Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

History Commons

Open Access. Powered by Scholars. Published by Universities.®

Journal

2020

Gettysburg College

Charleston

Articles 1 - 1 of 1

Full-Text Articles in History

Robert Smalls And The Steamship Planter: Turning The Tides For The Union Military In The Civil War, William K. Donaldson Jan 2020

Robert Smalls And The Steamship Planter: Turning The Tides For The Union Military In The Civil War, William K. Donaldson

The Gettysburg College Journal of the Civil War Era

This paper addresses the accomplishments of the slave Robert Smalls and his absconding with the valuable Confederate steamship, the Planter, from the Charleston, South Carolina harbor in the early morning hours of May 13th, 1862. Smalls went on to become a pilot and eventual captain of ships for the Union contributing substantially to the Civil War effort. After the war, Smalls became a Congressman. Through his contributions, Robert Smalls left an indelible mark on the history of the United States.