THE
CONFESSIONS
OF
NAT TURNER,
THE LEADER OF THE LATE
INSURRECTION
IN SOUTH HAMPTON, VA.
As fully and voluntarily made to
THOMAS R. GRAY
In the prison where he was confined, and acknowledged by
him to be such when read before the Court of Southampton;
with the certificate, under seal of
the Court convened at Jerusalem,
Nov. 5, 1831, for his trial.
ALSO, AN AUTHENTIC
ACCOUNT OF THE WHOLE INSURRECTION,
WITH LISTS OF THE WHITES WHO WERE MURDERED,
AND OF THE NEGROES BROUGHT BEFORE THE COURT OF
SOUTHHAMPTON,
AND THERE SENTENCED, &c.
Baltimore:
PUBLISHED BY THOMAS R. GRAY.
Lucas & Deaver, print.
1831.
Page verso
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, TO WIT:
Be it
remembered, That on this
tenth day of November, Anno Domini,
eighteen hundred and thirty-one, Thomas R. Gray of the said District,
deposited in this office the title of a book, which is in the words as
following:
"The Confessions
of Nat Turner, the leader of the late insurrection
in Southampton, Virginia, as fully and voluntarily made to Thomas R.
Gray, in the prison where he was confined, and acknowledged by him
to be such when read before the Court of Southampton; with the certificate,
under seal, of the Court convened at Jerusalem, November 5,
1831, for his trial. Also, an authentic account of the whole insurrection,
with lists of the whites who were murdered, and of the negroes
brought before the Court of Southampton, and there sentenced, &c. the
right whereof he claims as proprietor, in conformity with an Act of
Congress, entitled "An act to amend the several acts respecting Copy
Rights."
EDMUND J. LEE, Clerk of the District.
In testimony that the above is a true copy
from the record of the District Court for
the District of Columbia, I, Edmund I.
Lee, the Clerk thereof, have hereunto
set my hand and affixed the seal of my
office, this 10th day of November, 1831.
EDMUND J. LEE, C. D. C.
(Seal.)
Page 3
TO THE PUBLIC.
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; I determined
for the gratification of public curiosity to commit his
Page 4
statements to writing, and publish them, with little or no variation,
from his own words. That this is a faithful record of
his confessions, the annexed certificate of the County Court
of Southampton, will attest. They certainly bear one stamp
of truth and sincerity. He makes no attempt (as all the
other insurgents who were examined did,) to exculpate himself,
but frankly acknowledges his full participation in all the
guilt of the transaction. He was not only the contriver of
the conspiracy, but gave the first blow towards its execution.
It will thus appear, that whilst every thing upon the surface
of society wore a calm and peaceful aspect; whilst not one note
of preparation was heard to warn the devoted inhabitants of
woe and death, a gloomy fanatic was revolving in the recesses
of his own dark, bewildered, and overwrought mind,
schemes of indiscriminate massacre to the whites. Schemes
too fearfully executed as far as his fiendish band proceeded
in their desolating march. No cry for mercy penetrated
their flinty bosoms. No acts of remembered kindness
made the least impression upon these remorseless murderers.
Men, women and children, from hoary age to helpless infancy
were involved in the same cruel fate. Never did a band of
savages do their work of death more unsparingly. Apprehension
for their own personal safety seems to have been the
only principle of restraint in the whole course of their bloody
proceedings. And it is not the least remarkable feature in
this horrid transaction, that a band actuated by such hellish
purposes, should have resisted so feebly, when met by the
whites in arms. Desperation alone, one would think, might
have led to greater efforts. More than twenty of them attacked
Dr. Blunt's house on Tuesday morning, a little before
day-break, defended by two men and three boys. They
fled precipitately at the first fire; and their future plans of
mischief, were entirely disconcerted and broken up. Escaping
thence, each individual sought his own safety either
in concealment, or by returning home, with the hope that his
participation might escape detection, and all were shot
down in the course of a few days, or captured and brought to
trial and punishment. Nat has survived all his followers,
and the gallows will speedily close his career. His own account
of the conspiracy is submitted to the public, without
comment. It reads an awful, and it is hoped, a useful lesson,
as to the operations of a mind like his, endeavoring to grapple
with things beyond its reach. How it first became bewildered
and confounded, and finally corrupted and led to
Page 5
the conception and perpetration of the most atrocious and
heart-rending deeds. It is calculated also to demonstrate the
policy or our laws in restraint of this class of our population,
and to induce all those entrusted with their execution, as
well as our citizens generally, to see that they are strictly and
rigidly enforced. Each particular community should look to
its own safety, whilst the general guardians of the laws, keep
a watchful eye over all. If Nat's statements can be relied
on, the insurrection in this county was entirely local, and his
designs confided but to a few, and these in his immediate vicinity.
