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Amazing Facts About Foundational Black Americans
May 13, 1862 — Charleston Harbor, South Carolina
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Did you know an enslaved Black American helped commandeer a Confederate military steamer and carry 16 people to freedom?
On May 13, 1862, Robert Smalls and other enslaved Black men took control of the Planter, a steamer being used by Confederate forces in Charleston Harbor.
With the White officers ashore, the enslaved crew put their escape plan into action. They collected family members, used their knowledge of Confederate signals to pass the harbor defenses, and carried sixteen freedom seekers to the Union blockade.
Smalls disguised himself in Confederate captain Charles Relyea's coat and straw hat. Experienced pilot Abram Allston handled the wheel during the escape.
Robert Smalls was born enslaved in Beaufort, South Carolina, in 1839. After the Civil War he entered public life and was elected to the United States House of Representatives in 1874, ultimately serving portions of five terms.
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