Hydraulic Mining

This photo shows Hydraulic Mining. the picture was taken in 1889 in the Dakota Territory. It is amazing what people did to find gold.

Robert Smalls Decides to Go for It

I am always inspired by stories of the underdog or the oppressed rising above their circumstances. That is why Robert Smalls is one of my favorite historical figures. It was on this day, May 13, in the year 1862, that Robert Smalls decided to go for it.

You see, Robert Smalls was born in 1839 in Beaufort, South Carolina. Being born black in Beaufort in 1839 meant being born a slave. Robert grew up a slave. As a young man, he was assigned to dock work in Charleston, South Carolina. He eventually was told to work on a Confederate Transport Ship, the "Planter". The "Planter" was a high-pressure, side-wheel steamer, one hundred and forty feet in length, and about fifty feet beam, and drew about five feet of water. She was built to be a Cotton transport boat, but with the outbreak of the unpleasantness of 1861, she was commissioned by the Rebel Navy as a gunboat. Robert was given the job of being the helmsman of this Confederate Vessel.

Robert hatched a plan that was so daring it was almost unthinkable . . . he would commandeer the Planter, and use it to steam himself, the crew, and all their families to safety in the North. He shared his plans with the slave crew, and the crew agreed to go along. Robert planned the escape, but waited patiently for the perfect opportunity to execute it.

It was the evening of May 12 that the white confederate officers decided to go onshore to spend the night, as they were planning to take the planter on an expedition the next day. Robert saw this as his chance. He loaded his family, and the family of the slave crew on board the Planter. At about 3:00 AM on the morning of May 13, Robert fired up the boiler, and built a strong head of steam, and pulled the ship out of the docks. The tide was against them that morning, and they did not reach Fort Sumter until daylight. Robert now faced his greatest danger . . . the guns of Fort Sumter, which was under Confederate control. Smalls knew the secret signal, and as he passed the boat directly under the walls of Sumter, he gave the usual signal of two long pulls and a jerk at the whistle-cord, and they safely passed the Sumter Guards. Once out of range of the rebel guns he faced the new danger of steaming a Confederate warship directly at the Union Fleet. He had planned for this danger as well, and he hoisted the white flag of surrender, while steaming directly for the Union steamer Augusta. Captain Parrott, of the latter vessel saw the flag, and held his fire. He then heard their incredible story, and forwarded them on to Commodore Dupont. The crew and their families were warmly cared for by DuPont, who proposed that the US Congress make an appropriation of $20,000 as a reward to the Slaves who had so distinguished themselves by this gallant service.

In December 1863 Smalls became the first black captain of a vessel in the service of the United States Navy. On April 7, 1863 Smalls piloted the ironclad Keokuk in a Union attack on Fort Sumter, the very fort around which he had escaped.

Smalls was elected to the United States Congress as a Republican in 1875. He served in the 44th, 45th, 47th, 48th, and 49th U.S. Congresses.

So today, we tip our hats to Robert Smalls, and his daring escape, and his choice to not let his circumstances keep him from accomplishing great things.

Battle of Spotsylvania

The picture above shows a scene at the Battle of Spotsylvania in the Civil War. The soldier pictured was killed in the battle, and preparations are being made for his burial. Some of the fiercest fighting in the Civil War occurred on this day, May 12, in the Spotsylvania Battle at the "Bloody Angle". Recent rainfall had caused much of the gunpowder to become wet, so the rifles of most soldiers were rendered useless. The battle was fought in fierce a hand-to-hand struggle with bayonets.

General JEB Stuart

This is a portrait of Confederate General J.E.B. Stuart. Stuart was a masterful cavalry commander, and served as the eyes and ears of Robert E. Lee's Army of Northern Virginia. It was on this day, May 11, in the year 1864 that Stuart was mortally wounded in a skirmish on the outskirts of Richmond, Virginia.

Dakota Territory

This picture was taken in 1889, and shows the Hotel Minnekahta in Hot Springs, Dakota Territory. You can see an old stage coach out to the side of the hotel.

Cotton Pickers

This photograph was taken in 1938, and it shows Cotton Pickers climbing into a truck, which will take them to the fields for work. I always liked this picture, as it shows the two men helping the older woman up onto the truck. Cotton picking was back-breaking work, long hours, and very low pay.

The photograph was taken by Russell Lee for the Farm Security Administration.

Mary Todd Lincoln

Today we feature a portrait of Mary Todd Lincoln, wife of Abraham Lincoln. Mary Todd really had a tragic life. Her mother died when she was a child, and she had problems with her step mother. After marrying Abraham, they had 4 children, with three of the children dying at an early age, and only one living to be an adult. She of course was present at the tragic event of the assassination of her husband at Ford's theatre in 1865. She suffered from depression and other mental problems for the remainder of her life.

The Hindenburg

This picture was taken on January 25, 1937 in New Jersey and shows the German airship "Hindenburg". The Hindenburg was used to carry people, mail, and some freight between Germany and the United States or South America.

It was on this day, May 6, in the year 1937 that the Hindenburg burned and crashed in Manchester Township, New Jersey. Thirty five of the ninety seven people on board died in the tragedy.