Robert Smalls: The Slave Who Stole a Confederate Ship and Altered the Course of the Civil War

Have you ever heard the incredible tale of Robert Smalls, the enslaved African American who executed one of the most daring escapes of the Civil War by stealing a Confederate ship? His story is not just a thrilling adventure but also a pivotal moment that contributed to changing the course of American history¹.

Born into slavery in 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina, Robert Smalls worked in Charleston, where he became a skilled sailor and wheelman, though he was never formally taught to navigate or pilot ships. In an audacious move on May 13, 1862, Smalls, along with a crew of fellow enslaved men, commandeered the CSS Planter, a Confederate transport steamer, navigating it from Confederate-controlled waters to freedom behind Union lines².

This act of courage and cunning did not just secure their freedom; it also provided the Union with invaluable intelligence on Confederate fortifications and orders, as Smalls had turned over operational plans, the Planter itself, and its onboard artillery. Recognized for his heroism, Smalls was welcomed as a hero in the North and went on to serve as a pilot in the Union Navy for the remainder of the war. After the war, he continued his fight for equality by embarking on a political career, serving in both the South Carolina State legislature and the U.S. House of Representatives¹.

Smalls’ daring escape and his subsequent contributions helped to persuade President Abraham Lincoln to allow African Americans to serve in the Union Army and Navy, significantly shifting the tide of the war³. By the war’s end, nearly 200,000 African Americans had served in the Union forces, playing a crucial role in securing the North’s victory⁴.

Robert Smalls’ life went beyond his wartime heroics. After the Civil War, he bought his former master’s house in Beaufort, which now stands as a testament to his remarkable journey from slavery to freedom and to political influence. He dedicated his post-war life to promoting education for African Americans, believing it was crucial for their progress and full participation in American society⁵.

Let this story of courage, intelligence, and resilience inspire us all. Robert Smalls didn’t just chart a course for his own freedom; he navigated a path that would lead to greater opportunities and rights for countless others. A true hero not only because of his brave actions but also because of his lasting impact on the course of American history and civil rights.

1. https://www.nps.gov/people/robert-smalls.htm [↩] [↩]
2. https://www.britannica.com/biography/Robert-Smalls [↩]
3. https://www.army.mil/blackamericans/timeline.html [↩]
4. https://www.battlefields.org/learn/topics/african-americans-americas-wars [↩]
5. https://sc.edu/about/our_history/university_history/presidential_commission/commission_reports/final_report/appendices/appendix-3/smalls-robert/index.php [↩]