The Struggle to Pin Down Exactly Who Was Aboard the Planter<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I\u2019m currently rescripting the whole novel (yes \u2013 I am<\/em> still working on this, but behind-the-scenes, which means there\u2019s little actual product to show at this point) and recently came to the actual escape. The notes I had for it frequently referred to \u201ccrewmembers\u201d or \u201cescapees\u201d and it occurred to me that I\u2019m going to have to draw this, so I need to know exactly who I\u2019m drawing and some details about them, so I set about finding out exactly who was present for the escape. Easy, right? I mean, that is the key event! The part of Robert Smalls\u2019 story that anyone who has heard of him knows!<\/p>\n I didn\u2019t think one of the biggest research challenges would be simply figuring out who actually escaped.<\/p>\n The more I dig into the details, the more I realize how complicated this seemingly straightforward question really is. I\u2019ve been burrowing into primary sources like newpaper articles from the time in online archives and naval records, and also secondary sources such as essays and articles written much later. Multiple sources offer different lists of names, and the discrepancies make it difficult to nail down exactly who participated in this incredible event.<\/p>\n Robert Smalls is a given. He was definitely present for the escape. One of the most frustrating aspects of researching who else was with him is the inconsistency between sources. Many accounts only mention Robert Smalls by name and leave out the other participants entirely. In those that do list more names, it\u2019s often only a few<\/a>, and even then, different sources offer different combinations of names. The sources that claim to name everyone onboard\u2014whether they claim there were 16 or 17 participants\u2014often provide different lists of names. Some sources claim people were aboard that others claim definitely were, such as David Jones who variously was aboard that night, or decided the plan was too risky and decided not to be involved. If I were to assume that every person mentioned in any account I\u2019ve seen was actually aboard the Planter<\/em>, I would end up with a list of around 24 people<\/strong>, far more than the widely accepted number of 16 or maybe 17. This disparity between sources makes it incredibly challenging to construct a definitive list of who was actually there that night, and it highlights just how difficult it can be to reconstruct historical events when records are incomplete or inconsistent.<\/p>\n Additionally, the roles of the different people vary from account to account; whether they were an engineer, fireman, deckhand, or steward from a different ship.<\/p>\n One of the other hurdles is the inconsistency in how names are presented across various sources. For example; Gabriel Turner <\/strong>is mentioned in many sources. In others, mention is made of a\u00a0Jebel Turner<\/strong>. I\u2019m assuming they both refer to the same person, a deckhand, but that inconsistency of spellings and lower literacy among those recording accounts for the discrepancy, but the variation introduces a layer of uncertainty. Then there\u2019s Alfred Gourdine<\/strong>, who appears in some sources, and Alfred Gradine <\/strong>who appears in others. While it seems clear he was the engineer, these differences in spelling make it hard to know for sure whether I\u2019m looking at the same person or two different individuals, and also make it more difficult to search for mentions of him.<\/p>\n The same issue comes up with Abraham Jackson<\/strong>, who I\u2019m taking as the Abram Jackson<\/strong>\u00a0mentioned in different records. Sam Chisholm<\/strong>, seems likely to be the same person as J. Samuel Chisholm<\/strong>. When each name changes slightly, it introduces doubt about the full list of participants, and piecing together the puzzle becomes that much harder.<\/p>\n Most sources agree that 16 people<\/strong>\u00a0were aboard the Planter<\/em>\u00a0during the escape, but there\u2019s a wrinkle here. The ship\u2019s log, which is considered a primary source, lists 16 people that night. It\u2019s widely assumed, however, that John Smalls<\/strong>, the first mate, wrote the log and omitted his own name. This is crucial because if we count him as aboard\u2014and it\u2019s pretty safe to assume he was\u2014we\u2019re looking at 17 people in total<\/strong>. The log doesn\u2019t list children by name either, which adds another layer of ambiguity.