Harriet Tubman And The Combahee River Raid

information, she will help the slaves escape from the plantations. As a former slave, Harriet Tubman was able to earn their trust and have them reveal critical information. Tubman reported all her intelligence to her handler, Colonel James Montgomery, a Union officer commanding the Second South Carolina Volunteers, a black unit involved in guerrilla warfare activities (Rose, 2011). Tubman and Colonel Montgomery worked together previously to raise the second South Carolina Colored Infantry Regiment. They shared common goals, vision and passion for the Civil War. Their common understanding allowed both of them to work together on a number of successful raids, one being the most famous which was prepared and lead by Harriet Tubman, the Combahee

She led 150 black soldiers of the Second South Carolina Battalion safely on the Combahee River without alerting the Confederate troops. (Biography, 2017). The Combahee River Raid mission was to destroy Confederate Supply routes and she was able to accomplish her mission without alerting the Confederate Army. As they raided the Combahee River, the Union Army set fire to the bridges, plantations, rice mills and storehouses. The Union army seized many supplies including; cotton, corn, rice and potatoes. Whatever not seized, Union Army destroyed. As promised, Tubman freed more than 700 slaves. The Combahee River Raid provided Colonel Montgomery with 300 new soldiers necessary to fight for their cause.
There was no investigation done to find the spy of the Union Army. Tubman’s role in the Union Army stayed unknown until July 10, 1863. Journalist from the Commonwealth, an antislavery newspaper in Boston, published an article “Harriet Tubman” spotlighting her accomplishments in the Civil War as a spy and leading slaves to freedom using the Underground Railroad (Historical Society,

If Confederate troops paid attention to these indicators, they might have caught and put an end to Tubman’s missions. Tubman stole and used slave masters’ horse and buggy for the first two days of her journey. Runaway notices did not publish on the newspapers until Monday morning, therefore, Tubman left on Saturday night. This technique gave Tubman and the fugitives enough time to run away. Tubman turned about and headed south if she encountered possible slave hunters, leading slave hunters to believe they are not runaways. Crying babies presented a danger in the Underground Railroad. Tubman carried a drug to use on crying babies which caused them to fall asleep. Tubman famously carried a gun and threatened fugitives by saying “You’ll be free or die” if they become exhausted and decided to turn back. (PBS, n.d) In 1856, there was a $40,000 reward for the capture of Harriet Tubman. One Occasion, Tubman overheard two men talking about her wanted poster, which stated that she was illiterate. Tubman began to carry a book pretending to read it.
Tubman’s espionage missions revealed the weaknesses and important locations of the Confederate Troops. In result, Confederate Troops could not defend and win the Civil War. Tubman’s ability to take advantage of the stereotypes south had on slaves and her knowledge on the terrain helped her successfully manage to elude capture from the slave hunters and the Confederate troops.