Robert Smalls finally gets his due as rebel names are dropped
February 28, 2023 6:30 AM   Subscribe

The U.S. Navy has rechristened the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Chancellorsville as Robert Smalls. Smalls was born into slavery and became a skilled ship's pilot. He was drafted by the Confederates, and 13 May 1862, he executed a daring escape out of the heavily fortified Charleston harbor with his family, other enslaved people, and valuable military cargo onboard, and successfully surrendered Planter to the U.S. Navy. He later served as the Planter's captain, then went on to a life of public service. He was a thorough-going badasss. This renaming is part of a larger process in the Department of Defense to remove names that honor Confederates & rebels.

https://www.defense.gov/News/News-Stories/Article/Article/3260434/dod-begins-implementing-naming-commission-recommendations/
William A. LaPlante, the undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, today directed all DOD organizations to begin full implementation of the Commission on the Naming of Items of the Department of Defense recommendations. LaPlante acted at the end of a 90-day waiting period that began after the Naming Commission released its third and final report in September.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III accepted the renaming recommendations in September.

The services and other DOD agencies have until the end of the year to complete the process.

Retired Navy Adm. Michelle Howard chaired the congressionally mandated Naming Commission. The commission's mission was to provide removal and renaming recommendations for all DOD items "that commemorate the Confederate States of America or any person who served voluntarily with the Confederate States of America."
The list of sites and items being renamed is long and includes significant things like Fort Bragg Liberty, Fort A.P. Hill Walker, and Fort Benning Moore.

When the law was passed, then-president Trump vetoed it -- but Congress overrode his veto.

A small but important fact I noted is that "Battle streamers commemorating Confederate service will no longer be authorized." At the same time, I fully expect the Minnesota Historical Society to retain possession of the 28th Virginia's battle flag, captured by the 1st Minnesota at Gettysburg, because FTGs.
posted by wenestvedt (32 comments total) 49 users marked this as a favorite
 
Smalls has been dead for 108 years and 5 days and he’s still turning over Confederate ships to the Union Navy. Fuck yeah.
posted by Etrigan at 6:52 AM on February 28, 2023 [135 favorites]


Oh, cool! And more info on Robert Smalls and his lifetime of badassery in this previous FPP.
posted by jameaterblues at 7:13 AM on February 28, 2023 [2 favorites]


It would be nice to see her escorting *Doris Miller* but she seems unlikely to last that long
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 7:32 AM on February 28, 2023 [1 favorite]


Definitely a worthy renaming!

I'm not sure I understand the problem with Minnesota keeping the battle flag? Isn't displaying that as a memento of a defeated enemy really the only legitimate use of a flag like that? Not familiar with the situation so I'm guessing I'm missing some detail.
posted by cirhosis at 8:05 AM on February 28, 2023 [1 favorite]


US federal military units were required to display those streamers, whether they objected or not to them, until the work done above changed federal policies to prohibit them.

The complete list of assets identified by the commission is in this google sheet, embedded in their currently-down-for-me .gov website.

"Minnesota" is not present in that sheet, but this is very detailed work; they list unit color schemes, specific street names, window decals. It is a great success and I'm glad to see the work landing to end support for that older insurrection.
posted by Callisto Prime at 8:19 AM on February 28, 2023 [2 favorites]


I would love to see a big budget Hollywood blockbuster about Robert Smalls. like, over the top, all A-listers, with a romantic sub-plot. its such an amazing story!
posted by supermedusa at 8:20 AM on February 28, 2023 [14 favorites]


cirhosis, the 1st Minnesota sacrificed a huge portion of its men -- 82% casualties -- to plug a hole in the lines at Gettysburg, and somehow still captured the rebels' flag. The book "No More Gallant a Deed" by a Minnesota soldier gets its name from the awed statement by one witness of the loss of life they suffered.

Many such flags were returned over time, but the state of Minnesota rightly said, "Loser weepers," and the historical society retains possession to this day. (I have seen it in its velvet-lined case, and it felt good.)
posted by wenestvedt at 8:22 AM on February 28, 2023 [19 favorites]


"Commission on the Naming of Items" is peak military bureaucracy. Bravo
posted by Dr. Twist at 8:46 AM on February 28, 2023 [3 favorites]


Hey, I'm a native-born Virginian, and *I* enjoy it every time Virginia whines about wanting it back and Minnesota says "Nope!"
posted by tavella at 8:54 AM on February 28, 2023 [18 favorites]


My understanding is also that Minnesota has not just "not sent back the flag" but "refused to return the flag despite requests" which is pretty good imo
posted by dismas at 8:54 AM on February 28, 2023 [4 favorites]


Between this, the _Miller_, the Constellation-class frigates, and going back to traditional fish names for the latest block of _Virginia_-class SSNs, the Navy has been on an absolute tear of good naming over the past few years.