It was not instigated by motives of revenge or sudden
anger, but the results of long deliberation, and a settled
purpose of mind. The offspring of gloomy fanaticism, acting
upon materials but too well prepared for such impressions.
It will be long remembered in the annals of our country, and
many a mother as she presses her infant darling to her bosom,
will shudder at the recollection of Nat Turner, and his band
of ferocious miscreants.
Believing the following narrative, by removing doubts and
conjectures from the public mind which otherwise must have
remained, would give general satisfaction, it is respectfully
submitted to the public by their ob't serv't,
T. R.
GRAY.
Jerusalem, Southampton,
Va. Nov. 5, 1831.
We the undersigned, members of the Court convened at Jerusalem, on
Saturday, the 5th day of Nov. 1831, for the trial of Nat,
alias Nat Turner,
a negro slave, late the property of Putnam Moore, deceased, do hereby
certify, that the confessions of Nat, to Thomas R. Gray, was read to him
in our presence, and that Nat acknowledged the same to be full, free,
and voluntary; and that furthermore, when called upon by the presiding
Magistrate of the Court, to state if he had any thing to say, why
sentence of death should not be passed upon him, replied he had
nothing further than he had communicated to Mr. Gray. Given under
our hands and seals at Jerusalem, this 5th day of November, 1831.
JEREMIAH COBB, [Seal.]
THOMAS PRETLOW, [Seal.]
JAMES W. PARKER, [Seal.]
CARR BOWERS, [Seal.]
SAMUEL B. HINES, [Seal.]
ORRIS A. BROWNE, [Seal.]
State of Virginia, Southampton County,
to wit:
I, James Rochelle,
Clerk of the County Court of Southampton in the
State of Virginia, do hereby certify, that Jeremiah Cobb, Thomas Pretlow,
James W. Parker, Carr Bowers, Samuel B. Hines, and Orris A.
Browne, esqr's are acting Justices of the Peace, in and for the County
Page 6
aforesaid, and were members of the Court which convened at Jerusalem,
on Saturday the 5th day of November, 1831, for the trial of Nat
alias Nat Turner, a negro slave, late the
property of Putnam Moore,
deceased, who was tried and convicted, as an insurgent in the late
insurrection in the county of Southampton aforesaid, and that full faith
and credit are due, and ought to be given to their acts as Justices of
the peace aforesaid.
In testimony whereof,
I have hereunto set my
hand and caused the seal of the Court
aforesaid, to be affixed this 5th day of
November, 1831.
JAMES
ROCHELLE, C. S. C. C.
[Seal.]
Page 7
CONFESSION.
Agreeable to his own
appointment, on the evening he was
committed to prison, with permission of the jailer, I visited
NAT on Tuesday the 1st November, when, without being
questioned at all, commenced his narrative in the following
words:--
SIR,--You have asked
me to give a history of the motives
which induced me to undertake the late insurrection, as you
call it--To do so I must go back to the days of my infancy,
and even before I was born. I was thirty-one years of age
the 2d of October last, and born the property of Benj. 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
shewn 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--[a parcel of excrescences which I believe
are not at all uncommon, particularly among negroes, as
I have seen several with the same. In this case he has either
cut them off or they have nearly disappeared]--My grand
mother, who was very religious, and to whom I was much attached
Page 8
--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, and although this subject principally
occupied my thoughts--there was nothing that I saw
or heard of to which my attention was not 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 shewn 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.
* I was not addicted to stealing in my
youth, nor
have ever been--Yet such was the confidence of the negroes
in the neighborhood, even at this early period of my life, in my
superior judgment, that they would often carry me with them
when they were going on any roguery, to plan for them.
