Civil War Figure, Crewmember of the HL Hunley submarine. It is believed that, when the War began, Seaman Becker may have been working on a riverboat, on the Mississippi River, purchased by the Confederate government. The riverboat was re-fitted for battle and re-named the CSS General Polk. That seems to be a likely port of entry for Becker into that conflict. On October 19, 1861, Becker joined the Confederate States Navy. He was then assigned to the CSS Chicora, a gunboat in attacks against Union ships blockading Charleston harbor. The Confederate States Navy later assigned Becker to the CSS Indian Chief stationed outside Charleston Harbor. While onboard the Indian Chief, he meet Lt. Dixon, who recruited him as one of the volunteers to man a secret new weapon called the Hunley. Seaman Becker, at 5'5" and only 20 years old was perhaps the smallest and youngest crewmember of the HL Hunley. He was seated directly behind Lt. Dixon and was 3rd in command of the sub. Seaman Becker operated the bellows and snorkel tubes which were the HL Hunley's air circulation system that enabled the crew to breathe. The HL Hunley sank 4 miles off the coast of Sullivan's Island (Charleston), South Carolina, on February 17, 1864, after sinking the USS Housatonic. The submarine was raised in 2000 and the crewmembers reinterred with the first 2 crews in Magnolia Cemetery, April 17, 2004.
Civil War Figure, Crewmember of the HL Hunley submarine. It is believed that, when the War began, Seaman Becker may have been working on a riverboat, on the Mississippi River, purchased by the Confederate government. The riverboat was re-fitted for battle and re-named the CSS General Polk. That seems to be a likely port of entry for Becker into that conflict. On October 19, 1861, Becker joined the Confederate States Navy. He was then assigned to the CSS Chicora, a gunboat in attacks against Union ships blockading Charleston harbor. The Confederate States Navy later assigned Becker to the CSS Indian Chief stationed outside Charleston Harbor. While onboard the Indian Chief, he meet Lt. Dixon, who recruited him as one of the volunteers to man a secret new weapon called the Hunley. Seaman Becker, at 5'5" and only 20 years old was perhaps the smallest and youngest crewmember of the HL Hunley. He was seated directly behind Lt. Dixon and was 3rd in command of the sub. Seaman Becker operated the bellows and snorkel tubes which were the HL Hunley's air circulation system that enabled the crew to breathe. The HL Hunley sank 4 miles off the coast of Sullivan's Island (Charleston), South Carolina, on February 17, 1864, after sinking the USS Housatonic. The submarine was raised in 2000 and the crewmembers reinterred with the first 2 crews in Magnolia Cemetery, April 17, 2004.
Bio by: Just another taphophile