Still surprised Dorie Miller got past Trump.
posted by GCU Sweet and Full of Grace at 8:56 AM on February 28, 2023 [2 favorites]


Not to abuse the edit window: Wikipedia has more information on the subject

A 1905 congressional resolution that flags from the American Civil War should be returned to their places of origin did not lead to the return of the flag to Virginia, nor did requests by Virginia or groups therein for its return in 1961, 1998, 2000, and 2003; a request by the governor of Virginia to borrow the flag in 2013 was also declined.
posted by dismas at 8:57 AM on February 28, 2023 [5 favorites]


And I'll always have a small amount of fondness for Jesse Ventura for this:

"In response to the 2000 resolution by Virginia, Minnesota Governor Jesse Ventura stated "Why? I mean, we won" and that "We took it, that makes it our heritage""
posted by tavella at 9:02 AM on February 28, 2023 [25 favorites]


a request by the governor of Virginia to borrow the flag in 2013 was also declined.

this Canadian is chuckling.. what were they thinking?? "okay, just let me hold it for a sec.. okay, just take it out of the case and let me stand up close to it at least?.. OH COME ON"

respect, Minnesota
posted by elkevelvet at 9:20 AM on February 28, 2023 [6 favorites]


And not to entirely derail this, Robert Smalls is such a genuinely *delightful* bit of history. The courage and cleverness, the way he made sure that not just he and his family, but all the crew's family would be freed... it really does deserve a big screen treatment.
posted by tavella at 9:30 AM on February 28, 2023 [10 favorites]


I loved it when Drunk History did a story about him.
(Drunk History Season 2 Episode 5 )
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 9:37 AM on February 28, 2023 [2 favorites]


I'm glad Drunk History did this, but I want a full movie! And a 3 season HBO miniseries about Bass Reeves, the real lone ranger.
posted by Abehammerb Lincoln at 9:42 AM on February 28, 2023 [5 favorites]


i wouldn't want Ventura's logic applied to almost anything else but it's pretty good w/r/t this

more things about the confederacy should have been met with "why? we won."
posted by dismas at 10:06 AM on February 28, 2023 [9 favorites]


This is bullshit. Smalls deserves his own shiny new ship, not a rustbucket that will be decommissioned in a couple of years.
posted by cyndigo at 10:08 AM on February 28, 2023 [3 favorites]


Smalls deserves his own shiny new ship...

I like to think there is some symmetry, inasmuch as the ship he stole from the rebels wasn't new, either.
posted by wenestvedt at 10:49 AM on February 28, 2023 [2 favorites]


I had never heard of him until this post - after having read some of the links, all I can say: WOW. And he was just 23 years old at the time! A truly remarkable man.
posted by davidmsc at 10:53 AM on February 28, 2023 [1 favorite]


wenestvedt, thanks for providing the context! They definitely should keep it, I mean realistically the government of Virginia has no real claim to it, since it was the confederate state's flag and that state doesn't exist anymore.
posted by cirhosis at 11:56 AM on February 28, 2023 [3 favorites]


This post makes me happy on so many levels.
posted by senor biggles at 3:50 PM on February 28, 2023 [2 favorites]


This Minnesotan is also proud that when he started telling his daughters about this thread, they knew who Robert Smalls was.
posted by Ickster at 4:49 PM on February 28, 2023 [4 favorites]


To this day I can't believe Robert Smalls' story hasn't been usurped by Hollywood, if his story wasn't true it would be written off as unbelievable. Maybe this will prompt some talented screenwriter somewhere and some money minded producer to get off their duffs and make him a more well known national hero....
posted by newpotato at 2:04 AM on March 1, 2023 [2 favorites]


How is Mr Smalls life NOT a blockbuster biopic? Oh yeah, methGator is coming soon.
posted by pmaxwell at 2:26 AM on March 1, 2023 [1 favorite]


Not a movie, an excellent graphic novel: the third in Joel Christian Gills’ series “Tales of the Talented Tenth”.
posted by Phyllis keeps a tight rein at 7:21 AM on March 1, 2023 [1 favorite]


Oh, man, that graphic novel looks great, based on the preview that Amazon offers: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Smalls-Tales-Talented-Tenth/dp/1682750663
posted by wenestvedt at 8:18 AM on March 1, 2023 [1 favorite]


Victims of the missiles can now say "you're killing me, Smalls"
posted by condour75 at 10:55 AM on March 1, 2023 [3 favorites]


I mean realistically the government of Virginia has no real claim to it, since it was the confederate state's flag and that state doesn't exist anymore

You'd be surprise, or maybe not, but the number of people here in VA that would strongly disagree with that.
posted by COD at 4:09 PM on March 1, 2023


Again, I can only say, "Losers weepers."
posted by wenestvedt at 6:22 AM on March 2, 2023 [1 favorite]


Oh, man, that graphic novel looks great, based on the preview that Amazon offers: https://www.amazon.com/Robert-Smalls-Tales-Talented-Tenth/dp/1682750663

Hoopla has a digital version of the graphic novel available to read for free. (You'll need a current library card number from a public library which subscribes to Hoopla.)
posted by fuse theorem at 6:35 AM on March 2, 2023 [1 favorite]


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