Growing up among them, with this confidence in my superior
judgment, and when this, in their opinions, was perfected
by Divine inspiration, from the circumstances already alluded
to in my infancy, and which belief was ever afterwards
zealously inculcated by the austerity of my life and manners,
which became the subject of remark by white and black.--
Having soon discovered to be great, I must appear so, and
therefore studiously avoided mixing in society, and wrapped
*
When questioned as to the manner of manufacturing those different
articles, he was found well informed on the subject.
Page 9
myself in mystery, devoting my time to fasting and prayer--By this time,
having arrived to man's estate, and hearing the
scriptures commented on at meetings, I was struck with that
particular passage which says : "Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven
and all things shall be added unto you." I reflected
much on this passage, and prayed daily for light on this subject--As I
was praying one day at my plough, the spirit spoke
to me, saying "Seek ye the kingdom of Heaven and all things
shall be added unto you."
Question--what do you mean by the
Spirit. Ans. The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former
days--and I was greatly astonished, and for two years prayed
continually, whenever my duty would permit--and then
again I had the same revelation, which fully confirmed me in
the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose
in the hands of the Almighty. Several years rolled round, in
which many events occurred to strengthen me in this my belief.
At this time I reverted in my mind to the remarks made
of me in my childhood, and the things that had been shewn
me--and as it had been said of me in my childhood by those
by whom I had been taught to pray, both white and black,
and in whom I had the greatest confidence, that I had too
much sense to be raised, and if I was, I would never be of
any use to any one as a slave. Now finding I had arrived to
man's estate, and was a slave, and these revelations being
made known to me, I began to direct my attention to this
great object, to fulfil the purpose for which, by this time, I
felt assured I was intended. Knowing the influence I had obtained
over the minds of my fellow servants, (not by the
means of conjuring and such like tricks--for to them I always
spoke of such things with contempt) but by the communion of
the Spirit whose revelations I often communicated to them,
and they believed and said my wisdom came from God. I
now began to prepare them for my purpose, by telling them
something was about to happen that would terminate in fulfilling
the great promise that had been made to me--About this
time I was placed under an overseer, from whom I ranaway -
and after remaining in the woods thirty days, I returned, to
the astonishment of the negroes on the plantation, who
thought I had made my escape to some other part of the
country, as my father had done before. But the reason of
my return was, that the Spirit appeared to me and said I had
my wishes directed to the things of this world, and not to the
kingdom of Heaven, and that I should return to the service of
my earthly master--"For he who knoweth his Master's will,
Page 10
and doeth it not, shall be beaten with many stripes, and thus,
have I chastened you." And the negroes found fault, and
murmurred against me, saying that if they had my sense they
would not serve any master in the world. And about this
time I had a vision--and I saw white spirits and black spirits
engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened--the thunder
rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams--and I
heard a voice saying, "Such is your luck, such you are called to
see, and let it come rough or smooth, you must surely bare
it." I now withdrew myself as much as my situation would
permit, from the intercourse of my fellow servants, for the
avowed purpose of serving the Spirit more fully--and it appeared
to me, and reminded me of the things it had already
shown me, and that it would then reveal to me the knowledge
of the elements, the revolution of the planets, the operation
of tides, and changes of the seasons. After this revelation in
the year 1825, and the knowledge of the elements being made
known to me, I sought more than ever to obtain true holiness
before the great day of judgment should appear, and then I
began to receive the true knowledge of faith. And from the
first steps of righteousness until the last, was I made perfect;
and the Holy Ghost was with me, and said, "Behold me as I
stand in the Heavens"--and I looked and saw the forms of men
in different attitudes--and there were lights in the sky to
which the children of darkness gave other names than what
they really were--for they were the lights of the Saviour's
hands, stretched forth from east to west, even as they were
extended on the cross on Calvary for the redemption of sinners.
