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The Hunt for the Alligator For the latest and up to date information on the Alligator project, visit the NOAA Alligator web site Reprint with permission from the editor of the Sun Journal New Bern, NC Jump to Part 2 Printed January 24, 2004 January 18,2004 Sun Journal New Bern NC by Mr. Sandy Wall Somewhere among the untold number of shipwrecks off North Carolina's coast lies the U.S. Navy's first submarine -- an uncelebrated, Civil War-era vessel that was lost before it could be successfully deployed in battle. The USS Alligator, which was designed by a Frenchman to ferry swimmers to underwater Confederate targets, was lost on April 2, 1863, during a storm off Cape Hatteras, about 80 miles east of New Bern. Its inauspicious demise came as it was being towed by the USS Sumpter from Washington to Charleston, S.C. It was nearly forgotten until recently, when a casual discussion among three long-time seamen led to renewed interest in the ship and its fate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research and others have joined forces to learn more about the vessel and the circumstances surrounding its demise. And while there's yet no large-scale effort planned to go out and hunt for the wreck, project supporters say they hope to call public attention to the Alligator, which eventually could lead to its discovery and recovery. "The Alligator Project is about getting people young and old alike excited about marine science and exploration, and connecting the public to our nation's maritime heritage," said Michiko Martin, national education coordinator for NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program. "It offers the perfect mix of history, mystery and technology." Appropriately named The USS Alligator was developed and built at a time when both the U.S. and Confederate militaries were experimenting with new technologies to gain an advantage at sea. Retired submariner Jim Christley, who has written about the Alligator and now is volunteering to help with the current research work, said the U.S. Navy actively solicited ideas for new ships, particularly with the South working with ironclads."The Navy had a perceived need for new ideas," he said. The hunt led them to Brutus de Villeroi, a French inventor who was living in Philadelphia. De Villeroi had gained notoriety when a small submarine he built for salvage purposes was seized while it sailed in the Delaware River in 1861. "The fact that he was in the right place at the right time was fortuitous for him and the Navy," Christley said. The Navy eventually bought de Villeroi's design for a submarine and hired a contractor to build it. Construction began in Philadelphia in 1861, and the boat was launched in 1862. Christley said the Alligator, which originally was known simply as "the submarine propeller," probably looked to observers like the animal of the same name. It was about 47 feet long, constructed of rolled iron painted green and could hold a crew of between 17 and 22 men. Its original propulsion system was a system of 18 oars, nine on each side, which made the vessel maneuverable, but slow, Christley said. The oars later were replaced with a propeller, or "screw," that the crew likely cranked to propel the vessel forward. Christley believes the submarine would be able to dive about 50 feet. Apparently it worked. "The tests in Washington and Philadelphia showed that it did work," he said. The Alligator was equipped with a driver-lockout chamber and primarily was designed to take a swimmer or swimmers to an underwater target, such as a ship's hull or an obstruction in a harbor. Christley said the idea would be to have the swimmer or swimmers plant mines or charges on targets that could be detonated remotely. 'Natural genius' To learn more about the Alligator's design and final resting place, team members have sought to learn more about the seemingly immodest man who designed it. De Villeroi was born in France in 1794, and some researchers believe he may have been author Jules Verne's mathematics teachers there. Researchers believe de Villeroi moved to the United States in the late 1850s, perhaps to work for a mining company. He shows up in the 1860 American census, where he lists his occupation as "natural genius." Records discovered last year in France show de Villeroi tried at least three times to sell his submarine designs to the French navy: in 1832, 1855 and 1863. Each time, he was turned down. Catherine Marzin, national partnership coordinator for the National Marine Sanctuaries, visited France last May to research de Villeroi. At a French naval archive in Vincennes, she found a file containing letters and drawings de Villeroi had penned to the French government. In the documents were drawings for a submarine, which contained an inscription stating the drawings were those of a submarine de Villeroi had deisgned for the U.S. Navy -- an obvious attempt to bolster his credentials and impress the French government. Marzin had found drawings for the Alligator. "I found the holy grail," Marzin recalled gleefully with a hint of a French accent. "It was very exciting." De Villeroi may have been temperamental. Christley said records indicate he parted company with the Navy about three-fourths through the building of the submarine. He later died of chronic bronchitis in 1874 and was buried in Philadelphia, 11 years after his submarine was lost. The loss Letters written by the masters of both the USS Sumpter and the USS Alligator uncovered at the National Archives recount the events surrounding the Alligator's loss. According to Commander Richard Poole of the Office of Naval Research, the letters indicate the USS Sumpter, which was towing the unmanned Alligator to South Carolina, was overtaken by a storm off Cape Hatteras on April 2, 1863. During the storm, one of the two "hawsers," or ropes, securing the Alligator to the Sumpter broke. Later the officers, fearing for the safety of the Sumpter and its crew, decided to cut the line, which set the Alligator adrift. It's not clear what happened to the Alligator next, or exactly where the Sumpter was when the decision was made to cut the line. The last record of its position was taken at noon, and the Alligator was cut loose about 6 p.m."They just said she was lost, that they cut the line and she was lost," Poole said. Documents show the Sumpter's crew intended to go back and retrieve the Alligator after the storm, but was unable to because of damage it sustained. It's not clear if the Alligator was taking on water when it was cut loose, so it's not known if the vessel went down quickly or drifted for a while before going under."It's my assumption that the Alligator was filling with water and was becoming unmanageable," Christley said. Lost to history? The Alligator's inauspicious demise probably led to its trip into obscurity. Unlike its celebrated Confederate counterpart, the CSS Hunley, the Alligator did not sink an enemy ship and no one died while serving aboard it. The U.S. government's renewed interest in the missing boat began in May 2002 during a casual conversation between Jay Cohen, chief of Naval Research for the Navy, Daniel Basta, director of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program and the renowned underwater explorer Robert Ballard. The men were discussing a magazine article about the Alligator. Cohen became interested, and a historical research project was undertaken. Between May 2002 and May 2003, team members from NOAA and ONR, together with volunteers and others, sought information about the Alligator and de Villeroi in the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the French naval archive and other places. A group of midshipmen and faculty members from the U.S. Naval Academy also studied the Alligator's possible fate, and, in June 2003, researchers conducted a 50-hour research cruise aboard a sonar-equipped NOAA vessel off the N.C. coast. They didn't find anything, but they hope others eventually might. Christley believes the Alligator sank intact, and Poole speculates that if it went down in deep water, it might not have experienced as much deterioration as it would if it sank in shallow water. James R. "Rob" Reedy, a Morehead City nautical archaeologist, agrees the Alligator could have sunk intact, and like the recently recovered CSS Hunley, it could be in pretty good shape."It would certainly be an interesting repository of Civil War artifacts," he said. Christley said it's important to look for the Alligator because it was the U.S. Navy's first submarine. But he also suggested that it doesn't supplant the CSS Hunley's place in maritime history. Meanwhile, research into the Alligator's design and construction are continuing. Martin pointed out that similar groundwork was done in the 1970s before the USS Monitor was discovered, and she predicts the hunt for the Alligator could be a long one. "I don't envision this to be a real short type of project," Martin said. "It might be something that takes a long, dedicated effort." To part 2

