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diff --git a/15333.txt b/15333.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..a1d0cb8 --- /dev/null +++ b/15333.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1220 @@ +The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Confessions Of Nat Turner, by Nat Turner + +This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with +almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or +re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included +with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org + + +Title: 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, + + +Author: Nat Turner + +Release Date: March 12, 2005 [EBook #15333] + +Language: English + +Character set encoding: ASCII + +*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER *** + + + + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Bruce Thomas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + + + + + +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 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 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 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. 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 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 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 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. + +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, 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 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 +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 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. + +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. + +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. + +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._ + +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 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. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's The Confessions Of Nat Turner, by Nat Turner + +*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER *** + +***** This file should be named 15333.txt or 15333.zip ***** +This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: + https://www.gutenberg.org/1/5/3/3/15333/ + +Produced by Suzanne Shell, Bruce Thomas and the Online Distributed +Proofreading Team + + +Updated editions will replace the previous one--the old editions +will be renamed. + +Creating the works from public domain print editions means that no +one owns a United States copyright in these works, so the Foundation +(and you!) can copy and distribute it in the United States without +permission and without paying copyright royalties. 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