And I wondered greatly at these miracles, and prayed
to be informed of a certainty of the meaning thereof--and
shortly afterwards, while laboring in the field, I discovered
drops of blood on the corn as though it were dew from heaven--
and I communicated it to many, both white and black,
in the neighborhood--and I then found on the leaves in the
woods hieroglyphic characters, and numbers, with the forms
of men in different attitudes, portrayed in blood, and representing
the figures I had seen before in the heavens. And
now the Holy Ghost had revealed itself to me, and made
plain the miracles it had shown me--For as the blood of
Christ had been shed on this earth, and had ascended to heaven
for the salvation of sinners, and was now returning to
earth again in the form of dew--and as the leaves on the
trees bore the impression of the figures I had seen in the
heavens, it was plain to me that the Saviour was about to lay
down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and the
Page 11
great day of judgment was at band. About this time I told
these things to a white man, (Etheldred T. Brantley) on whom
it had a wonderful effect--and he ceased from his wickedness,
and was attacked immediately with a cutaneous eruption,
and blood ozed from the pores of his skin, and after praying
and fasting nine days, he was healed, and the Spirit appeared
to me again, and said, as the Saviour had been baptised so
should we be also--and when the white people would not
let us be baptised by the church, we went down into the water
together, in the sight of many who reviled us, and were
baptised by the Spirit--After this I rejoiced greatly, and gave
thanks to God. And on the 12th of May, 1828, I heard a
loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared
to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid
down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and that I
should take it on and fight against the Serpent, for the time
was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last
should be first. Ques. Do you not find yourself mistaken
now? Ans. Was not Christ crucified. And by signs in the
heavens that it would make known to me when I should
commence the great work--and until the first sign appeared,
I should conceal it from the knowledge of men--And on the
appearance of the sign, (the eclipse of the sun last February)
I should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with
their own weapons. And immediately on the sign appearing
in the heavens, the seal was removed from my lips, and I communicated
the great work laid out for me to do, to four in
whom I had the greatest confidence, (Henry, Hark, Nelson,
and Sam)--It was intended by us to have begun the work of
death on the 4th July last--Many were the plans formed and
rejected by us, and it affected my mind to such a degree, that
I fell sick, and the time passed without our coming to any
determination how to commence--Still forming new schemes
and rejecting them, when the sign appeared again, which determined
me not to wait longer.
Since the commencement of 1830, I had been living with
Mr. Joseph Travis, who was to me a kind master, and placed
the greatest confidence in me; in fact, I had no cause to complain
of his treatment to me. On Saturday evening, the
20th of August, it was agreed between Henry, Hark and myself,
to prepare a dinner the next day for the men we expected,
and then to concert a plan, as we had not yet determined
on any. Hark, on the following morning, brought a
pig, and Henry brandy, and being joined by Sam, Nelson,
Page 12
Will and Jack, they prepared in the woods a dinner, where,
about three o'clock, I joined them.
Q. Why were you so backward in joining them.
A. The same reason that had caused me not to mix with
them for years before.
I saluted them on coming up, and asked Will how came
he there, he answered, his life was worth no more than
others, and his liberty as dear to him. I asked him if he
thought to obtain it? He said he would, or loose his life.
This was enough to put him in full confidence. Jack,
I knew, was only a tool in the hands of Hark, it was
quickly agreed we should commence at home (Mr. J. Travis')
on that night, and until we had armed and equipped ourselves,
and gathered sufficient force, neither age nor sex was
to be spared, (which was invariably adhered to.) 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
Page 13
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. From Mrs. Reese's we went to Mrs. Turner's, a mile
distant, which we reached about sunrise, on Monday morning.
Henry, Austin, and Sam, went to the still, where, finding
Mr. Peebles, Austin shot him, and the rest of us went to
the house; as we approached, the family discovered us, and
shut the door. Vain hope! Will, with one stroke of his axe,
opened it, and we entered and found Mrs. Turner and Mrs.
Newsome in the middle of a room, almost frightened to
death. Will immediately killed Mrs. Turner, with one blow
of his axe. I took Mrs. Newsome by the hand, and with
the sword I had when I was apprehended, I struck her
several blows over the head, but not being able to kill her,
as the sword was dull. Will turning around and discovering
it, despatched her also. A general destruction of property
and search for money and ammunition, always succeeded
the murders. By this time my company amounted to fifteen,
and nine men mounted, who started for Mrs. Whitehead's,
(the other six were to go through a by way to Mr. Bryant's
and rejoin us at Mrs. Whitehead's,) as we approached the
house we discovered Mr. Richard Whitehead standing in the
cotton patch, near the lane fence; we called him over into
the lane, and Will, the executioner, was near at hand, with
his fatal axe, to send him to an untimely grave. As we
pushed on to the house, I discovered some one run round the
garden, and thinking it was some of the white family, I pursued
them, but finding it was a servant girl belonging to the
house, I returned to commence the work of death, but they
whom I left, had not been idle; all the family were already
murdered, but Mrs. Whitehead and her daughter Margaret.
