You can sit inside America’s first submarine at this Connecticut museum

David Bushnell’s Revolutionary Turtle Submarine at Old Saybrook

In 1775, a Yale student named David Bushnell built something no one had seen before: a wooden submarine.

This oak vessel, shaped like two turtle shells stuck together, was made on his family farm in Old Saybrook, Connecticut.

Though Sergeant Ezra Lee’s mission to blow up HMS Eagle failed, this first-ever submarine attack changed naval warfare forever.

The story of America’s first submarine awaits at the Connecticut River Museum, where you can sit inside a full-scale replica.

A Middle-Aged Farmer Shocked Yale With Underwater Bombs

David Bushnell started at Yale College in 1771 at age 31, much older than his classmates. This Connecticut farmer’s son brought hands-on skills to his studies.

At Yale, he showed gunpowder could blow up underwater. Bushnell made a waterproof trigger from a flintlock musket.

Students watched in awe as he set off first two ounces, then two pounds of gunpowder underwater using his clock timer.

When fighting broke out at Lexington and Concord in April 1775, he saw how his underwater bombs could attack British ships.

The Turtle Took Shape From Connecticut Oak Trees

After finishing school in July 1775, Bushnell went back to his family farm in Old Saybrook with his brother Ezra to build something brand new.

They made the submarine hull from two big oak tree trunks, carefully carved and fit together. They sealed the craft with tar and added iron bands to keep water out.

The finished boat looked like two turtle shells joined together, so people called it “Turtle. ” This one-man underwater boat was 7 feet long, 6 feet high, and 3.5 feet wide.

Hand-Cranked Propellers Let One Man Navigate Underwater

Bushnell created a clever hand-cranked screw propeller system that moved the Turtle forward and backward in water.

He added a up-and-down propeller worked by foot pedal to control sinking and rising. The submarine had water tanks with foot valves for filling and emptying, letting the driver control depth.

Bushnell worked with clockmaker Isaac Doolittle near Yale to make the precise mechanical parts needed for his complex underwater machine.

Fox Fire Lit Up The Controls In The Dark Depths

The attack system used a 150-pound gunpowder bomb with a clock timer.

Bushnell made a wooden screw to drill holes in enemy ship bottoms, with the bomb tied by rope once the screw stuck into the target ship.

He used glowing foxfire on instrument needles so the driver could see controls in the dark underwater. Small glass windows in the top let in light for surface travel.

Every part showed Bushnell’s smart problem-solving in creating this first-ever attack submarine.

George Washington Funded The Secret Weapon Despite Doubts

Dr. Benjamin Gale introduced Benjamin Franklin to Bushnell and his Turtle. Franklin visited in October 1775 and liked the submarine’s potential against British warships.

Franklin then told General George Washington about it, who gave Continental Army money while privately thinking it might not work.

Connecticut Governor Jonathan Trumbull showed it to Major General Israel Putnam, who also backed the project. American leaders supported the idea as they looked for any edge against the strong British navy.

A Brother’s Steady Hands Mastered The Complex Controls

David Bushnell wasn’t strong enough to work the tough submarine controls himself.

His brother Ezra Bushnell practiced a lot in Long Island Sound, getting what people called “perfect skill” with the tricky hand-crank and pedal systems.

The brothers planned their first attack against the British ships blocking Boston Harbor, but bad timing got in their way.

The British fleet left Boston before the Turtle could be used, forcing them to wait for another chance to test their underwater weapon in battle.

British Warships Filled New York Harbor With Targets

A huge British force came to New York Harbor in June 1776, bringing 50,000 soldiers and Marines on dozens of warships. The HMS Eagle, Admiral Howe’s main ship, became the top target for the submarine attack.

Bushnell moved the Turtle overland through Connecticut to reach New York waters. Final practice happened secretly in Long Island Sound before the mission.

Washington approved the first submarine combat attack in history, set for September 6, 1776, hoping it might help fight the overwhelming British navy.

A Volunteer Stepped In With Just Two Weeks Training

Ezra Bushnell got very sick with a high fever just days before the planned attack on the HMS Eagle.

Sergeant Ezra Lee from Lyme, Connecticut stepped up to drive despite having little experience with the submarine.

Lee got only two weeks of quick training. General Putnam found three volunteers for the risky mission, but Lee proved the most able replacement.

The mission went ahead despite worries about the driver’s limited submarine experience and the dangers involved.

Midnight Brought The First Submarine Attack In History

Lee left Manhattan Island at 11 PM on September 6, 1776, in the Turtle. He spent over two hours fighting strong currents to reach the HMS Eagle in the dark.

The submarine got to the 64-gun British flagship without guards spotting it. Lee went under the Eagle’s hull while seeing British crew members moving on the deck above him.

He put the submarine under the back section near the rudder to attach the bomb.

The Screw Hit Metal Instead Of Wood

Lee tried to drill a hole in the Eagle’s hull using the hand-cranked wooden screw. To his frustration, the drill hit unexpected iron plating, maybe rudder support metal that stopped the attachment.

A second try failed when the Turtle suddenly rose to the surface near the ship. The tired Lee knew the mission had failed as daylight came, making the submarine easy to see.

British guards on Governors Island spotted the strange boat and sent boats to check out the mystery craft.

America’s First Submarine Attack Created A Big Splash

Lee jettisoned the 150-pound mine while escaping from pursuing British boats.

The mine exploded harmlessly in the harbor, sending a massive water plume skyward that confused and alarmed the British.

Though unsuccessful in sinking a ship, the September 7, 1776 mission marked the first submarine attack in warfare history.

Later attempts against other British ships in the Hudson River also failed due to operational difficulties.

Bushnell’s innovations, including the screw propeller and ballast system, became foundations of modern submarine technology that would transform naval warfare forever.

Visiting Connecticut River Museum

You can see David Bushnell’s Revolutionary War submarine at the Connecticut River Museum in Essex, just 20 minutes from Old Saybrook where he built it.

The museum is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10am to 4pm with $15 admission for adults and senior discounts.

They have full-scale Turtle replicas and a working 1976 version. There’s another replica at Westbrook Town Hall on Boston Post Road, plus seasonal Connecticut River boat tours.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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