In 1776, a rebel built a bomb-carrying submarine

By Sohail Khan 4 September 2026, 9:22 pm

Benchmarks
Nifty23,897.7024.25

Precious Metal
Gold (MCX) (Rs/10g.)153,527.00-2248.0

Enter search text:

Business News›News›International›Global Trends›During the American revolution in 1776, a rebel inventor devised a daring weapon against the British Navy- a bomb-carrying submarine

Read Today's Paper

During the American revolution in 1776, a rebel inventor devised a daring weapon against the British Navy- a bomb-carrying submarine
Synopsis

Back in 1776, a clever American inventor created the Turtle, a one-man submarine shaped like an acorn. Its mission was to sneak up on enemy ships underwater and plant explosives. This early attempt to attack the HMS Eagle failed, as the submarine's basic design and propulsion weren't practical for long underwater missions then.

In 1776, a rebel inventor devised a daring weapon against the British Navy<br> — A model of the Turtle submersible

Nearly 250 years ago, an American inventor devised a weapon that sounded almost impossible for its time: a tiny, one-man submarine designed to sneak beneath a British warship and attach a timed explosive to its hull. In September 1776, the strange wooden vessel known as the Turtle was sent after the British flagship HMS Eagle in one of the earliest attempts at underwater combat.

ALSO READ:In 1972, Florida dumped 2 million tires into the ocean to build the world’s largest man-made reef; decades later, the military had to remove them

The secret weapon built to challenge the Royal Navy

Connecticut inventor David Bushnell believed the British Royal Navy could not easily be defeated in a direct confrontation. Instead, he looked for a way to strike a warship where it was most vulnerable.

His answer was the Turtle, an acorn-shaped submersible constructed from wood and reinforced with iron hoops. The vessel was small enough for only one person and was designed to approach an enemy ship underwater without being detected.

A diagram of David Bushnell's Turtle submersible

Bushnell spent years developing the idea, working with his brother Ezra and other craftsmen and colleagues. The submarine was eventually equipped with pumps, valves, a compass and a barometer to help its pilot navigate and control the vessel.

ALSO READ: In 1995, NASA sent 30 fertilised Japanese quail eggs to the Mir space station for 16 days; what scientists found after they returned raised new questions about life without gravity

How the Turtle was supposed to attack

The Turtle carried a large powder charge that could be attached to the hull of an enemy ship. A timer allowed the pilot to set the explosive and then escape before it detonated.

Getting the submarine into position, however, was far from easy. The pilot had to operate the vessel manually, using a pedal-operated propeller and a hand crank. To dive, the Turtle took in water; to rise again, the pilot had to pump the water out.

Inside the cramped vessel, even breathing was a concern. The pilot had to pedal, operate the equipment and eventually attach the explosive while working with a limited supply of air.

ALSO READ: In 2011, NASA built a 50,000-square-foot California office that used 90% less drinking water and was designed to produce 20% more energy than it needed

The target was the British flagship HMS Eagle

The original plan was to use the Turtle against British ships in Boston. But by the time the submarine was ready, British forces had moved their fleet to New York.

On the night of September 6–7, 1776, pilot Ezra Lee took the Turtle toward HMS Eagle.

Lee managed to reach the warship and get underneath it. He could even hear British sailors talking on deck. But when he attempted to attach the explosive, the submarine's fastening mechanism failed to penetrate the ship's metal hull.

A replica of the Turtle at the Oceanographic Museum of Monaco

As Lee later wrote: “When I rowed under the stern of the ship,” he wrote, “[I] could see the men on deck and hear them talk—I then shut down all the doors, sunk down and came under the bottom of the ship, up with the screw against the bottom, but found that it would not enter.”

Unable to attach the charge, Lee abandoned the attempt. The explosive was left behind and later detonated in the harbor, but it did not damage the Eagle.

The submarine's mission ended in failure

The Turtle was used in two more attempted attacks, but neither succeeded. The fate of the unusual submarine is uncertain. A British attack later sank the sloop believed to have been transporting it, although Bushnell maintained that he recovered the vessel and returned it home.

Despite its failed missions, the Turtle represented a remarkable leap in military thinking.

Why the Turtle still matters

The submarine did not immediately transform naval warfare. Its wooden hull, primitive propulsion and one-person design made it impractical for sustained underwater operations.

But the idea behind it was revolutionary. Bushnell had demonstrated that an attacker could attempt to approach a warship from beneath the surface, rather than engaging it directly.

Historian Evan Wilson describes the Turtle as an early indication of the possibilities of underwater warfare, even though the technology needed to make submarines practical was still more than a century away.

Its story endures for another reason: in 1776, while the world's most powerful navy dominated the seas, a tiny wooden vessel carrying a single person and a timed bomb attempted to challenge it from below.

Add as a Reliable and Trusted News Source
Add Now!

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

(You can now subscribe to our WhatsApp channel)

Read More News on
David BushnellTurtle submarineAmerican RevolutionBritish NavyHMS EagleEzra Leesubmarine historyRevolutionary Warunderwater warfaresecret weapon

Enter search text:

Continue reading with one of these options:
Limited Access
Free
Login to get access to some exclusive stories

& personalised newsletters
Login Now

Unlimited Access
Starting @ Rs120/month
Get access to exclusive stories, expert opinions &

in-depth stock reports
Subscribe Now

Unlock Access to All Exclusives with ETPrime FREE TRIAL

15 Days Free: Unlock All ETPrime Exclusives, Market Tools & ePapers

Trial offer expiring in00 : 05 : 00

I'd rather pay ₹2599 now

Uh-oh! This is an exclusive story available for selected readers only.

Worry not. You’re just a step away.

Prime Account Detected!

It seems like you're already an ETPrime member with

Log out of your current logged-in account and log in again using your ET Prime credentials to enjoy all member benefits.

Unlock ETPrime's Exclusive Stories Today!

Subscribe to gain powerful insights on business, stock market and industry trends.

Big Price Drop! Flat 40% Off

Student Only Offer

Already a Member? Sign In now

Already a Member? Sign In now
Already a Member? Sign In now

Offer Exclusively For You

Save up to Rs. 700/-

ON ET PRIME MEMBERSHIP

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get 1 Year Free

With 1 and 2-Year ET prime membership

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

Get Flat 40% Off

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Offer Exclusively For You

ET Prime at ₹ 49 for 1 month

Then ₹ 1749 for 1 year

Avail Offer

Special Offer

Get flat 40% off on ETPrime

Avail Offer
Avail Offer

Claim NowAlready a Member? Sign In now

Need Assistance?

Connect with an ETPrime expert for personalized support and guidance

+91 9484700004

' + h3 + '

' + h4 + '

' + listing + '

What’s Included with

ETPrime Membership

1Exclusive Insights That Matter

Uncover the truth with our investigative stories

Make strategic moves using the real-world case studies

Read industry-specific stories to identify emerging trends

Spot opportunities with in-depth insights that matter

Trump temper on H-1B visas is forcing Indians to do these things to stay put in US

What Adani’s US indictment means for India Inc’s overseas fundraising
Why veterans like Reliance, L&T are on acquisition spree? Aswath Damodaran has an answer.

Will China’s dollar bond sale in Saudi Arabia trump the US in financial world?
Huawei launches its own OS to compete with Google and Apple. But can it win beyond China?

The problem with lab grown diamonds
Why a falling rupee is a better option for the economy

A list of top 20 momentum stocks that have delivered massive returns in one year