First submersible attack in history. American submersible Turtle vs. HMS Eagle.
On September 7, 1776, during the American Revolutionary War, the American submersible craft Turtle attempted the world’s first submarine attack. Piloted by Sergeant Ezra Lee, the Turtle approached the British flagship HMS Eagle in New York Harbor with the mission to attach a time bomb to its hull. Designed by inventor David Bushnell of Connecticut, the eight-foot-long wooden submarine was hand-powered and operated by a single crew member. Despite successfully reaching the target and nearly securing the explosive, Lee failed to penetrate the ship’s iron sheathing with his boring tools. He retreated before the bomb detonated, causing no damage to the Eagle or the Turtle. This marked the first recorded use of a submarine in warfare, though the mission was unsuccessful. The Turtle made several subsequent attempts in the Hudson River but was ultimately lost during the Battle of Fort Lee when the transport sloop carrying it was sunk by the British.