The Coconino weekly sun., 1896-05-21
sMALLs STOOD IN THE PILOT HOUSE.

" |"
 BMALLs STOOD IN THE PILOT HOUSE
 bor, at the risk of his life. The com-
 mittee on war claims has made favor
 able report on the bill, and the report
 gives the history of the heroism of
 Smalls.
 On May 13. 1862, the confederate
 steamboat Planter" the special dis patch boat of Gen. Ripley, the confed-
 crate post commander at Charleston, S. C., was taken by Robert Smalls under
 the following circumstances from the wharf at which she was lying, carried safely out of Charleston harbor, and de- Gvered to one of the vessels of the fed eral fleet then blockading the port.
 On the day previous, May 12, the Planter which had for two weeks been engaged in removing guns from Coles island to James island, returned to Charleston. That night all of the off, cers went ashore and slept in the city, leaving on board crew of eight men, all colored. Among them was Robert Slnails, who was virtually the pilot of the boat, although he was only called a wheelman, because at that time no col cred man could have, in fact, been made a pilot. For some time previous he had been watching for an oppor- tunity to carry into execution plan he had conceived to take the Planter to the federal fleet. This, he saw, was about as good chance as he would ever have to do so, and therefore he determined not to lose it. Consulting with the balance of the crew, Smalls found that they were willing to CO., operate with him, although two of them afterward concluded 10 remain behind. The design was hazardous in the extreme.
 The boat would have to pass beneath the guns of the forts in the harbor. Failure and detection would have been certain death. Fearful was the ven- ture, but it was made. The daring reso lution had been formed, and under command of Robert Smalls wood was taken aboard, steam was put on, and with her valuable cargo of guns and ammunition, intended for Fort Ripley, new fertilization just constructed in the harbor, about two o'clock in the morning the Planter silently moved off from the dock, steamed up to North Att lantic wharf, where Smalls' wife and two children, together with four other women and one other child, and also three men, were waiting to embark All of these were taken on board, and then, at 3:25 a. m., May 13, the Planter started on her perilous venture, carry ing nine men, five women and three children. Passing Fort Johnson, the Planters steam whistle blew the usual salute and she proceeded down the bay. Approaching Fort Sumter, Smalls stood in the pilot house leaning out of the window, with his arms folded across his breast, after the manner of Capt. Re- lay, the commander of the boat, and with his head covered with the huge straw hat which Capt. Relay commonly wore on such occasions.
 The signal required to be given by all | steamers passing out was given as coolly as if Gen. Ripley was on board, | going out on tour of inspection. Sumter answered by signal; "All right" and the Planter headed toward Morris | island, then occupied by Hatch's light | artillery, and passed beyond the range of Shutters guns before anybody sus- pected anything was wrong. When at | last the Planter was obviously going toward the federal fleet off the bar, Sumter signaled toward Morris island | to stop her. But it was too late. As the Planter approached the federal fleet, white flag was displayed, but this was not at first discovered, and the | federal steamers, supposing that the confederate rams were coming to at- tack them, stood out to deep water. But the ship Onward, Capt. Nichols. which was not Q steamer, remained, opened her ports, and was about to fire into the Planter. when she noticed the flag of truce. As soon as the vessels came within hailing distance of each other, the Planters errand was explained. Capt. Nichols then boarded her, and Smalls delivered the Planter to him. From the Planter Smalls was transferred to the Augusta, the flag ship off the bar, under the command of Capt. Parrott, by whom the Planter, with Smalls and her crew, were sent to Port Royal to Rear Admiral Dupont, then in command of the southern squadron.
 Snnlls continued to distinguish him seli in number of naval engagements, and upon one occasion, in December, 1862. while the Planter, then under Capt. Naclcrson, was sailing through Folly