Reply to each post 100 words min each
1. I chose to write on topic 29, its Harriett Tubman’s service in the civil war. Tubman had multiple roles in the civil war. Harriet Tubman was born Araminta Minty Ross in, 1820. Tubman was born into slavery on the plantation of Edward Brodes in Maryland. Her mother was called Harriet rit green owned by Mary Brodes, and her Father was Ben Ross owned by Anthony Thompson. ( Schlichenmeyer 2010). She was a fearless pioneer, and fought in her own personal way for the freedom, and assistance for African American freedom. Her position in the American war was a fraction of her accomplishment. Harriet Tubman was a humanitarian, an American abolitionist as well as, an armed scout, spy, nurse, ad cook for the US Army. during the American civil war. ( Kelly 2005).
Tubman played a big part in the underground railroad as well. Her skills was admirable because, of her efforts , and knowledge of the land. Tubman was very experienced in leading slaves along the under ground railroad. Harriet Tubman along with general David Hunter, recruited a group of former slaves , and they spied on rebel camp, and reported on the movement of the confederate troops. She even offered her services as a nurse to help African American soldiers, and freed slaves. IN 1863, Tubman began to work with colonel James Montgomery in an attack on several plantations along the Combahee river which lead to rescuing the freedom of more than 700 slaves. ( Tubman 2011). Along with her underground railroad activities , Harriet Tubman the American abolitionist was the first women to lead a military expedition in an American war. Later in life, she apposed a s a womans right pioneer. The accolades of her services for African American’s are numerous, and her memory is everlasting to African American people.
2. Robert Smalls had tide turning impact on the Civil War, and a lasting place in American history. Robert Smalls was born a slave in Beaufort, South Carolina on April 5th, 1839. His mother was a house slave named Lydia Polite, and it is speculated that his father was her master John McKee. Robert worked as a house servant alongside his mother until the age of twelve when the McKee family and he moved to Charleston, South Carolina. There, he was hired out as a day laborer on the docks and worked as a rigger, sail maker, and eventually a wheelman. A wheelman was the equivalent of a pilot as slaves couldn’t be given that title. He married in 1856 and they had children. (Timmons,G)
In 1861 he was hired on the converted steamship Planter which carried weapons, supplies, and ammunition for the Confederate army. By this point Mr. Smalls had an extensive knowledge of the Charleston waters, sailing and navigating.
In 1862 Smalls and seven out of the eight other slaves executed an attempt to free themselves and their families from slavery. On May 13th, 1862 the white crew members, as was commonly done, spent the night away from the ship and left the slaves to tend to the Planter. Robert and the other trusted slaves seized the opportunity and hijacked the converted steamship under the cover of darkness. Dressed in disguise as the Captain, Robert sailed the Planter to a nearby wharf where his wife, kids, and the other slaves’ families were waiting. Robert then sailed the Planter past three Confederate checkpoint sites, where discovery would have meant death, by mimicking the real Captains signals. Once free from confederate waters, Mr. Smalls turned the ship along with its weapons cache over to the Union Army and Robert became famous. His story was publicized and published in magazines and newspapers. The propaganda encouraged support for the Union and demoralized the south. Robert Smalls efforts assisted in influencing the president that blacks could sail and play a much larger role in military affairs( Robert Smalls Facts). Mr. Smalls was the first African American captain of a ship in United States History. He piloted for the Union Navy in almost 17 engagements including the Keokuk in 1863, which was subsequently sunk and even commanded the Planter again later on in 1863.
At the end of the Civil War Smalls popularity continued to rise and he served in the South Carolina House of Representatives from 1868 to 1870 and the state Senate from 1870 to 1874. Smalls was elected to the U.S. House of Representative where he continued to be an advocate for African American rights. (Smalls)
