E. Lee Spence

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Edward Lee Spence
Dr. E. Lee Spence with a 22kt gold sword hilt.
Dr. E. Lee Spence with a 22kt gold sword hilt.
Born 1947
Germany
Residence Summerville, South Carolina, United States
Fields Underwater archaeology

Maritime history

Naval history
Institutions Sea Research Society International Diving Institute
Alma mater University of South Carolina
College of Marine Arts
Known for Discovery of H. L. Hunley (1st successful submarine)

Discovery of Georgiana (wrecked Confederate cruiser/blockade runner)

Discovery of the identity of the "real Rhett Butler"
Notable awards Donald O. Bushman Award

Edward Lee Spence (born 1947 in Germany) is a pioneer in underwater archaeology who studies shipwrecks and sunken treasure.[1] He is also a published editor and author of non-fiction reference books; a magazine editor (Diving World, Atlantic Coastal Diver, Treasure, Treasure Diver, and Treasure Quest), and magazine publisher (ShipWrecks, Wreck Diver); and a published photographer. According to Sandlapper magazine, Spence was twelve years old when he found his first five shipwrecks.[2][3]

Dr. Spence's past work has been funded by such institutions as the Savannah Ships of the Sea Museum, the College of Charleston, the South Carolina Committee for the Humanities and the National Endowment for the Humanities. In 1991 and 1992, Spence served as Chief of Underwater Archeology for San Andres y Providencia, a 40,000 square-mile Colombian owned archipelago in the western Caribbean. He has worked on the wrecks of Spanish galleons, pirate ships, Great Lakes freighters, modern luxury liners (cruise ships), Civil War blockade runners and submarines.[4]

Contents

[edit] Discoveries

[edit] H. L. Hunley

H. L. Hunley, suspended from a crane during its recovery from Charleston Harbor, August 8, 2000. (Photograph from the U.S. Naval Historical Center.)
H. L. Hunley, suspended from a crane during its recovery from Charleston Harbor, August 8, 2000. (Photograph from the U.S. Naval Historical Center.)
Main article: H. L. Hunley (submarine)

Spence first reported the discovery of the Civil War submarine Hunley in 1970.[5] Spence mapped and reported its location to numerous government agencies. The July 2007 cover story in U.S. News & World Report noted that the Hunley "disappeared without a trace" until 1970 when it was found by "underwater archaeologist E. Lee Spence."[6]

On September 13, 1976, the National Park Service submitted Sea Research Society's (Spence's) location for H.L. Hunley for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. Spence's location for Hunley became a matter of public record when H.L. Hunley's placement on that list was officially approved on December 29, 1978.[7] [8]

Spence's book Treasures of the Confederate Coast, which had a chapter on his discovery of Hunley and included a map complete with an "X" showing the wreck's location was published in January of 1995.[9]

In 1995 the discovery was independently verified by a combined South Carolina Institute of Anthropology and Archaeology (SCIAA) and National Underwater and Marine Agency (NUMA) expedition directed by SCIAA underwater archaeologist Dr. Mark M. Newell[10] and funded in part by novelist Clive Cussler.[11] Later the same year, at the official request of Senator Glenn F. McConnell (chairman), of the State of South Carolina Hunley Commission, Spence donated all of his rights to the wreck to the State.[12][13]

During their negotiations with the federal government on the future salvage and museum display of the wreck, South Carolina's strongest claim of ownership to the Civil War submarine Hunley was based on Spence's 1970 discovery of that vessel and his 1995 gift of his salvage rights to it to the State.[citation needed]

The Hunley discovery was described by Dr. William Dudley, Director of Naval History at the Naval Historical Center as probably the most important (underwater archaeological) find of the (20th) century." [14][15] The tiny sub and its contents have been valued at over $40,000,000 making the discovery and donation one of the most significant and valuable contributions ever made to the State of South Carolina.[16][17]

[edit] Other discoveries

Dr. Spence with KM17 Diving Helmet
Dr. Spence with KM17 Diving Helmet

In addition to the Hunley, Spence has discovered several historically significant shipwrecks, including the SS Georgiana[18] (said to have been the most powerful cruiser built by the Confederate States of America) [19] [20].

