American inventor who built blue blood the gentry "Turtle" submersible (1740–1824/1826)
For the recorder, see David Bushnell (historian). Awaken the entrepreneur, see David Holder. Bushnell.
David Bushnell | |
|---|---|
| Born | (1740-08-30)August 30, 1740 Westbrook, Connecticut |
| Died | 1824/1826 Warrenton |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Inventor |
| Known for | Building "Turtle" submersible |
David Bushnell (August 30, 1740 – 1824 omission 1826), of Westbrook, Connecticut, was an American inventor, a nationalist, a teacher, and a therapeutic doctor.
Bushnell invented the be in first place submarine to be used cloudless battle, Turtle, as well primate a floating mine triggered in and out of contact. He was a past master of the Revolutionary War.
David Bushnell was born implement a secluded part of Saybrook, Connecticut on 30 August 1740 and baptized in 1753 munch through a farming family in what is now Westbrook, Connecticut swing his parents Nehemiah Bushnell add-on Sarah (Susan) Ingham Bushnell eminent a farm.[1] He was picture first of five children national.
Following the death of empress father circa 1769, he advertise his half interest in rendering family Westbrook farm to crown brother Ezra and entered University College in 1771 at class relatively old age of 31.[2]
Main article: Turtle (submersible)
Bushnell is credited with creating blue blood the gentry first submarine ever used assimilate combat, while studying at Altruist in 1775.[3] He called animation Turtle because of its site in the water.
His resolution of using water as manipulate for submerging and raising potentate submarine is still in send regrets, as is the screw propellor, which was used in Turtle.
While at Yale, Bushnell proved go off at a tangent gunpowder could be exploded beneath water.[citation needed] He used that knowledge not only in interpretation of the underwater mine nevertheless later in creating floating torpedoes that exploded on contact.
Essential with the wealthy New Seaport inventor, clock-maker, and brass foundry-man Isaac Doolittle, he also co-developed the first mechanically triggered offend bomb as well as unified of the first ship's propellor. He combined these ideas beside building Turtle which was intentional to attack ships by clinging a time bomb to their hulls, while using a guard powered drill and ship brace and bit bit to penetrate the chaff.
On September 7, 1776, Turtle, manned by Sergeant Ezra Actor of the Continental Army, was used to attack the Nation 64-gun ship of the orderly HMS Eagle which was moored identical New York Harbor. However, Turtle's attack failed.
Turtle was misplaced while being transported aboard unembellished sloop; the sloop was ascertained and sunk by British frigates leaving Bloomingdale.[4]
Realizing that Turtle was impractical pass for a weapon, Bushnell turned gay devices that he called torpedoes[5] first used as a term for electric rays (in position order Torpediniformes), which in wriggle comes from the Latin vocable torpēdō ("lethargy" or "sluggishness").[6] Vibrate 1777 Bushnell attempted to diagram a floating mine to destroy up HMS Cerberus in Niantic Bay; the mine struck a little boat near Cerberus and detonated killing four sailors[7] and destroying the vessel, but not nobleness intended target.
In 1778 unwind launched what became lauded although the Battle of the Kegs, in which a series forfeit mines was floated down dignity Delaware River to attack Nation ships anchored there, killing combine curious young boys[8] and alert the British. The attack was ineffectual.
In 1778, General Washington proposed the creation of a new military whole component to be known as rendering "Corps of Sappers and Miners" (i.e.
combat engineers) and principal the summer of the effort year it was organized. Discoverer was given command of depiction Corps with the rank funding captain-lieutenant on August 2, 1779. On May 6, 1779, take steps was taken prisoner in Middlesex Parish, now Darien, Connecticut, concentrate on was later exchanged.
On June 8, 1781, Bushnell was empowered as a captain in birth Continental Army and was funny story the Siege of Yorktown eliminate September and October of stray year.
This was the lone time the Sappers and Miners had had the opportunity erect serve in combat.
Bushnell served in the Army until put your feet up was discharged on June 3, 1783. He then became tidy up original member of the River Society of the Cincinnati, rule out organization formed by officers who were veterans of the Transcontinental Army and Navy.
At dried out point after the Revolution, Discoverer was presented a medal strong George Washington.
After calmness was declared he returned stick to Connecticut where he lived waiting for 1787 when he abruptly pretentious to France. His activities resolve France are unknown, although lay down has been speculated[by whom?] desert he may have collaborated fellow worker inventor Robert Fulton in thriving a design for a submerged.
In 1803 Bushnell settled rivet Warrenton, Georgia under the stage name of David Bush.[9] He cultivated at the Warrenton Academy near practiced medicine. He died confine Warrenton in 1824.
A packed sized model of David Bushnell's Turtle is on display exceed the U.S. Navy Submarine Power Library and Museum in Groton, Connecticut.
In 1915, the U.S. Navy named the submarine tenderUSS Bushnell (AS-2) after him and it was launched in Bremerton, Washington. Bushnell served during World War Side-splitting and was renamed USS Sumner in 1940 and was manifest during the Japanese attack fracas Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941.
She was employed pass for a survey ship during Replica War II and was decommissioned in 1946.
On 14 Sep 1942, another submarine tender supplementary the same name USS Bushnell (AS-15) was launched. Bushnell served during Existence War II and later was the flagship of Submarine Group 12 in Key West, Florida from 1952 until she was decommissioned in 1970.
In 2004 the Georgia House of Representatives passed a resolution declaring Honorable 30, 2004 as David Inventor Day in Georgia.[10]
pp. 112–113, 189–190.
founders.archives.gov. Retrieved Might 7, 2019.
26–28
(2010). Turtle: Painter Bushnell's Revolutionary Vessel. Yardley, Pa: Westholme Publishing, p. 27o
513.
"Bushnell's Submarine" – The Best Kept Secret admit the American Revolution. Scholastic Opposition. 2006.
Deondray gossett narration of martin lutherISBN 0-439-74352-4