Nat
Turner, a slave
owned by Joseph
Travis
of Southampton, Virginia, believed that he had been chosen by God
to lead a slave rebellion.
In February 1831, an eclipse of the sun convinced Turner that this
was a supernatural sign from God to start an insurrection. However,
it wasn't until August 21st that Turner and about seven other slaves
killed Travis and his family to launch his rebellion. In all, about
50 whites were killed.
Turner
had hoped this his action would cause a massive slave uprising but
only 75 joined his rebellion. Over 3,000 members of the state militia
were sent to deal with Turner's gang, and they were soon defeated.
In retaliation, more than a hundred innocent slaves were killed. Turner
went into hiding but was captured six weeks later.
Nat
Turner
was
executed on 11th November, 1831.
(1)
Thomas R. Gray, met Nat Turner in prison and recorded his account
of the slave rebellion in August, 1831.
The late insurrection in Southampton has greatly excited the public
mind, and led to a thousand idle, exaggerated and mischievous reports.
It is the first instance in our history of an open rebellion of the
slaves, and attended with such atrocious circumstances of cruelty
and destruction, as could not fail to leave a deep impression, not
only upon the minds of the community where this fearful tragedy was
wrought, but throughout every portion of our country, in which this
population is to be found. Public curiosity has been on the stretch
to understand the origin and progress of this dreadful conspiracy,
and the motives which influences its diabolical actors. The insurgent
slaves had all been destroyed, or apprehended, tried and executed,
(with the exception of the leader,) without revealing any thing at
all satisfactory, as to the motives which governed them, or the means
by which they expected to accomplish their object.
Every thing connected with this sad affair was wrapt in mystery, until
Nat Turner, the leader of this ferocious band, whose name has resounded
throughout our widely extended empire, was captured. This "great
Bandit" was taken by a single individual, in a cave near the
residence of his late owner, on Sunday, the thirtieth of October,
without attempting to make the slightest resistance, and on the following
day safely lodged in the jail of the County. His captor was Benjamin
Phipps, armed with a shot
gun well charged. Nat's only weapon was a small light sword which
he immediately surrendered, and begged that his life might be spared.
Since his confinement, by permission of the Jailor, I have had ready
access to him, and finding that he was willing to make a full and
free confession of the origin, progress and consummation of the insurrectory
movements of the slaves of which he was the contriver and head.
(2)
Nat Turner, The Confessions of Nat Turner (1831)
I was thirty-one years of age the 2nd of October last, and born the
property of Benjamin Turner, of this county. In my childhood a circumstance
occurred which made an indelible impression on my mind, and laid the
ground work of that enthusiasm, which has terminated so fatally to
many, both white and black, and for which I am about to atone at the
gallows. It is here necessary to relate this circumstance - trifling
as it may seem, it was the commencement of that belief which has grown
with time, and even now, sir, in this dungeon, helpless and forsaken
as I am, I cannot divest myself of.
Being at play with other children, when three or four years old, I
was telling them something, which my mother overhearing, said it had
happened before I was I born - I stuck to my story, however, and related
somethings which went, in her opinion, to confirm it--others being
called on were greatly astonished, knowing that these things had happened,
and caused them to say in my hearing, I surely would be a prophet,
as the Lord had shown me things that had happened before my birth.
And my father and mother strengthened me in this my first impression,
saying in my presence, I was intended for some great purpose, which
they had always thought from certain marks on my head and breast.
(3)
Nat Turner, The Confessions of Nat Turner (1831)
My master, who belonged to the church, and other religious persons
who visited the house, and whom I often saw at prayers, noticing the
singularity of my manners, I suppose, and my uncommon intelligence
for a child, remarked I had too much sense to be raised, and if I
was, I would never be of any service to any one as a slave. To a mind
like mine, restless, inquisitive and observant of every thing that
was passing, it is easy to suppose that religion was the subject to
which it would be directed. The manner in which I learned to read
and write, not only had great influence on my own mind, as I acquired
it with the most perfect ease, so much so, that I have no recollection
whatever of learning the alphabet--but to the astonishment of the
family, one day, when a book was sewn me to keep me from crying, I
began spelling the names of different objects - this was a source
of wonder to all in the neighborhood, particularly the blacks - and
this learning was constantly improved at all opportunities.
When I got large enough to go to work, while employed, I was reflecting
on many things that would present themselves to my imagination, and
whenever an opportunity occurred of looking at a book, when the school
children were getting their lessons, I would find many things that
the fertility of my own imagination had depicted to me before; all
my time, not devoted to my master's service, was spent either in prayer,
or in making experiments in casting different things in moulds made
of earth, in attempting to make paper, gunpowder, and many other experiments,
that although I could not perfect, yet convinced me of its practicability
if I had the means.
