A theory for Hunley's loss

What may explain the loss of H. L. Hunley and its crew?

The hypothesis is that the submarine's own blast incapacitated the crew and a damaged pipe then allowed flooding before they recovered.

One interpretation begins with the crew's positions at the crank and the possible ambiguity of observed signal lights. Because both sides used similar lights, witnesses may have seen signals from survivors of Housatonic rather than Hunley. The submarine's own large explosive charge may have incapacitated the crew and dislodged a pipe, allowing water to enter while every man remained at his rowing position. There was no attempt to release the keel weight, further supporting the idea that the crew never recovered in time to respond. This chain is a reasoned hypothesis that explains the archaeological evidence rather than a settled account of the loss.