In the summer of 1831, Nat Turner led a rebellion of some 70 slaves in Southampton County, Virginia. After planning the rebellion, Turner and six other slaves killed Turner’s owner and then raised a slave army. They gathered arms as they marched from plantation to plantation on the way to a nearby town. Nearly 60 white men, women, and children were killed before the slaves were scattered by a group of white people on horses. Turner escaped into hiding. In the aftermath of the rebellion more than 120 slaves were killed by white people. Turner was later captured, tried, and executed by hanging in the fall of 1831. The following excerpt is from his confession.
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[Turner arrives at his new owner’s house.] 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 [become proud and feel superior], and if I was, I would never be of any use to anyone 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 . . . 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. . . . 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 bear it.”
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From The Confessions of Nat Turner by Thomas R. Gray.