(4)
Nat Turner, The Confessions of Nat Turner
(1831)
We
remained at the feast until about two hours in the night, when we
went to the house and found Austin; they all went to the cider press
and drank, except myself. On returning to the house, Hark went to
the door with an axe, for the purpose of breaking it open, as we knew
we were strong enough to murder the family, if they were awaked by
the noise; but reflecting that it might create an alarm in the neighborhood,
we determined to enter the house secretly, and murder them whilst
sleeping. Hark got a ladder and set it against the chimney, on which
I ascended, and hoisting a window, entered and came down stairs, unbarred
the door, and removed the guns from their places.
It was then observed that I must spill the first blood. On which,
armed with a hatchet, and accompanied by Will, I entered my master's
chamber, it being dark, I could not give a death blow, the hatchet
glanced from his head, he sprang from the bed and called his wife,
it was his last word, Will laid him dead, with a blow of his axe,
and Mrs. Travis shared the same fate, as she lay in bed. The murder
of this family, five in number, was the work of a moment, not one
of them awoke; there was a little infant sleeping in a cradle, that
was forgotten, until we had left the house and gone some distance,
when Henry and Will returned and killed it; we got here, four guns
that would shoot, and several old muskets, with a pound or two of
powder.
We remained some time at the barn, where we paraded; I formed them
in a line as soldiers, and after carrying them through all the manoeuvres
I was master of, marched them off to Mr. Salathul Francis', about
six hundred yards distant. Sam and Will went to the door and knocked.
Mr. Francis asked who was there, Sam replied, it was him, and he had
a letter for him, on which he got up and came to the door, they immediately
seized him, and dragging him out a little from the door, he was dispatched
by repeated blows on the head; there was no other white person in
the family. We started from there for Mrs. Reese's, maintaining the
most perfect silence on our march, where finding the door unlocked,
we entered, and murdered Mrs. Reese in her bed, while sleeping; her
son awoke, but it was only to sleep the sleep of death, he had only
time to say who is that, and he was no more.
(5)
Harriet
Jacobs,
Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861)
Not far from this time Nat Turner's insurrection
broke out; and the news threw our town into great commotion. Strange
that they should be alarmed when their slaves were so "contented
and happy"! But so it was.
By sunrise, people were pouring in from every quarter within twenty
miles of the town. I knew the houses were to be searched; and I expected
it would be done by country bullies and the poor whites. The men were
divided into companies of sixteen, each headed by a captain. Orders
were given, and the wild scouts rushed in every direction, wherever
a colored face was to be found.
It was a grand opportunity for the low whites, who had no negroes
of their own to scourge. They exulted in such a chance to exercise
a little brief authority, and show their subservience to the slaveholders;
not reflecting that the power which trampled on the colored people
also kept themselves in poverty, ignorance, and moral degradation.
Those who never witnessed such scenes can hardly believe what I know
was inflicted at this time on innocent men, women, and children, against
whom there was not the slightest ground for suspicion.
Colored people and slaves who lived in remote parts of the town suffered
most. In some cases the searchers scattered powder and shot among
their clothes, and then sent other parties to find them, and bring
them forward as proof that they were plotting insurrection. Every
where men, women, and children were whipped till the blood stood in
puddles at their feet. Some received five hundred lashes; others were
tied hands and feet, and tortured with a bucking paddle, which blisters
the skin terribly.
All day long these unfeeling wretches went round, like a troop of
demons, terrifying and tormenting the helpless. At night, they formed
themselves into patrol bands, and went wherever they chose among the
colored people, acting out their brutal will. Many women hid themselves
in woods and swamps, to keep out of their way. If any of the husbands
or fathers told of these outrages, they were tied up to the public
whipping post, and cruelly scourged for telling lies about white men.
(6)
William
Box Brown, Narrative of the Life of Henry Box Brown (1851)
About eighteen months after I
came to the city of Richmond, an extraordinary occurence took place
which caused great excitement all over the town. I did not then know
precisely what was the cause of this excitement, for I could got no
satisfactory information from my master, only he said that some of
the slaves had plotted to kill their owners. I have since learned
that it was the famous Nat Turner's insurrection. Many slaves were
whipped, hung, and cut down with the swords in the streets; and some
that were found away from their quarters after dark, were shot; the
whole city was in the utmost excitement, and the whites seemed terrified
beyond measure. Great numbers of slaves were loaded with irons; some
were half hung as it was termed --that is they were suspended from
some tree with a rope about their necks, so adjusted as not quite
to strangle them--and then they were pelted by men and boys with rotten
eggs. This half-hanging is a refined species of punishment peculiar
to slaves! This insurrection took place some distance from the city,
and was the occasion of the enacting of that law by which more than
five slaves were forbidden to meet together unless they were at work;
and also of that, for the silencing all coloured preachers.
(7)
Henry Highland Garnet, speech on slavery
in Buffalo, New York (16 August 1843)
The
patriotic Nathaniel Turner was goaded to desperation by wrong and
injustice. By Despotism, his name has been recorded on the list of
infamy, but future generations will number him upon the noble and
brave.
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