The house at 5 East Battery, c 1848, was recently painstakingly restored. It is spectacular, as is its garden. The house is often associated with dentistry, because a previous owner (a dentist) is reputed to have painted it and its wall pink to remind people of healthy gums. But, more significantly, one of its earliest owners, Dr. St. Julien Ravenel, designed the “Little David” — the Confederate semi-submersible craft which was a precursor to the first submarine. The design led to the David Class of semi-submersibles of which over 20 were built for the Confederate navy. The Little David itself was used to attack the famous USS Ironsides.
A local's eye view
