Turtle was the 1776 American submersible used in the first documented submarine attack.
Invented by David Bushnell, Turtle was designed to approach an enemy ship underwater and attach an explosive charge to its hull. A single operator powered it with hand-cranked propellers and controlled its depth with foot-operated mechanisms. Its compact wooden-and-copper design resembled a large barrel or turtle, inspiring its name.
On the night of September 7, 1776, Sergeant Ezra Lee piloted Turtle toward HMS Eagle, a British warship in New York Harbor. Lee tried to fasten the explosive beneath the ship but could not penetrate the hull. He released the charge, which reportedly exploded nearby, without damaging Eagle.
Turtle did not sink the British flagship, but the attempt was historically significant. It is generally regarded as the first documented use of a submarine in combat, although the surviving account comes from the American side and British records do not confirm the attack.