South Carolina's law protecting both the State's and the salvors' interests in shipwrecks was passed following Spence's discovery of the Georgiana and his company Shipwrecks Inc. was granted South Carolina State Salvage License #1.[21]

Spence states he has salvaged over $50,000,000 in valuable artifacts[22] and has been responsible, through his archival research, for the location of the wrecks of the side-paddle-wheel steamers Republic[23] and Central America[24][25] from which over one billion dollars in treasure has been recovered.[26][27]

On April 4, 1989, Spence announced his discovery that Margaret Mitchell, who had claimed her Pulitzer Prize winning novel Gone With The Wind was pure fiction, had actually taken much of her compelling story of love, greed and war from real life[28] and that Mitchell had actually based Rhett Butler on the life of George Alfred Trenholm, a tall, handsome, shipping magnate from Charleston, South Carolina, who had made millions of dollars from blockade running and was accused of making off with much of the Confederate treasury and had been thrown in prison after the Civil War.[29][30] Spence's literary discovery that had its roots in his prior discoveries of some of Trenholm's wrecked blockade runners made international news.[31]

[edit] Cartography

Spence is also a cartographer and has published a number of popular and archaeological (proximal, contour and conformant) maps and charts dealing with historical events, archaeology, shipwrecks and treasure.

  • Shipwrecks of Hilton Head & Vicinity chart by Lee Spence, (Shipwreck Press, Sullivan's Island, S.C., 1980) OCLC: 15281285
  • Shipwrecks of Wreck Valley : [New York City and Long Island regions] chart by E. Lee Spence (Shipwreck Press, Sullivan's Island, SC, 1990) OCLC: 40228884
  • Shipwrecks of the Civil War : Charleston, South Carolina, 1861-1865 map by E. Lee Spence, (Shipwreck Press, Sullivan's Island, S.C., 1984) OCLC: 11214217
  • Spence's Chart of Shipwrecks of Charleston, S.C.: over 250 wrecks map by E. Lee Spence (Shipwreck Press, Sullivan's Island, S.C., 1980) OCLC: 40228884
  • Gold Bug: Treasure Chart, Edgar A. Poe by E. Lee Spence, (Sullivan's Island, SC: E. Lee Spence, 1981) OCLC: 49829303
  • South Carolina Shipwrecks, 1520-1776 by E. Lee Spence (Charleston, S.C. : E. Lee Spence, 1976) OCLC: 6270298

[edit] International Diving Institute

Dr. Spence is a founder, owner and Vice President of the International Diving Institute, one of fewer than a dozen schools in North America that teaches and certifies commercial deep sea divers.[32]

[edit] Credentials and affiliations

Current President and Chairman of the Board of the Sea Research Society, Dr. Spence is a past member of both the Board of Directors of the American Military Museum and Board of Directors of the Cardiovascular Research Institute of the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. He is a lifetime member of Mensa International and a former member of Intertel. Spence has an honorable discharge from the United States Army Reserves and has served as Commander and Vice Commander for Post #10 of the veteran's organization American Legion.

[edit] Education

Spence graduated cum laude from the University of South Carolina in 1976, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies with an academic concentration in marine archaeology and won the Donald O. Bushman Award in cartography. His doctorate is a Doctor of Marine Histories (DMH) from Sea Research Society's College of Marine Arts.

[edit] Certifications

[edit] Bibliography

  • The Hunley: Submarines, Sacrifice & Success in the Civil War by Mark Ragan (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995) [ISBN 1-886391-43-2]
  • A Look at South Carolina's Underwater Heritage, by E. Lee Spence (Nelson Southern Printing, Charleston, South Carolina, 1974 OCLC: 11121049
  • Treasures of the Confederate Coast: the "real Rhett Butler" & Other Revelations by Dr. E. Lee Spence, (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995)[ISBN 1886391017] [ISBN 1886391009], OCLC: 32431590
  • Shipwreck Encyclopedia of the Civil War: South Carolina & Georgia, 1861-1865 by Edward Lee Spence (Sullivan's Island, S.C., Shipwreck Press, 1991) OCLC: 24420089
  • Shipwrecks of South Carolina and Georgia : (includes Spence's List, 1520-1865) by E. Lee Spence, Sullivan's Island, S.C. (Sullivan's Island 29482, Sea Research Society, 1984) OCLC 10593079
  • Shipwrecks, Pirates & Privateers: Sunken Treasures of the Upper South Carolina Coast, 1521-1865 by E. Lee Spence, (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995) [ISBN 1-886391-07-6]
  • Spence's Guide to South Carolina : diving, 639 shipwrecks (1520-1813), saltwater sport fishing, recreational shrimping, crabbing, oystering, clamming, saltwater aquarium, 136 campgrounds, 281 boat landings by E. Lee Spence, (Nelson Southern Printing, Sullivan's Island, S.C.: Spence, 1976) OCLC: 2846435
  • Wreck of the Georgiana, mystery ship of the Confederacy by E. Lee Spence, (Sullivan's Island, S.C. : Shipwreck Press, 1988) OCLC: 50414449
  • Shipwrecks of Charleston Harbor by E. Lee Spence (Sullivan's Island, SC : Shipwreck Press, 1980) OCLC: 6908900
  • Shipwrecks of the Era of the Revolution : South Carolina & Georgia, 1763-1783 by E. Lee Spence, (Sullivan's Island, SC : Shipwreck Press Inc., 1991) OCLC: 39977318
  • Shipwrecks: "the magazine" edited by E Lee Spence, (Sullivan's Island, SC: Shipwreck Press, 1989-1991, Narwhal Press 1995-) OCLC: 20784612
  • On This Day(October 25, 1970) StarClique [1]

