The Confessions of Nat Turner eBook
The Confessions of Nat Turner by William Styron
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Table of Contents
Page 1
THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER,
The leader of the late insurrections
in Southampton, 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 Southampton,
and there
sentenced, &c.
Baltimore:
Published by Thomas R. Gray.
Lucas & Denver, print.
1831
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
(Seal.) the District of Columbia,
I, Edmund J.
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.
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
Page 2
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 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
Page 3
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 the conception and
perpetration of the most atrocious and heart-rending
deeds. It is calculated also to demonstrate the
policy of 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
Page 4
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
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
[Seal.]
aforesaid, to be affixed this 5th day of
November,
1831.
James
Rochelle, C.S.C.C.
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, he 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.
Page 5
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 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—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.[Footnote: When questioned
as to the manner of manufacturing those different
articles, he was found well informed on the subject.]
I was not addicted to stealing in my youth, nor have
ever been—Yet such was the confidence of
Page 6
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 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 ran away—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
Page 7
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, 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 great day of judgment
was at hand. About this time I told these things
to a white man, (Etheldred T. Brantley) on whom it
Page 8
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, 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.
Page 9
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 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,
Page 10
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 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 get 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
Page 11
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 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 bloodstained 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
Page 12
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 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
Page 13
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,
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 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.
Page 14
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 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.
Page 15
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,
she 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 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. } Charged with
making insurrection,
Nat Turner. } and plotting to take
away the lives of
divers free
white persons, &c.
on the
22d of August, 1831.
Page 16
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[Footnote:
The committing Magistrate.] was then introduced, who
being sworn, numerated 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.
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.
A list of persons murdered in the Insurrection,
on the 21st and 22d of August, 1831.
Page 17
Joseph Travers and wife and three children, Mrs. Elizabeth
Turner,
Hartwell Prebles, Sarah Newsome, Mrs. P. Reese and
son William, Trajan
Doyle, Henry Bryant and wife and child, and wife’s
mother, Mrs.
Catharine Whitehead, son Richard and four daughters
and grand-child,
Salathiel Francis, Nathaniel Francis’ overseer
and two children, John T.
Barrow, George Vaughan, Mrs. Levi Waller and ten children,
William
Williams, wife and two boys, Mrs. Caswell Worrell
and child, Mrs.
Rebecca Vaughan, Ann Eliza Vaughan, and son Arthur,
Mrs. John K.
Williams and child, Mrs. Jacob Williams and three
children, and Edwin
Drury—amounting to fifty-five.
A List of Negroes brought before the Court of Southampton,
with their owners’ names, and sentence.
Daniel, Richard Porter, Convicted.
Moses, J.T. Barrow,
Do.
Tom, Caty Whitehead, Discharged.
Jack and Andrew, Caty Whitehead, Con.
and transported.
Jacob, Geo. H. Charlton, Disch’d
without trial.
Isaac, Ditto, Convi.
and transported.
Jack, Everett Bryant, Discharged.
Nathan, Benj. Blunt’s estate,
Convicted.
Nathan, Tom, and
Davy, (boys,) Nathaniel Francis,
Convicted and transported.
Davy, Elizabeth Turner, Convicted.
Curtis, Thomas Ridley, Do.
Stephen, Do.
Do.
Hardy and Isham, Benjamin Edwards, Convicted
and transp’d.
Sam, Nathaniel Francis, Convicted.
Hark, Joseph Travis’ estate.
Do.
Moses, (a boy,) Do.
Do. and transported
Davy, Levi Waller, Convicted.
Nelson, Jacob Williams, Do.
Nat, Edm’d Turner’s
estate, Do.
Jack, Wm. Reese’s estate,
Do.
Dred, Nathaniel Francis, Do.
Arnold, Artist, (free,) Discharged.
Sam, J.W. Parker,
Acquitted.
Ferry and Archer, J.W. Parker,
Disch’d without trial.
Jim, William Vaughan, Acquitted.
Bob, Temperance Parker, Do.
Davy, Joseph Parker,
Daniel, Solomon D. Parker, Disch’d
without trial.
Thomas Haithcock, (free,) Sent
on for further trial.
Joe, John C. Turner, Convicted.
Lucy, John T. Barrow, Do.
Matt, Thomas Ridley, Acquitted.
Jim, Richard Porter, Do.
Exum Artes, (free,) Sent
Page 18
on for further trial.
Joe, Richard P. Briggs, Disch’d
without trial.
Bury Newsome, (free,) Sent
on for further trial.
Stephen James Bell, Acquitted.
Jim and Isaac, Samuel Champion, Convicted
and trans’d.
Preston, Hannah Williamson, Acquitted.
Frank, Solomon D. Parker, Convi’d
and transp’d.
Jack and Shadrach, Nathaniel Simmons, Acquitted.
Nelson, Benj. Blunt’s estate,
Do.
Sam, Peter Edwards, Convicted.
Archer, Arthur G. Reese, Acquitted.
Isham Turner, (free,) Sent
on for further trial.
Nat Turner, Putnam Moore, dec’d,
Convicted.