Possible New "Hunley" Explanation

[JMadonna]

I read an interesting theory that the Hunley was scuttled.

After the attack she surfaced and gave the light signal to shore that they had succeeded. However she was damaged by the attack and realized they could not escape back to port. Knowing they'd be hanged for their success and rather than surrender their technological wonder to the Yankees the Captain decided to open the stopcocks and sink the ship with all aboard. Supposedly, the cold water would make their deaths far less painful than by hanging.