On May 13; 1862; Robert Smalls (1839-1915) commandeered a Confederate warship; the Planter; from Charleston harbor and piloted the vessel to cheering seamen of the Union blockade; thus securing his place in the annals of Civil War heroics. Slave; pilot; businessman; statesman; U.S. congressman--Smalls played many roles en route to becoming an American icon; but none of his accomplishments was a solo effort. Sociologist Andrew Billingsley offers the first biography of Smalls to assess the influence of his families--black and white; past and present--on his life and enduring legend. In so doing; Billingsley creates a compelling mosaic of evolving black-white social relations in the American South as exemplified by this famous figure and his descendants.Born a slave in Beaufort; South Carolina; Robert Smalls was raised with his master's family and grew up amid an odd balance of privilege and bondage which instilled in him an understanding of and desire for freedom; culminating in his daring bid for freedom in 1862. Smalls served with distinction in the Union forces at the helm of the Planter and; after the war; he returned to Beaufort to buy the home of his former masters--a house that remained at the center of the Smalls family for a century. A founder of the South Carolina Republican Party; Smalls was elected to the state house of representatives; the state senate; and five times to the United States Congress. Throughout the trials and triumphs of his military and public service; he was surrounded by growing family of supporters. Billingsley illustrates how this support system; coupled with Smalls's dogged resilience; empowered him for success.Writing of subsequent generations of the Smalls family; Billingsley delineates the evolving patterns of opportunity; challenge; and change that have been the hallmarks of the African American experience thanks to the selfless investments in freedom and family made by Robert Smalls of South Carolina.
#648278 in Books Madison Books 2000-10-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 11.46 x .28 x 8.32l; .88 #File Name: 1568331657144 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Seventeenth century Indian militaryBy E.P. McLeanOriginally published in 1991 this work considers the affect of European military technology on Indian warfare. It is an academically well researched work. Gives a general consideration of the subject; but doesn't give great detail about battles or specific events. Nice introduction to subject.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. The Skulking Way of War - Indigination of the First PeopleBy R. H. SwensonPatrick M. Malone has shattered the myth of the American Indian as being an ignorant savage who was incapable of learning or of having the ability to learn European ways. "The Skulking Way of War" presented the argument that the American Indians of New England learned many skills from the English and adapted those newly learned skills into their culture and used those skills to improve their way of life. Malone brings to the forefront the concept of Indigination;or the Anglosizing of the New England Indians which led to drastic misunderstanding between the New England Indians and the English - especially in warfare.Malone puts forward the concepts that the English immigrants to New England were more farmers and shop keepers than hunters of game; thusly had little practical skills needed for the using of Flintlock of Matchlock muskets. In contrast the New England Indians had the hunting skills from using the bow and arrow combined with the skills of the stalking style of hunting. When the New England Indians acquired English technology of the Flintlock; the Indians became extremely good marksmen. By apprenticeship to the English the New England Indians also learned to become gunsmiths and even competent gun builders; enough so that the Dutch of the Hudson River Valley was smuggling gun parts to the New England Indians for repairing or the building of guns.There are many instances of indigination/assimilation between cultures and this book presents this cultural exchange in a very well research manner. This book is a must read for any student of early American history or for any teachers or professors of history to either use for class lectures or to have students read as part of the ongoing studies of early American Colonial history. This book should be a shining example that shatters the myth of European superiority over American Indian ignorance and puts the reflection of arrogance not on the Indians; but upon the Europeans where it must reside.This book will help cure your ignorance and enlighten your knowledge of the New England frontier of the seventeenth century. Enjoy.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. This book suffers the rare circumstance of being really good and yet too shortBy Tony WhitmanThis author took a subject not enough explored since Samuel Adams Drake and expanded upon it greatly. The authors enthusiasm for the subject is apparent.The book might have a bit too much on the technology and not enough on the discussed tactics but the research is executed very well.This book suffers the rare circumstance of being really good and yet too short. Malone presents his material so well at the end that I wish there was more - but I'm grateful for what was received.
