AchievementMay 13, 1862· leadership
Robert Smalls commandeers the CSS Planter
Enslaved pilot Robert Smalls sails a Confederate ship out of Charleston Harbor to the Union blockade, freeing himself, his family, and the crew — and becomes a war hero and congressman.
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- part of·ThreadBlack Soldiers & the USCT
Smalls's daring escape helped persuade the Union to arm and enlist Black men.