Be free or die
Subtitle: the amazing story of Robert Smalls' escape from slavery to Union hero
By: Cate Lineberry
Edition: First edition.
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Published: 2017
Language: eng
Number of pages: 272
ISBN-13: 9781250101860
Copyright date: 2017
Subjects: Ship captains; African American legislators; African American Participation; Fugitive slaves; Planter (Steamship); United States; United States. Congress. House; African Americans; Biography; History
Description: "It was a mild May morning in Charleston, South Carolina, in 1862, the second year of the Civil War, when a twenty-three-year-old slave named Robert Smalls did the unthinkable and boldly seized a Confederate steamer. With his wife and two young children hidden on board, Smalls and a small crew ran a gauntlet of heavily armed fortifications in Charleston Harbor and delivered the valuable vessel and the massive guns it carried to nearby Union forces. To be unsuccessful was a death sentence for all. Smalls' courageous and ingenious act freed him and his family from slavery and immediately made him a Union hero while simultaneously challenging much of the country's view of what African Americans were willing to do to gain their freedom. After his escape, Smalls served in numerous naval campaigns off Charleston as a civilian boat pilot and eventually became the first black captain of an Army ship. In a particularly poignant moment Smalls even bought the home that he and his mother had once served in as house slaves. Be Free or Die is a compelling narrative that illuminates Robert Smalls' amazing journey from slave to Union hero and ultimately United States Congressman. This captivating tale of a valuable figure in American history gives fascinating insight into the country's first efforts to help newly freed slaves while also illustrating the many struggles and achievements of African Americans during the Civil War."--Jacket flap.
Notes: Includes bibliographical references (p. 237-263) and index.
Table of contents: title: The escape; title: South Carolina's son; title: In the service of the Confederacy; title: Union hero; title: Our country calls; title: North and south; title: The Keokuk; title: Captain Smalls; title: The City of Brotherly Love; title: Triumph and tragedy; title: Retaliation and reward; title: Epilogue.