Army to name ship after S.C.’s Smalls

the state ^ | Feb. 16, 2004

[stainlessbanner]

The Army will name its newest transport ship for South Carolinian Robert Smalls, an African-American Civil War hero.

The Major General Robert Smalls will be the first Army vessel to honor an African-American and a Civil War hero, the Army said Friday.

The vessel, under construction at VT Halter Marine Inc. in Pascagoula, Miss., will be christened in April. The $25 million ship will be 314 feet long and 60 feet wide, and carry up to 2,000 tons.

In April 1862, Smalls was a 23-year-old slave pilot when he commandeered a Confederate transport steamer, the Planter. Smalls sailed the ship, loaded with armaments, away from a Charleston dock, past the heavily guarded Fort Sumter, and delivered it to the Union fleet.

A few months later, in August, Smalls served the Union as the pilot and captain of the ironclad Keokuk during a failed attack on Fort Sumter. Struck 19 times at or below the waterline, the Keokuk sank, but Smalls and his crew were rescued.

After his naval career, Smalls moved back to his native Beaufort and established himself as a politician. He was elected to the S.C. House in 1868 and the Senate in 1870, where he fought for the economic rights and protection of blacks.

He also defended the cause of an honest and responsible government. In 1874, Smalls was elected to Congress, where he expanded his fight to protect the rights of black people despite the opposition and intimidation of whites.

His clashes with widely known Democrats gave Smalls a reputation as a tough, determined fighter, earning him the admiration of national Republican leaders.

[Little Ray]

I may be a Southron, but he sounds a like a darn good man after which to name a ship.

[Professional Engineer]

Cool stuff.

[LibertarianatHeart]

I grew up in Beaufort SC and went to Lady's Island Middle School. Robert Smalls Middle School was our rival, but I am glad he is getting a ship named after him.

[mass55th]

Smalls, on board his boat (The Planter) was in attendance at the Fort Sumter ceremony in '65, when General Robert Anderson re-raised the U.S. flag that had originally flown at Sumter before he and his troops surrendered.

[PAR35]

Major General Robert Smalls

There is nothing in the story saying that he ever served in anyone's army. How did he get the rank of Major General?

[ErnBatavia]

[2banana]

He also defended the cause of an honest and responsible government

And he was a REPUBLICAN!

[PAR35]

OK, I've gotten him to Lt.

"Robert Smalls was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant, Company B, 33rd Regiment, United States Colored Troops."
http://www.beaufort-sc.com/history/smalls.htm

More google, and I have my answer:

"After leaving Congress, Smalls was duty collector for the port of Beaufort. He retained his interest in the military and was a major general in the South Carolina militia. He died on Feb. 22, 1916."
http://www.africawithin.com/bios/robert_smalls.htm

Of course, more impressive than his election to Congress in an election conducted by occupation forces was this post Reconstruction accomplishment:

"He was one of the six black members of the South Carolina constitutional convention of 1895."

[RichInOC]

SC state militia, per several references on Google.

[Arkinsaw]

I may be a Southron, but he sounds a like a darn good man after which to name a ship.

Ditto.

[John H K]

In April 1862, Smalls was a 23-year-old slave pilot when he commandeered a Confederate transport steamer, the Planter. Smalls sailed the ship, loaded with armaments, away from a Charleston dock, past the heavily guarded Fort Sumter, and delivered it to the Union fleet.

Since any astute FR reader knows that the SOLE cause of the Civil War was horrible Northern tarriff policy, it makes one wonder why this guy cared enough about supporting Northern tarriff policies to help out the Union this way....

(Ducking and running for cover)

[IrishCatholic]

Wow, maybe I had you ALL wrong. This is a side of you I have not seen.

[Poohbah]

Better get your asbestos Fruit-of-the-Looms on!

[docmcb]

Keokuk

Twin casemate ironclad
Dimensions: length 159'6", beam 37', draft 9'3"
Displacement: 840 tons
Speed: 10 knots
Crew: 92
Armor: 4" iron-and-wood sides and casemates
Armament: Two 11" Dahlgren smoothbores
Authorized: Mar 62

Keokuk: [Images] This experimental ironclad was armed with two pivot guns in non-rotating towers. Her armor was insufficent to protect her. Originally intended to be called "Moodna." Submitted to the Ironclad Board along with the original designs, but not initially accepted. Constructed by Underhill at New York NT. Launched 6 Dec 62. Commissioned 24 Feb 63. Arrived Port Royal 26 Mar 63. SABS. Ordered to North Edisto River 1 Apr 63. Bombarded Fort Sumter 7 Apr 63. Hit 90 times, 18 below water line. Sank 8 Apr 63 (none killed). Armament salvaged by Confederates 1 May 63 and 5 May 63. One gun survives at White Point Gardens (Battery Park) in Charleston. Wreckers did not disturb hull prior to 1870 as it was out of the main ship channel, but may have been broken up sometime thereafter. Commander: Cdr. Alexander C. Rhind (Oct 62-Apr 63).

I don't believe Small was on the Keokuk. He was a hero anyway, however.

[docmcb]

Okay, Smalls WAS on the Keokuk, as a pilot, which makes sense, but not as captain. He did make army captain during the war. The USN took the PLANTER into service and Smalls served on her.

Steamship Planter (1860-1876);
Confederate Army transport Planter (1861-62);
USS Planter (1862);
U.S. Army ship Planter (1862-65?).
Planter, a 300-ton side-wheel steamship, was built for commercial use at Charleston, South Carolina, in 1860. In 1861- 62, she served the Confederate Army as an armed transport and dispatch vessel. On 13 May 1862, her pilot, Robert Smalls, boldly steamed her past the Charleston fortifications and turned her over to Federal forces blockading that port. With Planter, Smalls brought several other slaves and a cargo of four guns. He, and the other black crewmen, were awarded half the value of their ship and its cargo.

Planter operated as a unit of the U.S. Navy's South Atlantic Blockading Squadron during 1862. Later in that year, she was transferred to the U.S. Army. Following the Civil War, Planter returned to commercial service. She was lost in 1876.

[docmcb]

Camp Robert Smalls was or is located at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station. My recollection is that the Tuskeegee airmen were kept there in isolation from whites while they were training.

[Grand Old Partisan]

"And he was a REPUBLICAN!"

Damned right! And the Confederates were Democrats!!

[Arkinsaw]

Thats fine, as long as you realize that you were the one who first spoiled the thread honoring him....and not us on the other side :-o

[stainlessbanner]

The sad thing is, this is a thread honoring a worthy Union man and they still can't resist the urge to wreck it (see 18).