As I came round to the door I saw Will pulling Mrs. Whitehead
out of the house, and at the step he nearly severed her
head from her body, with his broad axe. Miss Margaret,
when I discovered her, had concealed herself in the corner,
formed by the projection of the cellar cap from the house;
on my approach she fled, but was soon overtaken, and after
Page 14
repeated blows with a sword, I killed her by a blow on the
head, with a fence rail. By this time, the six who had gone
by Mr. Bryant's, rejoined us, and informed me they had done
the work of death assigned them. We again divided, part
going to Mr. Richard Porter's, and from thence to Nathaniel
Francis', the others to Mr. Howell Harris', and Mr. T.
Doyles. On my reaching Mr. Porter's, he had escaped with
his family. I understood there, that the alarm had already
spread, and I immediately returned to bring up those sent to
Mr. Doyles, and Mr. Howell Harris'; the party I left going
on to Mr. Francis', having told them I would join them in
that neighborhood. I met these sent to Mr. Doyles' and Mr.
Harris' returning, having met Mr. Doyle on the road and
killed him; and learning from some who joined them, that
Mr. Harris was from home, I immediately pursued the course
taken by the party gone on before; but knowing they would
complete the work of death and pillage, at Mr. Francis'
before I could there, I went to Mr. Peter Edwards', expecting
to find them there, but they had been here also. I
then went to Mr. John T. Barrow's, they had been here and
murdered him. I pursued on their track to Capt. Newit
Harris', where I found the greater part mounted, and ready
to start; the men now amounting to about forty, shouted and
hurraed as I rode up, some were in the yard, loading their
guns, others drinking. They said Captain Harris and his
family had escaped, the property in the house they destroyed,
robbing him of money and other valuables. I ordered
them to mount and march instantly, this was about nine or
ten o'clock, Monday morning. I proceeded to Mr. Levi
Waller's, two or three miles distant. I took my station in
the rear, and as it 'twas my object to carry terror and devastation
wherever we went, I placed fifteen or twenty of the
best armed and most to be relied on, in front, who generally
approached the houses as fast as their horses could run; this
was for two purposes, to prevent their escape and strike terror
to the inhabitants--on this account I never got to the
houses, after leaving Mrs. Whitehead's, until the murders were
committed, except in one case. I sometimes got in sight in
time to see the work of death completed, viewed the mangled
bodies as they lay, in silent satisfaction, and immediately
started in quest of other victims--Having murdered Mrs.
Waller and ten children, we started for Mr. William Williams'
--having killed him and two little boys that were there;
while engaged in this, Mrs. Williams fled and got some distance
Page 15
from the house, but she was pursued, overtaken, and
compelled to get up behind one of the company, who brought
her back, and after showing her the mangled body of her lifeless
husband, she was told to get down and lay by his side,
where she was shot dead. I then started for Mr. Jacob Williams,
where the family were murdered--Here we found a
young man named Drury, who had come on business with
Mr. Williams--he was pursued, overtaken and shot. Mrs.
Vaughan was the next place we visited--and after murdering
the family here, I determined on starting for Jerusalem--
Our number amounted now to fifty or sixty, all mounted and
armed with guns, axes, swords and clubs--On reaching Mr.
