In 1776, David Bushnell's Turtle became the first submarine used in a military attack, though its mission failed against the HMS Eagle in New York.
Early submarine in the Revolutionary War
In 1775, during the American Revolutionary War, an inventor named David Bushnell designed the Turtle, a wooden submarine considered the first of its kind to be used in a real military attack. The device, measuring about 3 meters in length and 0.9 meters in width, was intended to attack enemy ships from below, where no one would expect an attack.Support from leaders and military figures
The project received support from Jonathan Trumbull, the governor of Connecticut, who recommended it to George Washington, who then provided funds and logistical support. This backing was crucial in moving the design from concept to a functional prototype.Failed attack on a British warship
On September 6, 1776, pilot Ezra Lee attempted to attach an explosive charge under the hull of the HMS Eagle in the port of New York, but the mission failed. The screw intended to penetrate the wooden hull hit a thick metal piece, making it impossible to attach the explosive charge. Lee eventually abandoned the device, which inflicted no damage on the enemy ship.Uncertain fate of the original Turtle
The fate of the Turtle remains unclear. The ship tasked with transporting it was sunk by the British that same year, with the submarine on board. Bushnell later claimed to have recovered his machine, but no definitive evidence confirms what happened to it.Modern replicas and commemorations
Two replicas of the Turtle are currently on display at the Connecticut River Museum as part of the commemorations of the 250th anniversary of the United States. One of them, built in 1976 for the bicentennial of the United States and named by the then governor of Connecticut, Ella Grasso, still belongs to this museum.Other global replicas
Another replica, this one functional, was built by students from the Old Saybrook High School in partnership with the Naval Undersea Warfare Center, before being launched in 2007. Reconstructions of the Turtle can also be found outside the United States, notably at the Oceanographic Museum in Monaco and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum in England.
