The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-03-02
FIRST SUBMARINE.
The American Turtle Was Tried Out
at New York in 1870.

The American Turtle deserved
better fate. It was the first subma-
| rine war vessel of the United States.
It was tried out in ITS in New York
harbor. Its inventor and builder was
David Bushnell, of Connecticut, of
| whom little is known. The man
who went under water with it and
in New York bay tried to blow up
the British frigate Asia, under Cen
eral Washington's orders, was Col.
Ezra Lee.
The Turtle was built at Saybrook,
Conn. After it's vissitudes Of being
captured, sunk and resting for years
at the bottom of the East river it
was raised and taken back to its
birthplace. There, after more years,
it was taken to pieces. It's metal
went into grand-father's clocks,
which are still in the hallway of New
York and New England homes. It's
| oaken, pitch smeared timbers were
| put to structural uses and all trace
of them lost. Bushnell did not get
even a tardy reward for his invent
| iveness. The council of safety of
Connecticut in 1777 directed that he
be paid 200 pounds for his services
in Annoying Ships" but there is no
| record that he ever got the money.
Here is the story of the American
Turtles first exploit as it is told in
the quaint phraseology of the yel-
lowing manuscript where it was set
down long ago:
when the British fleet lay in the
North river, opposite the city of New
York, and while General Washing
ton had possession of the city he was
| very anxious to be rid of such neigh
bors. David Bushnell, of Saybrook, in
| vented a submarine curiosity called
| the American Turtle which received
| General Washington's approval for
| that purpose. A brother of the in
| ventor was to operate the machine,
but on trial he declined to hazard his
service. Colonel Lee, distinguished
for his courage and patriotism, VOL
| unteered his service, and after prac-
ticing with the machine to discover
it's powers a night was fixed upon for
the attempt.
General Washington and his asso-
ciates in the secret took their stations
| upon the roof of a house on Broad
| way, anxiously awaiting the result.
Morning came, but no intelligence of
the bold navigator. While the anxious
spectators were about to give him up
as lost several barges were seen to
| start suddenly from Governors Is
land, then in possession Of the Brit
| ish, and move toward some object
near the Asia, ship of the line, and
as suddenly they were seen to put
about and steer for the island with
springing oars. In two or three min
utes an explosion took place from
| the surface of the water, resembling
water spout, which aroused the
whole city. The enemy's ships took
the alarm, cut their cables and pro-
ceeded to the Hook with all possible
dispatch, sweeping their bottoms
with chains and with difficulty pre-
| venting their affrightened crews from
leaping overheard.
Colonel Lee, coming to the sur.
face during this scene of consterna-
ton, was Obliged again to descend to
avoid the enemys shot from the is
land. After forcing his machine
against strong current under water
he landed safe at the battery amid
great crowd. General Washington
expressing himself as much pleased
that the object was affected without
the loss of life.
Colonel Lee had been under the
Asia more than two hours endeavor-
| ing to penetrate her bottom, which,
being sheathed with copper, resisted
all attempts to attach the magazine
to the ship
Apparently the American Turtle
| made one more attempt to annoy
the enemy's shipping" before she end
ed her career. Another old diary
preserved by a Connecticut family
mentions this incident. 1t seems that
the Turtle, manned by some nameless
hero, perhaps again by Colonel Lee'
though the chronicler does not state,
made an attempt to blow up British
ship in the East river. BY this time
the British appear to have discov-
cred what nature of craft it was that
had essayed to destroy the Asia and
| so were on the lookout for anything
ho -