James W. Parkers' gate, immediately on the road leading to
Jerusalem, and about three miles distant, it was proposed to
me to call there, but I objected, as I knew he was gone to
Jerusalem, and my object was to reach there as soon as possible;
but some of the men having relations at Mr. Parker's it
was agreed that they might call and get his people. I remained
at the gate on the road, with seven or eight; the others going
across the field to the house, about half a mile off. After
waiting some time for them, I became impatient, and started
to the house for them, and on our return we were met by a
party of white men, who had pursued our blood-stained track,
and who had fired on those at the gate, and dispersed them,
which I new nothing of, not having been at that time rejoined
by any of them--Immediately on discovering the whites, I
ordered my men to halt and form, as they appeared to be
alarmed--The white men, eighteen in number, approached
us in about one hundred yards, when one of them fired,
(this was against the positive orders of Captain Alexander
P. Peete, who commanded, and who had directed
the men to reserve their fire until within thirty paces)
And I discovered about half of them retreating, I then ordered
my men to fire and rush on them; the few remaining stood
their ground until we approached within fifty yards, when
they fired and retreated. We pursued and overtook some of
them who we thought we left dead; (they were not killed) after
pursuing them about two hundred yards, and rising a little
hill, I discovered they were met by another party, and had
haulted, and were re-loading their guns, (this was a small
party from Jerusalem who knew the negroes were in the field,
and had just tied their horses to await their return to the
road, knowing that Mr. Parker and family were in Jerusalem,
but knew nothing of the party that had gone in with Captain
Page 16
Peete; on hearing the firing they immediately rushed to the
spot and arrived just in time to arrest the progress of these
barbarous villians, and save the lives of their friends and fellow
citizens.) Thinking that those who retreated first, and the
party who fired on us at fifty or sixty yards distant, had all
only fallen back to meet others with amunition. As I saw
them re-loading their guns, and more coming up than I saw at
first, and several of my bravest men being wounded, the others
became panick struck and squandered over the field; the
white men pursued and fired on us several times. Hark had
his horse shot under him, and I caught another for him as it
was running by me; five or six of my men were wounded, but
none left on the field; finding myself defeated here I instantly
determined to go through a private way, and cross the
Nottoway river at the Cypress Bridge, three miles below Jerusalem,
and attack that place in the rear, as I expected they
would look for me on the other road, and I had a great desire
to get there to procure arms and amunition. After going
a short distance in this private way, accompanied by about
twenty men, I overtook two or three who told me the others
were dispersed in every direction. After trying in vain to collect
a sufficient force to proceed to Jerusalem, I determined
to return, as I was sure they would make back to their old
neighborhood, where they would rejoin me, make new recruits,
and come down again. On my way back, I called at Mrs.
Thomas's, Mrs. Spencer's, and several other places, the white
families having fled, we found no more victims to gratify our
thirst for blood, we stopped at Majr. Ridley's quarter for the
night, and being joined by four of his men, with the recruits
made since my defeat, we mustered now about forty strong.
After placing out sentinels, I laid down to sleep, but was quickly
roused by a great racket; starting up, I found some mounted,
and others in great confusion; one of the sentinels having
given the alarm that we were about to be attacked, I ordered
some to ride round and reconnoitre, and on their return the
others being more alarmed, not knowing who they were, fled
in different ways, so that I was reduced to about twenty again;
with this I determined to attempt to recruit, and proceed on
to rally in the neighborhood, I had left. Dr. Blunt's was the
nearest house, which we reached just before day; on riding up
the yard, Hark fired a gun. We expected Dr. Blunt and his family
were at Maj. Ridley's, as I knew there was a company of
men there; the gun was fired to ascertain if any of the family
were at home; we were immediately fired upon and retreated,
Page 17
leaving several of my men. I do not know what became of
them, as I never saw them afterwards. Pursuing our course
back and coming in sight of Captain Harris', where we had
been the day before, we discovered a party of white men at
the house, on which all deserted me but two, (Jacob and
Nat,) we concealed ourselves in the woods until near night,
when I sent them in search of Henry, Sam, Nelson, and Hark,
and directed them to rally all they could, at the place we had
had our dinner the Sunday before, where they would find me,
and I accordingly returned there as soon as it was dark and
remained until Wednesday evening, when discovering white
men riding around the place as though they were looking for
some one, and none of my men joining me, I concluded Jacob
and Nat had been taken, and compelled to betray me.
On this I gave up all hope for the present; and on Thursday
night after having supplied myself with provisions from Mr.
Travis's, I scratched a hole under a pile of fence rails in a
field, where I concealed myself for six weeks, never leaving
my hiding place but for a few minutes in the dead of night
to get water which was very near; thinking by this time I
could venture out, I began to go about in the night and
eaves drop the houses in the neighborhood; pursuing this
course for about a fortnight and gathering little or no intelligence,
afraid of speaking to any human being, and returning
every morning to my cave before the dawn of day. I know
not how long I might have led this life, if accident had not
betrayed me, a dog in the neighborhood passing by my hiding
place one night while I was out, was attracted by some
meat I had in my cave, and crawled in and stole it, and was
coming out just as I returned. A few nights after, two negroes
having started to go hunting with the same dog, and passed
that way, the dog came again to the place, and having just
gone out to walk about, discovered me and barked, on which
thinking myself discovered, I spoke to them to beg concealment.
