Robert Smalls: "The Steamer 'Planter' and Her Captor," June 14, 1862

An article describing the escape of Robert Smalls and several members of his family and friends from slavery by taking a Confederate ship and sailing to the north.

Courtesy of Library of Congress, "The Steamer 'Planter' and Her Captor," Harper's Weekly, vol. 6, pp. 372, 14 June 1862

Description

The article from Harper's Weekly described the escape of Robert Smalls and several members of his family and friends from slavery. Smalls was an enslaved African American who, during and after the American Civil War, gained freedom and became a ship's pilot, sea captain and politician. He freed himself, his crew and their families from slavery on May 13, 1862, by commandeering a Confederate transport ship, CSS Planter, in Charleston harbor, and sailing it from Confederate-controlled waters to the U.S. blockade.

Transcript of "The Steamer 'Planter' and Her Captor"

Source-Dependent Questions

Describe the escape of Robert Smalls, and all the passengers he took with him.
What does the article about Robert Smalls suggest about how people traveled on the Underground Railroad?
How was Robert Smalls' escape story similar to and different from other escape stories of the Underground Railroad?

Citation Information

"The Steamer 'Planter' and Her Captor," Harper's Weekly, vol. 6, pp. 372, 14 June 1862. Courtesy of Library of Congress