"American Floating Battery. I am indebted to the kindness of Peter Force, Esq., of Washington city (editor of 'The American Archives'), for this drawing of one of the American floating batteries used in the siege of Boston. It is copied from an English mauscript in his possession, and is now published for the first time. I have never met with a description of those batteries, and can judge of their construction only from the drawing. They appear to have been made of strong planks, pierced, near the water-line, for cars; along the sides, higher up, for the light and musketry. A heavy gun was placed in each end, and upon the top were four swivels."—Lossing, 1851

Floating Battery

"American Floating Battery. I am indebted to the kindness of Peter Force, Esq., of Washington city (editor…

The first American floating battery was seen in the Charles River, at Boston, in October, 1775.

The First American Floating Battery

The first American floating battery was seen in the Charles River, at Boston, in October, 1775.