On making myself known they fled from me. Knowing
then they would betray me, I immediately left my hiding
place, and was pursued almost incessantly until I was taken
a fortnight afterwards by Mr. Benjamin Phipps, in a little hole
I had dug out with my sword, for the purpose of concealment,
under the top of a fallen tree. On Mr. Phipps' discovering
the place of my concealment, he cocked his gun and
aimed at me. I requested him not to shoot and I would give
up, upon which he demanded my sword. I delivered it to
him, and he brought me to prison. During the time I was
Page 18
pursued, I had many hair breadth escapes, which your time
will not permit you to relate. I am here loaded with chains,
and willing to suffer the fate that awaits me.
I here proceeded to make some inquiries of him after assuring
him of the certain death that awaited him, and that concealment
would only bring destruction on the innocent as well as
guilty, of his own color, if he knew of any extensive or concerted
plan. His answer was, I do not. When I questioned him
as to the insurrection in North Carolina happening about
the same time, he denied any knowledge of it; and when I
looked him in the face as though I would search his inmost
thoughts, he replied, "I see sir, you doubt my word; but can
you not think the same ideas, and strange appearances about
this time in the heaven's might prompt others, as well as myself,
to this undertaking." I now had much conversation
with and asked him many questions, having forborne to do so
previously, except in the cases noted in parenthesis; but during
his statement, I had, unnoticed by him, taken notes as to
some particular circumstances, and having the advantage of
his statement before me in writing, on the evening of the
third day that I had been with him, I began a cross examination,
and found his statement corroborated by every circumstance
coming within my own knowledge or the confessions
of others whom had been either killed or executed, and whom
he had not seen nor had any knowledge since 22d of August
last, he expressed himself fully satisfied as to the impracticability
of his attempt. It has been said he was ignorant and
cowardly, and that his object was to murder and rob for the
purpose of obtaining money to make his escape. It is notorious,
that he was never known to have a dollar in his life;
to swear an oath, or drink a drop of spirits. As to his ignorance,
he certainly never had the advantages of education,
but he can read and write, (it was taught him by his parents,)
and for natural intelligence and quickness of apprehension,
is surpassed by few men I have ever seen. As to
his being a coward, his reason as given for not resisting Mr.
Phipps, shews the decision of his character. When he saw
Mr. Phipps present his gun, he said he knew it was impossible
for him to escape as the woods were full of men; he
therefore thought it was better to surrender, and trust to fortune
for his escape. He is a complete fanatic, or plays his
part most admirably. On other subjects he possesses an uncommon
share of intelligence, with a mind capable of attaining
any thing; but warped and perverted by the influence of
Page 19
early impressions. He is below the ordinary stature, though
strong and active, having the true negro face, every feature of
which is strongly marked. I shall not attempt to describe the
effect of his narrative, as told and commented on by himself,
in the condemned hole of the prison. The calm, deliberate
composure with which he spoke of his late deeds and intentions,
the expression of his fiend-like face when excited by
enthusiasm, still bearing the stains of the blood of helpless
innocence about him; clothed with rags and covered with
chains; yet daring to raise his manacled hands to heaven, with
a spirit soaring above the attributes of man; I looked on
him and my blood curdled in my veins.
I will not shock the feelings of humanity, nor wound
afresh the bosoms of the disconsolate sufferers in this unparalleled
and inhuman massacre, by detailing the deeds of their
fiend-like barbarity. There were two or three who were in
the power of these wretches, had they known it, and who escaped
in the most providential manner. There were two
whom they thought they left dead on the field at Mr. Parker's,
but who were only stunned by the blows of their guns, as
they did not take time to re-load when they charged on them.
