The first submarine to go into action was an American vessel called the Turtle. It tried to attack a British warship in 1776, during the American War of Independence. The Turtle was an egg-shaped craft powered by one man, who sat inside and turned two handles connected to screw propellers outside.
Manned by Sergeant Ezra Lee, the Turtle’s mission was to attach a mine to the warship’s hull. The submarine worked well, but the bottom of the ship was lined with metal, Preventing Sargent Lee from fixing the mine.