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A steamboat with a spar torpedo, in transport position

The Confederate torpedo boat CSS David showing the spar torpedo mounted to the bow

Explosive charge lashed to the boom of a spar torpedo

A spar torpedo is a weapon consisting of a bomb placed at the end of a long pole, or spar, and attached to a boat. The weapon is used by running the end of the spar into the enemy ship. Spar torpedoes were often equipped with a barbed spear at the end, so it would stick to wooden hulls. A fuse could then be used to detonate it.