<\/p>\n This has led me to settle on 17 people<\/strong>\u00a0being involved in the escape, even though the number 16 shows up in most accounts. As a very likely primary source written at the time by somebody who was actually present for the whole thing, it seems a good basis.<\/p>\n Adding to the complexity is the question of who boarded from the Etiwan<\/a><\/em>. It seems fairly well agreed on that the crew of The Planter took the Planter from where it was docked and picked up other escapees, including women and children, from another ship, The Etiwan. Some sources suggest that W.C. Thompson<\/strong>\u00a0(who might be the same as W. William Morrison<\/strong>) and David McCloud<\/strong>\u00a0were involved, but their roles are debated. It\u2019s possible that Thompson<\/strong>\u00a0escorted the women and children to the Etiwan<\/em>\u00a0first, and then rejoined the Planter<\/em>\u00a0later.<\/p>\n As for the women and children, it\u2019s generally agreed that Hannah Smalls<\/strong>\u00a0(Robert\u2019s wife), their children\u2014Clara<\/strong>, Elizabeth<\/strong>, and Robert Jr.<\/strong>\u2014along with Susan Smalls <\/strong>(wife of John Smalls)\u00a0and her daughter, joined later. But not every source confirms that they came from the Etiwan<\/em>. Some suggest they might have boarded from another location. There\u2019s just enough uncertainty here to keep the waters muddy.<\/p>\n Fortunately, the core crew of the Planter<\/em>\u00a0is relatively consistent across accounts. Robert Smalls<\/strong>, Alfred Gourdine\/Gradine<\/strong>, John Smalls<\/strong>, Gabriel\/Jebel Turner<\/strong>, and Abraham\/Abram Jackson<\/strong>\u00a0are almost always mentioned. They were the ones who operated the ship and executed the escape, and this part of the story remains fairly stable, even if the exact details about the others vary.<\/p>\n Ultimately, the difficulty in pinning down exactly who was aboard speaks to the larger challenges of reconstructing history. Different spellings, missing records, and the passage of time have all contributed to the uncertainty. Even the Planter<\/em>\u2018s log leaves out crucial details, which makes it tough to get a fully accurate picture. But despite these inconsistencies, the escape remains one of the most powerful and inspiring stories of resistance and courage.<\/p>\n In the end, what really matters is that these individuals\u2014whether 16 or 17 of them\u2014risked everything for freedom. It\u2019s that shared bravery that makes this story so compelling, even if we can\u2019t know every single detail for certain.<\/p>\n Trying to get the facts right has been a journey in itself, but every name I uncover or clarify adds another layer to this remarkable piece of history.<\/p>\n As you see, I am in no way certain \u2013 I don\u2019t think anyone can be at this point \u2013 but, compiling all these sources and making some informed guesses\/taking some dramatic license, here is the list of people who will be aboard the Planter in my graphic novel<\/a>:<\/p>\n Aboard the Planter from the Start of the Escape<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Boarded from the Etiwan<\/u><\/strong><\/p>\n Unsung Superheroes<\/a> is an ongoing project, creating graphic novels based on the stories of real-life historical figures whose stories may not be as well-known as they could be.<\/mark><\/em><\/p>\n New pages are added to the current story on the Homepage<\/a>.<\/p>\n If you would like to help support this project financially, please consider signing up to my Patreon<\/a>. For less than the price of a cup of coffee per new page created, you can become a Patron of the Arts and help keep this project going. There\u2019s no minimum sign-up period. You can stop at any time.<\/p>\n Also available is the opportunity for you to appear as a character in the novel.<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019m donating 10% of all pledges to Anti-Slavery International<\/a> to help them in their efforts to stop modern-day slavery and human trafficking.<\/em><\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.unsungsuperheroes.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/10\/Planter-Query.jpg?resize=688%2C688&ssl=1\")
<\/figure>\nNo One Agrees!<\/h3>\n
The Confusion of Different Names<\/h3>\n
The Planter<\/em>\u2018s Log: A Key Piece of the Puzzle<\/h3>\n
Who Joined from the Etiwan<\/em>?<\/h3>\n
Consistency in the Core Crew<\/h3>\n
The Challenge of Historical Reconstruction<\/h3>\n
So\u2026 Who Was Aboard?<\/h3>\n
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