Harriet Tubman guides a Union raid up South Carolina's Combahee River that frees more than 700 enslaved people.
At a Glance
- Date
- 2 June 1863
- Location
- Combahee River, South Carolina
- Key people
- Harriet Tubman
- Category
- Military
- Source
- Union Army records (1863) · National Park Service
What It Meant Then
She became the first woman to lead an armed military operation in the Civil War.
What It Means Now
The raid stands as a singular feat of Black military leadership.
Cite this page
- MLA
- “Harriet Tubman Leads the Combahee River Raid.” Black-History.com, 30 Sept. 2026, https://black-history.com/on-this-day/harriet-tubman-leads-the-combahee-river-raid/.
- APA
- Black-History.com Editors. (2026, September 30). Harriet Tubman Leads the Combahee River Raid. Black-History.com. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/harriet-tubman-leads-the-combahee-river-raid/
- Chicago
- Black-History.com Editors. “Harriet Tubman Leads the Combahee River Raid.” Black-History.com. September 30, 2026. https://black-history.com/on-this-day/harriet-tubman-leads-the-combahee-river-raid/.
Editorial Note
By the Black-History.com editors. Last reviewed 30 September 2026. To suggest a primary source or a correction, write to editors@black-history.com or use our corrections form.