
The Slave Who Wore the Captain's Hat — Robert Smalls (1862)
May 1862, 3 a.m. — enslaved Robert Smalls put on the captain's hat, blew the signal whistle, and sailed a Confederate warship past two forts to freedom.
Apr 25, 20262posts

May 1862, 3 a.m. — enslaved Robert Smalls put on the captain's hat, blew the signal whistle, and sailed a Confederate warship past two forts to freedom.
Apr 25, 2026
September 17, 1862. The bloodiest single day in American history. This battle made the Emancipation Proclamation possible.
Apr 21, 2026