You are Here>NCSUBVETS>In Memorium>USS Alligator

The Hunt for the Alligator

For the latest and up to date information on the Alligator project, visit the NOAA Alligator web site

Reprint with permission from the editor of the Sun Journal New Bern, NC

Jump to Part 2 Printed January 24, 2004

January 18,2004 Sun Journal New Bern NC by Mr. Sandy Wall

Somewhere among the untold number of shipwrecks off North Carolina's coast lies the U.S. Navy's first submarine -- an uncelebrated, Civil War-era vessel that was lost before it could be successfully deployed in battle.

The USS Alligator, which was designed by a Frenchman to ferry swimmers to underwater Confederate targets, was lost on April 2, 1863, during a storm off Cape Hatteras, about 80 miles east of New Bern. Its inauspicious demise came as it was being towed by the USS Sumpter from Washington to Charleston, S.C. It was nearly forgotten until recently, when a casual discussion among three long-time seamen led to renewed interest in the ship and its fate. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the U.S. Navy's Office of Naval Research and others have joined forces to learn more about the vessel and the circumstances surrounding its demise. And while there's yet no large-scale effort planned to go out and hunt for the wreck, project supporters say they hope to call public attention to the Alligator, which eventually could lead to its discovery and recovery. "The Alligator Project is about getting people young and old alike excited about marine science and exploration, and connecting the public to our nation's maritime heritage," said Michiko Martin, national education coordinator for NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program. "It offers the perfect mix of history, mystery and technology."

Appropriately named

The USS Alligator was developed and built at a time when both the U.S. and Confederate militaries were experimenting with new technologies to gain an advantage at sea. Retired submariner Jim Christley, who has written about the Alligator and now is volunteering to help with the current research work, said the U.S. Navy actively solicited ideas for new ships, particularly with the South working with ironclads."The Navy had a perceived need for new ideas," he said. The hunt led them to Brutus de Villeroi, a French inventor who was living in Philadelphia. De Villeroi had gained notoriety when a small submarine he built for salvage purposes was seized while it sailed in the Delaware River in 1861.

"The fact that he was in the right place at the right time was fortuitous for him and the Navy," Christley said.
The Navy eventually bought de Villeroi's design for a submarine and hired a contractor to build it. Construction began in Philadelphia in 1861, and the boat was launched in 1862. Christley said the Alligator, which originally was known simply as "the submarine propeller," probably looked to observers like the animal of the same name. It was about 47 feet long, constructed of rolled iron painted green and could hold a crew of between 17 and 22 men.

