Freedom at Dawn: Robert Smalls’s Voyage Out of Slavery

The true story of one man’s brave plan to free his family from slavery

Lizzy Smalls is proud of her papa, Robert, for being the best boat pilot in Charleston Harbor. But the Smalls family is enslaved, and after the outbreak of the Civil War, Robert is forced to put his skills to work for the Confederates. He knows that reaching Union territory means freedom for his family; to get there, he devises a daring plan to steal a boat and sail out of the harbor under cover of night. This thrilling true story shows how one man’s courage, careful planning, and calm under pressure helped him navigate the way to a new life.