HARRIET TUBMAN
In the first raid led by a woman during the Civil War, Harriet Tubman liberated 10 times the number of slaves she had freed in 10 years on the Underground Railroad.
On June 1, 1863, Tubman and Union Colonel James Montgomery steamed into the interior (South Carolina) with 300 black Union soldiers. The troops swept through nearby plantations, burning homes and barns as Union gunboats sounded their whistles. Slave men, women and children came streaming from the countryside, reminding Tubman of “the children of Israel, coming out of Egypt.” More than 720 slaves were shuttled to freedom during the mission.