Its original propulsion system was a system of 18 oars, nine on each side, which made the vessel maneuverable, but slow, Christley said. The oars later were replaced with a propeller, or "screw," that the crew likely cranked to propel the vessel forward. Christley believes the submarine would be able to dive about 50 feet. Apparently it worked.
"The tests in Washington and Philadelphia showed that it did work," he said. The Alligator was equipped with a driver-lockout chamber and primarily was designed to take a swimmer or swimmers to an underwater target, such as a ship's hull or an obstruction in a harbor. Christley said the idea would be to have the swimmer or swimmers plant mines or charges on targets that could be detonated remotely.

'Natural genius'

To learn more about the Alligator's design and final resting place, team members have sought to learn more about the seemingly immodest man who designed it. De Villeroi was born in France in 1794, and some researchers believe he may have been author Jules Verne's mathematics teachers there. Researchers believe de Villeroi moved to the United States in the late 1850s, perhaps to work for a mining company. He shows up in the 1860 American census, where he lists his occupation as "natural genius." Records discovered last year in France show de Villeroi tried at least three times to sell his submarine designs to the French navy: in 1832, 1855 and 1863. Each time, he was turned down.
Catherine Marzin, national partnership coordinator for the National Marine Sanctuaries, visited France last May to research de Villeroi. At a French naval archive in Vincennes, she found a file containing letters and drawings de Villeroi had penned to the French government. In the documents were drawings for a submarine, which contained an inscription stating the drawings were those of a submarine de Villeroi had deisgned for the U.S. Navy -- an obvious attempt to bolster his credentials and impress the French government.

Marzin had found drawings for the Alligator.

"I found the holy grail," Marzin recalled gleefully with a hint of a French accent. "It was very exciting."
De Villeroi may have been temperamental. Christley said records indicate he parted company with the Navy about three-fourths through the building of the submarine. He later died of chronic bronchitis in 1874 and was buried in Philadelphia, 11 years after his submarine was lost.

The loss

Letters written by the masters of both the USS Sumpter and the USS Alligator uncovered at the National Archives recount the events surrounding the Alligator's loss. According to Commander Richard Poole of the Office of Naval Research, the letters indicate the USS Sumpter, which was towing the unmanned Alligator to South Carolina, was overtaken by a storm off Cape Hatteras on April 2, 1863. During the storm, one of the two "hawsers," or ropes, securing the Alligator to the Sumpter broke. Later the officers, fearing for the safety of the Sumpter and its crew, decided to cut the line, which set the Alligator adrift. It's not clear what happened to the Alligator next, or exactly where the Sumpter was when the decision was made to cut the line. The last record of its position was taken at noon, and the Alligator was cut loose about 6 p.m."They just said she was lost, that they cut the line and she was lost," Poole said.
Documents show the Sumpter's crew intended to go back and retrieve the Alligator after the storm, but was unable to because of damage it sustained. It's not clear if the Alligator was taking on water when it was cut loose, so it's not known if the vessel went down quickly or drifted for a while before going under."It's my assumption that the Alligator was filling with water and was becoming unmanageable," Christley said.

Lost to history?

The Alligator's inauspicious demise probably led to its trip into obscurity. Unlike its celebrated Confederate counterpart, the CSS Hunley, the Alligator did not sink an enemy ship and no one died while serving aboard it. The U.S. government's renewed interest in the missing boat began in May 2002 during a casual conversation between Jay Cohen, chief of Naval Research for the Navy, Daniel Basta, director of NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program and the renowned underwater explorer Robert Ballard. The men were discussing a magazine article about the Alligator. Cohen became interested, and a historical research project was undertaken. Between May 2002 and May 2003, team members from NOAA and ONR, together with volunteers and others, sought information about the Alligator and de Villeroi in the Library of Congress, the National Archives, the French naval archive and other places. A group of midshipmen and faculty members from the U.S. Naval Academy also studied the Alligator's possible fate, and, in June 2003, researchers conducted a 50-hour research cruise aboard a sonar-equipped NOAA vessel off the N.C. coast. They didn't find anything, but they hope others eventually might. Christley believes the Alligator sank intact, and Poole speculates that if it went down in deep water, it might not have experienced as much deterioration as it would if it sank in shallow water.
James R. "Rob" Reedy, a Morehead City nautical archaeologist, agrees the Alligator could have sunk intact, and like the recently recovered CSS Hunley, it could be in pretty good shape."It would certainly be an interesting repository of Civil War artifacts," he said. Christley said it's important to look for the Alligator because it was the U.S. Navy's first submarine. But he also suggested that it doesn't supplant the CSS Hunley's place in maritime history. Meanwhile, research into the Alligator's design and construction are continuing. Martin pointed out that similar groundwork was done in the 1970s before the USS Monitor was discovered, and she predicts the hunt for the Alligator could be a long one.

"I don't envision this to be a real short type of project," Martin said. "It might be something that takes a long, dedicated effort."
To part 2