First, a little background:
Robert Smalls was quite a figure in the American Civil War. He was an enslaved African American who escaped to freedom with bravery and intelligence. In my personal point of view, many of the strategies and lines of thought that Smalls used later in his life came from his childhood. When he was a young boy, he used to play with white children, and he was treated favorably by the house owner where his mother was a housekeeper, even to the point of paying fines when he stayed outside after the curfew for blacks at 7pm.
This, among many other events, makes me believe from a psychological point of view that he always believed he should be 'equal' to the rest. However, his mother took him to a plantation later on so he could see the harsh realities of slavery.
Fast forward, Smalls was rented as a paid laborer in Charleston, as a crew member of the Planter, transporting supplies for the Confederate Army. In few words, the naval knowledge that Smalls gained through his work at Charleston, along with the ideas he conceived during his early life, gave him enough courage to pilot the Planter (a Confederate Army ship) and deliver it to the Union.
Smalls was set free from slavery and named US Navy Officer, fighting in 17 battles afterwards, but most importantly he became a recruiter using his stories to convince people to fight. There is not much record on more specific or particular military strategies he used, however we can deduce a couple of points here:
- Without heavy previous knowledge, he could have not taken control of a ship on his own. Knowledge always overcomes strength.
- His ideas about equality were the fuel for his acts. There is no courage without a strong idea. There is not a brave soldier without a strong motif.
- Constant and careful observation is what made possible for Smalls to take control of the ship while the crew was away. He also deceived the Union ships by observing the signals they gave to each other, and ultimately delivering the Confederate ship to the Union without starting a conflict.
"Robert Smalls acquired heavy knowledge that allowed him to lead the way to freedom and to success in war, using his courage and strong beliefs and ideas, and a careful observation as strategies"
Happy holidays!
