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| Field name | Value |
|---|---|
| Collection Reference Number | GLC02437.02569 |
| From Archive Folder | The Henry Knox Papers [0065] 16-30 September 1783 |
| Title | Return for the corps of sappers and miners at Constitution Island, New York |
| Date | 26 September 1783 |
| Author | Bushnell, David (1740-1826) |
| Document Type | Military document |
| Content Description | Return for the corps of sappers and miners at Constitution Island, New York. |
| Subjects | Muster Rolls and Returns Military History Continental Army Science and Technology |
| People | Bushnell, David (ca. 1740-1826) |
| Theme | Science, Technology, Invention; Government & Politics |
| Sub-collection | The Henry Knox Papers |
| Additional Information | David Bushnell built the first man-propelled submarine boat, called the "American Turtle." It featured a wooden magazine containing gunpowder and a clock mechanism for igniting it at any particular time. Although he was not successful in his attempts to destroy British ships during the American Revolution, he is recognized as the father of the modern submarine. While it could not be definitively confirmed that the writer of this document is the same Bushnell as the inventor of the submarine, it appears likely, as the inventor served as Captain of a corps of sappers and miners during the Revolution. David Bushnell's birth date appears as 1740 in most sources. His death date appears as either 1824 or 1826. |
| Copyright | The Gilder Lehrman Institute of American History |
| Module | Settlement, Commerce, Revolution and Reform: 1493-1859 |