The Hunley carnival is over. It was good political theatre and probably the high water mark for those Southerners fighting to keep their heritage at the center of Civil War remembrance.

All kinds of meanings were reversed at this event.

* Instead of returning remains to traceable relatives for disposal, which would have been a very personal interpretation of Heritage, mobs of strangers were invited to the burial of strangers in a highly publicized ceremony.

* Instead of honoring the remains of the dead, silt from the bottom of the ship was buried as if it were men, while the human remains were subject to scientific poking and prodding.

* Fourteen loyal governors were asked to stand in place of, to symbolize, 14 governors in rebellion. Fortunately, all refused.

Pity the crew. Pity the dead pawns.