Robert Smalls Research Paper

Robert Smalls is one of those African Americans who tried everything they can just to get freedom during the Civil War. He, however, is still unknown to this day. Smalls was born in 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina. His mother, Lydia, was a slave while his father, John McKee, was a slave owner. Because of this advantage, Smalls was different from other slaves. He could travel around town and play with other kids, both African Americans and Caucasians. As a result, his mother became worried that her child, Smalls, would not be able to understand the terror of slavery. She started to let Smalls to spend time with her family. When Smalls saw how horrible his mother was treated, he became so disobedient that he stopped playing with other children,

They had two children: Elizabeth Lydia and Robert Smalls Jr. shortly afterwards. One day, Smalls asked the slave owners of his wife and himself to allow them to live together so that they could have better lives. The slave owners agreed. He, however, was not appeased because he feared one day the slave owners could sell his wife and children to a land far away. Therefore he asked for the price of freedom for him and his wife. The price was outrageous because he only had 100 dollars including all his savings while the cost was 800 dollars. As a result, he decided to escape. At that time, Union troops were blockading the port at Charleston. They welcomed slaves who wanted their freedom to go past Union lines. Smalls, therefore, planned to take his wife and children to freedom by water. After a careful planning, they sneaked out toward the Charleston port in the early morning of May 13, 1862 when all white sailors left the port. Then, they drove the ship out of the port and started heading toward Fort Sumter, the freedom getaway. Despite passing through the dangerous rebel routines and guns, they arrived at the Union lines. Immediately, they raised a white flag, surrendering the Planter to the Union troops. Because of that, President Lincoln awarded him by letting him lead the Union forces. His family also gained their freedom instantly. Furthermore, Smalls became the captain of both the CSS Planter and the USS Keokuk,