Be free or die : the amazing story of Robert Smalls' escape from slavery to Union hero

Resource Information

The work Be free or die : the amazing story of Robert Smalls' escape from slavery to Union hero represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in Haverhill Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Language Material, Books.

Label

Be free or die : the amazing story of Robert Smalls' escape from slavery to Union hero

Title remainder

the amazing story of Robert Smalls' escape from slavery to Union hero

Statement of responsibility

Cate Lineberry

Creator

• Lineberry, Cate

Author

• Lineberry, Cate

Subject

• African American legislators -- Biography
• African Americans
• African Americans -- Biography
• American Civil War (1861-1865)
• BIOGRAPHY & AUTOBIOGRAPHY / Historical
• Beaufort (S.C.) -- Biography
• Biographies
• Biographies
• Biography
• Fugitive slaves
• Fugitive slaves -- South Carolina | Beaufort -- Biography
• HISTORY / African American
• HISTORY / United States / Civil War Period (1850-1877)
• 1861-1865
• History
• Military participation -- African American
• Planter (Steamship)
• Ship captains
• Ship captains -- United States -- Biography
• Smalls, Robert, 1839-1915
• South Carolina -- Beaufort
• United States
• United States -- History -- Civil War, 1861-1865 -- Participation, African American
• United States, Congress | House -- Biography
• HISTORY / United States / State & Local / South (AL, AR, FL, GA, KY, LA, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, WV)
• African American legislators

Genre

• History
• Biography
• Biographies

Language

eng

Summary

"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

Biography type

individual biography

Cataloging source

DLC

Dewey number

• 973.8092
• B

Illustrations

• illustrations
• maps
• plates

Index

index present

LC call number

E185.97.S6

LC item number

L56 2017

Literary form

non fiction

Nature of contents

bibliography