Today in Revolutionary War History — September 6

If there’s ever a boring anniversary, I’ll skip it but that day is not this day!

Tonight marks an especially good 250th anniversary. On the night of September 6–7, 1776, Sergeant Ezra Lee climbed into David Bushnell’s tiny hand-powered Turtle and set out into New York Harbor to attack HMS Eagle, Admiral Richard Howe’s flagship. Lee was unable to attach the explosive charge to the ship, but the attempt became the first known use of a submarine in combat. The U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command dates Turtle’s departure to the evening of September 6, and the Smithsonian published a substantial new article on the experiment just three days ago for its 250th anniversary. Naval History and Heritage Command

There’s a neat commemorative connection today, too: Warrenton, Georgia, where Bushnell lived late in life under the name David Bush, is holding a 250th-anniversary Turtle commemoration and wreath-laying today, September 6, 2026. Explore Georgia

Then, September 6, 1781, brought one of the Revolution’s darkest final battles. Benedict Arnold, now fighting for Britain, led roughly 1,600 British troops against his native Connecticut. New London was burned, while across the Thames River British troops stormed Fort Griswold at Groton Heights. After the fort fell, many American defenders were killed after surrendering; their commander, Lt. Col. William Ledyard, was among the dead. The attack came only about six weeks before Cornwallis surrendered at Yorktown. Fort Griswold

And that battle is being remembered today as well: Fort Griswold is holding its 245th-anniversary commemoration this evening, extinguishing candles one by one as the names of the fallen are read. Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce

So September 6 gives us an extraordinary Revolutionary pairing: 1776 — Americans experiment with the future of warfare beneath New York Harbor. 1781 — Benedict Arnold returns home at the head of a British invasion force.