Title: The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va.

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The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va.

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. ..................1

Thomas R. Gray .......................................................................................................................................1

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va.

Be it remembered, That on this tenth day of November, Anno Domini, eighteen hundred and thirtyone,

Thomas R. Gray of the said District, deposited in this office the title of a book, which is in the words as

"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, the right whereof he claims as proprietor, in conformity with an Act of Congress, entitled "An act

In testimony that the above is a true copy from the record of the District Court for the District of Columbia, I,

Edmund I. Lee, the Clerk thereof, have hereunto set my hand and affixed the seal of my office, this 10th day

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 1

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 daybreak, 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 heartrending deeds. It

is calculated also to demonstrate the policy or our laws in restraint of this class of our population, and to

induce all those entrusted with their execution, as well as our citizens generally, to see that they are strictly

and rigidly enforced. Each particular community should look to its own safety, whilst the general guardians

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va.

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 2

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

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

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

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and caused the seal of the Court aforesaid, to be affixed

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,

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va.

The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 3

SIR,You have asked me to give a history of the motives which induced me to undertake the late

insurrection, as you call itTo do so I must go back to the days of my infancy, and even before I was born. I

was thirtyone 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 circumstancetrifling as it may seem, it was

the commencement of that belief which has grown with time, and even now, sir, in this dungeon, helpless and

forsaken as I am, I cannot divest myself of. Being at play with other children, when three or four years old, I

was telling them something, which my mother overhearing, said it had happened before I was I bornI stuck

to my story, however, and related somethings which went, in her opinion, to confirm itothers 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 slaveTo 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 thoughtsthere was nothing that I saw

or heard of to which my attention was not directedThe 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 alphabetbut 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 objectsthis was a

source of wonder to all in the neighborhood, particularly the blacksand this learning was constantly

improved at all opportunitieswhen I got large enough to go to work, while employed, I was reflecting on

many things that would present themselves to my imagination, and whenever an opportunity occurred of

looking at a book, when the school children were getting their lessons, I would find many things that the

fertility of my own imagination had depicted to me before; all my time, not devoted to my master's service,

was spent either in prayer, or in making experiments in casting different things in moulds made of earth, in

attempting to make paper, gunpowder, and many other experiments, that although I could not perfect, yet

convinced me of its practicability if I had the means. * I was not addicted to stealing in my youth, nor have

ever beenYet 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

* When questioned as to the manner of manufacturing those different articles, he was found well informed on

myself in mystery, devoting my time to fasting and prayerBy 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 subjectAs 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." Questionwhat do you mean by

the Spirit. Ans. The Spirit that spoke to the prophets in former daysand I was greatly astonished, and for

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The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 4

two years prayed continually, whenever my duty would permitand 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 meand 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 tricksfor 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 meAbout this time I was placed under an overseer, from whom I ranaway

and after remaining in the woods thirty days, I returned, to the astonishment of the negroes on the plantation,

who thought I had made my escape to some other part of the country, as my father had done before. But the

reason of my return was, that the Spirit appeared to me and said I had my wishes directed to the things of this

world, and not to the kingdom of Heaven, and that I should return to the service of my earthly master"For

he who knoweth his Master's will, 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 visionand I saw white spirits and

black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkenedthe thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood

flowed in streamsand 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 fullyand 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 attitudesand there were lights in the sky to which the

children of darkness gave other names than what they really werefor 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 thereofand 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

neighborhoodand 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

meFor 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 dewand 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 band. About this time I told

these things to a white man, (Etheldred T. Brantley) on whom it had a wonderful effectand 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 alsoand 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 SpiritAfter 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,

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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 workand until the first sign appeared,

I should conceal it from the knowledge of menAnd 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 lastMany 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 commenceStill forming new schemes and rejecting them,

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,

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

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The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 6

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

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 inhabitantson 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 victimsHaving 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 murderedHere we found a young man named

Drury, who had come on business with Mr. Williamshe was pursued, overtaken and shot. Mrs. Vaughan

was the next place we visitedand 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 clubsOn

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

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The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 7

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 themImmediately on discovering the whites, I ordered my men

to halt and form, as they appeared to be alarmedThe 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

reloading 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 aad 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 reloading 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

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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

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 fiendlike 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

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 fiendlike 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

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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 reload when they charged on them. The

escape of a little girl who went to school at Mr. Waller's, and where the children were collecting for that

purpose. excited general sympathy. As their teacher had not arrived, they were at play in the yard, and seeing

the negroes approach, ran up on a dirt chimney (such as are common to log houses,) and remained there

unnoticed during the massacre of the eleven that were killed at this place. She remained on her hiding place

till just before the arrival of a party, who were in pursuit of the murderers, when she came down and fled to a

swamp, where, a mere child as she was, with the horrors of the late scene before her, she lay concealed until

the next day, when seeing a party go up to the house, she came up, and on being asked how she escaped,

replied with the utmost simplicity, "The Lord helped her." She was taken up behind a gentleman of the party,

and returned to the arms of her weeping mother Miss Whitehead concealed herself between the bed and the

mat that supported it, while they murdered her sister in the same room, without discovering her. She was

afterwards carried off, and concealed for protection by a slave of the family, who gave evidence against

several of them on their trial. Mrs. Nathaniel Francis, while concealed in a closet heard their blows, and the

shrieks of the victims of these ruthless savages; they 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.

Charged with making insurrection, and plotting to take away the lives of divers free white persons, on the 22d

The court composed of , having met for the trial of Nat Turner, the prisoner was brought in and arraigned,

and upon his arraignment pleaded Not guilty; saying to his counsel, that he did not feel so.

On the part of the Commonwealth, Levi Waller was introduced, who being sworn, deposed as follows:

(agreeably to Nat's own Confession.) Col. Trezvant* was then introduced, who being Sworn, narrated Nat's

Confession to him, as follows: (his Confession as given to Mr. Gray.) The prisoner introduced no evidence,

and the case was submitted without argument to the court, who having found him guilty, Jeremiah Cobb, Esq.

Chairman, pronounced the sentence of the court, in the following words: "Nat Turner! Stand up. Have you

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

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The Confessions Of Nat Turner, The Leader Of The Late Insurrection In Southampton, Va. 10

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 numberthey 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

A list of persons murdered in the Insurrection, on the 21st and 22nd 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 grandchild, 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 Druryamounting to fiftyfive.

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