tanks, pumps, and dive planes that allowed the Hunley to submerge and surface was a testament to the engineering prowess of McClintock and his team.

Trials and Tribulations

The development of the Hunley was not without its challenges. The team faced numerous setbacks, each more disheartening than the last. Two tragic accidents during testing claimed the lives of several crew members, including Horace Hunley himself.

The first accident occurred on August 29, 1863, during a test run in Charleston Harbor. The submarine accidentally dived with its hatches open, killing five crew members.

The second, even more devastating accident occurred on October 15, 1863. Horace Lawson Hunley himself, frustrated by the submarine’s previous failures, insisted on commanding a demonstration dive in Charleston Harbor. With Hunley at the helm and seven crew members aboard, the submarine submerged but failed to resurface. All eight men, including Hunley, perished.

The loss of Hunley, the project’s visionary leader, was a crushing blow. Many called for the abandonment of what they saw as a cursed endeavor. But Masons are taught to persevere in the face of adversity, and these brothers were no exception. They redoubled their efforts, determined to see their revolutionary weapon brought to life.

It was in this dark hour that a young Mason named George E. Dixon stepped forward. Dixon, recently raised in Mobile Lodge No. 40, brought with him not only engineering skills but also a personal talisman – a $20 gold piece that had saved his life at the Battle of Shiloh. This lucky coin would play a poignant role in the Hunley’s story, a tangible link between Masonic brotherhood and the fortunes of war.

The Fateful Mission

As 1864 dawned, the team knew they were running out of time. The Union blockade was tighter than ever, and the Confederacy was on the brink of collapse. Their secret weapon had to be deployed soon, or it might be too late.

On the cold night of February 17, 1864, the Hunley slipped quietly into Charleston Harbor. Lieutenant Dixon and his crew of seven men knew the dangers they faced. They were attempting something never before achieved in the history of naval warfare.

At around 8:45 PM, as they approached their target, the USS Housatonic, the tension inside the submarine must have been palpable. The Union ship’s lookouts spotted the approaching vessel, but it was too late. The Hunley rammed its spar torpedo into the Housatonic’s hull, detonating the explosive charge.

The explosion tore a massive hole in the Union ship’s side, and within five minutes, the 1,240-ton warship had sunk to the bottom. The Hunley had made history – that secret Masonic weapon had become the first submarine to sink an enemy vessel in combat.

But the victory was short-lived. After signaling their success to shore with a blue light, the Hunley and her crew vanished beneath the waves. Their fate would remain a mystery for over a century.

The Hunley’s Legacy

The disappearance of the Hunley marked the end of a remarkable chapter in both naval and Masonic history. It wasn’t until 1995 that the wreck of the Hunley was finally discovered, and in 2000, it was raised from its watery grave.

When the H. L. Hunley was finally raised from its watery grave in 2000, after 136 years of silence, few could have predicted the profound connections to Freemasonry that would emerge from its corroded hull. As archaeologists and conservators painstakingly excavated the submarine’s interior, they uncovered not just historical artifacts, but tangible links to the Masonic brothers who had given their lives in pursuit of innovation and duty.

Among the most poignant discoveries was Lieutenant George Dixon’s gold watch, found near his remains. Attached to the watch was a fob bearing the symbol of the Royal Arch, a higher degree of Masonry. This simple adornment spoke volumes about Dixon’s commitment to the fraternity, a commitment he carried with him even on this perilous mission.

But perhaps the most stirring find was Dixon’s legendary gold coin. Long thought to be merely a romantic legend, the $20 gold piece that had saved Dixon’s life at the Battle of Shiloh was indeed recovered from the Hunley. The coin, bent from the impact of the bullet it had stopped, bore an inscription: “Shiloh April 6, 1862 My life Preserver G. E. D.”

Other Masonic symbols were found etched or engraved on personal items belonging to the crew, silent testimonies to the shared bonds that united these men beyond their military duty. A ring bearing the Square and Compasses, was discovered among the personal effects, though to which crew member it belonged remains a mystery.

In the end, the Hunley is more than just a technological marvel, beside it’s ultimate fate, and beyond which side or cause it was supporting, these Masons demonstrated the ability to show the true strength of Freemasonry, all steaming from a single person with a vision, the brotherhood was able to unit, find their best minds, finances, and men to make it a reality, demonstrating once more, the power of the brotherhood and proving that nothing it too big or impossible within the realm of Freemasonry.