[edit] References

  1. ^ Shipwrecks.com - Dr. E. Lee Spence
  2. ^ "Diver Lee Spence", by Eugene Warner, Sandlapper magazine, (Columbia, SC), April, 1970, pp. 40-43
  3. ^ "Treasure Diver", by Katherine Hatch, Treasure World, (February-March, 1972), pp. 44, 45
  4. ^ Treasures of The Confederate Coast: the "Real Rhett Butler" & Other Revelations, by Dr. E. Lee Spence, (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995), "About the Author" by Charles King, pp. 515-517
  5. ^ "Diver Thinks he's Found the Hunley", AP Wire story, The State, Columbia, SC, June 14, 1975
  6. ^ Cover story: "Time Capsule From The Sea", U.S. News & World Report, July 2-9, 2007
  7. ^ National Register of Historic Places Inventory-Nomination Form
  8. ^ Programmatic agreement on management of the wreck of H.L. Hunley
  9. ^ Treasures of the Confederate Coast: The "Real Rhett Butler" & Other Revelations by Dr. E. Lee Spence, Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995, p.54
  10. ^ NUMA Press Release, May 11, 1995
  11. ^ Sworn Affidavit on discovery of the Hunley by Dr. E. Lee Spence, submitted to Hunley Commission on February 1, 1997
  12. ^ Attorney General Charles M. Condon's letter of September 20, 1995, to Spence
  13. ^ The Hunley: Submarines, Sacrifice & Success in the Civil War by Mark Ragan (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995) p. 213
  14. ^ H.L. Hunley Fact Sheet
  15. ^ Trip Atlas, "Events of 1970"
  16. ^ Governor David Beasley's letter of November 20, 1995, to Spence
  17. ^ State Senator Glenn F. McConnell's letter of September 21, 1995, to Spence
  18. ^ "Georgiana Wreck Confirmed", The News & Courier, Charleston, SC, p. 1-D
  19. ^ New York Times March 30, 1863,p.4, c.1-2
  20. ^ History of the Confederate States Navy From its Organization to the Surrender of its Last Vessel, by J. Thomas Scharf, (New York, New York, 1887), p.802
  21. ^ "Hulks of Confederate Blockade Runners Yield Cargo", New York Times, December 12, 1971, p. 83:3
  22. ^ Treasures of The Confederate Coast: the "Real Rhett Butler" & Other Revelations, by Dr. E. Lee Spence, (Narwhal Press, Charleston/Miami, 1995), "About the Author" by Charles King, p. 517
  23. ^ "Ocean Treasure Company Has a Murky History" by Jeff Nesmith, Cox News Service, June 3, 2007
  24. ^ Cover story: "Treasure" Life magazine, March, 1987
  25. ^ Cover story: "Milliard-Skatten", Vi Menn magazine (Norway) November, 1989, pp. 4-7
  26. ^ £600M Gold in Them Thar Holds" The Sun, London, September 16, 1989, p. 11
  27. ^ Famous Treasure Hunters
  28. ^ "Newsmakers: Frankly, My Dear, Historian is on Pins and Needles," Los Angeles Times, April 4, 1989, p. 2-A
  29. ^ Oggi (Italian weekly magazine), 5 dicembre 1994, pp. 38-40
  30. ^ "The Rhett Butler Connection," Treasure Diver, Volume 1, Number One, pp. 35-40
  31. ^ "Rhett Butler," La Stampa, Turin, Italy, 18/4/1989, p.5
  32. ^ http:www.International Diving Institute.com

[edit] External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:
Persondata
NAME Spence, Edward Lee
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Spence, E. Lee; Spence, Lee; Spence, Dr. E. Lee
SHORT DESCRIPTION pioneer underwater archaeologist, undersea explorer, discoverer of the Confederate submarine Hunley, treasure hunter, adventurer, author, editor, photographer, artist, genius, shipwreck salvage expert and historian
DATE OF BIRTH November 6, 1947
PLACE OF BIRTH Munich, Germany
DATE OF DEATH
PLACE OF DEATH