Not only did Smalls escape with the CSS Planter, Smalls did so without firing a shot AND he made off with the confederate captain’s codebook which also contained the layout of the confederate mines and torpedoes at Charleston.
Reposted from
Lost Under the Couch Barbie.
Happy Black History Month! Here is my favorite story about a Black American you may not know about: Robert Smalls. He commandeered a confederate ship and sailed himself, his family, and the other enslaved crew and their families to freedom. THROUGH waters controlled by the Confederacy.
Comments
The bit about being a pilot of an ironclad is particularly important because ironclads were the most advanced naval vessels of their day.
Being a good enough pilot they let you do it again was a big thing.