The escape of a little girl who went to school at Mr. Waller's,
and where the children were collecting for that purpose.
excited general sympathy. As their teacher had not arrived,
they were at play in the yard, and seeing the negroes approach,
ran up on a dirt chimney (such as are common
to log houses,) and remained there unnoticed during the massacre
of the eleven that were killed at this place. She remained
on her hiding place till just before the arrival of a
party, who were in pursuit of the murderers, when she came
down and fled to a swamp, where, a mere child as she was,
with the horrors of the late scene before her, she lay concealed
until the next day, when seeing a party go up to the
house, she came up, and on being asked how she escaped, replied
with the utmost simplicity, "The Lord helped her."
She was taken up behind a gentleman of the party, and returned
to the arms of her weeping mother Miss Whitehead
concealed herself between the bed and the mat that supported
it, while they murdered her sister in the same room, without
discovering her. She was afterwards carried off, and
concealed for protection by a slave of the family, who gave
evidence against several of them on their trial. Mrs. Nathaniel
Francis, while concealed in a closet heard their blows,
and the shrieks of the victims of these ruthless savages; they
Page 20
then entered the closet where she was concealed, and went
out without discovering her. While in this hiding place, she
heard two of her women in a quarrel about the division of
her clothes. Mr. John T. Baron, discovering them approaching
his house, told his wife to make her escape, and scorning
to fly, fell fighting on his own threshold. After firing his rifle,
he discharged his gun at them, and then broke it over the
villain who first approached him, but he was overpowered,
and slain. His bravery, however, saved from the hands of
these monsters, his lovely and amiable wife, who will long
lament a husband so deserving of her love. As directed by
him, she attempted to escape through the garden, when she
was caught and held by one of her servant girls, but another
coming to her rescue, she fled to the woods, and concealed
herself. Few indeed, were those who escaped their work of
death. But fortunate for society, the hand of retributive justice
has overtaken them; and not one that was known to be
concerned has escaped.
The Commonwealth,
vs.
Nat Turner.
Charged with making insurrection,
and plotting to take away the lives of
divers free white persons, &c. on the 22d of August, 1831.
The court composed of - , having met for the trial of
Nat Turner, the prisoner was brought in and arraigned, and
upon his arraignment pleaded Not guilty; saying to his counsel,
that he did not feel so.
On the part of the Commonwealth, Levi Waller was introduced,
who being sworn, deposed as follows: (agreeably to
Nat's own Confession.) Col. Trezvant* was then introduced,
who being Sworn, narrated Nat's Confession to him, as follows:
(his Confession as given to Mr. Gray.) The prisoner
introduced no evidence, and the case was submitted without
argument to the court, who having found him guilty, Jeremiah
Cobb, Esq. Chairman, pronounced the sentence of the
court, in the following words: "Nat Turner! Stand up.
Have you any thing to say why sentence of death should not
be pronounced against you?"
Ans. I have not. I have made a full confession to Mr.
Gray, and I have nothing more to say.
* The committing Magistrate.
Page 21
Attend then to the sentence of the Court. You have been arraigned
and tried before this court, and convicted of one of the
highest crimes in our criminal code. You have been convicted
of plotting in cold blood, the indiscriminate destruction of
men, of helpless women, and of infant children. The evidence
before us leaves not a shadow of doubt, but that your
hands were often imbrued in the blood of the innocent; and
your own confession tells us that they were stained with the
blood of a master; in your own language, "too indulgent."
Could I stop here, your crime would be sufficiently aggravated.
But the original contriver of a plan, deep and deadly,
one that never can be effected, you managed so far to put it
into execution, as to deprive us of many of our most valuable
citizens; and this was done when they were asleep, and defenceless;
under circumstances shocking to humanity. And
while upon this part of the subject, I cannot but call your attention
to the poor misguided wretches who have gone before
you. They are not few in number--they were your bosom
associates; and the blood of all cries aloud, and calls
upon you, as the author of their misfortune. Yes! You
forced them unprepared, from Time to Eternity. Borne
down by this load of guilt, your only justification is, that
you were led away by fanaticism. If this be true, from my
soul I pity you; and while you have my sympathies, I am, nevertheless
called upon to pass the sentence of the court. The
time between this and your execution, will necessarily be
very short; and your only hope must be in another world.
The judgment of the court is, that you be taken hence to the
jail from whence you came, thence to the place of execution,
and on Friday next, between the hours of 10 A. M. and 2 P. M.
be hung by the neck until you are dead! dead! dead
and may the Lord have mercy upon your soul. |
