Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1831-08-29
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Extract Of a iefte. from the Senior Editor, dated
JERUSALEM, southampton CT House,


JERUSALEM, southampton CT. House,
Thursday Eceaipg, Aug. 25. :
The Richmond Troop arrived here this morning
little after o'clock, aftera rapid, hot and most
fatiguing march from Richmond On the road we
met a thousand different reports, no two agreeing
and leaving it impossible to make plausible guess
ut the truth. On the route from Petersburg, we
found the whole country thoroughly alarmed; eve
ry man armed tho dwellings all deserted by the
white inhabitants, and the firms most generally
lett IN possession of the blacks. On our arrival at
this village, found Com. Elliott aud Col Worth
with 800 U. States troops, from the ncghborhood
OF Old Point, and considerable militia force A
Troop of Horse from Norfolk ard one from Prince
George, have since arrived. Jerusalem was never
crowded from its foundations for besides the con-
siderable military force assembled here, the ladies
from the adjacent country, to the number of 3 or
400, have sought refuge from the appalling dangers
by which they were surrounded. ~
Here for the first time, VIC learnt the extent of
the instruction, and the mischief pcrpctrated Ru-
NOR had infinitely exaggerated the first, swelling
the numbers OF the negroes to thousand or 1900
men, and representing its qualifications as cmbrac-
ing several of the adjacent counties, particularly
Isle of Wight and GrcensYille but it was hardly in
the power of rumor ITSELF to exaggerutc the afro
cities which have boon pcrpotratcd by the insur-
gents whole families, father, mother daughters,
sons, sucking babes, and school children, butcher
ed thrown into heaps, and left to be deyourcd by
hogs and dogs, or to purify on the spot AT Mr.
Levi Walters, his wife and ten children were muir
|
Waller himself was absent at the moment but an.
prouching while the dreadful scene was acting was
pursued, and escaped into a swamp, with much
difficulty. One small child in the house at the
time, escaped by concealng herself in the fire place
witnessing from the place of her concealment the
slaughter of the family and her elder sisters anon Or
them. Another child was cruelty wounded and
lett for dead, and probably will not survive All
these children We're not Mr. Waller's. A school
was kept his house, at which and betwecn
which and his house, tho ruthless villains murder
ed several OF the helpless children. MANY other
horrors have been pcrpctrated The killed, as far
as ascerta!ncd, amount to siXty-two; | send list
believed to be correct, far as t goes There are
probably others not yet known hereafter TO be adj
ded large proportion of these were women and
children. 1t not believed that any outra ges were
offered to the females.
How, or with whom, the insurrection oririnatcd
is not certainly known. The prevalent belief is
that on Sunday week last, at Barnes Church in the
neighborhood of the Cross Keys, tho negroes who
were observed to be disorderly, took offence ut
something; Gt is not known WHAT that the plan of
| instruction was then and there conceived matu.
red in the course of the week following and carried
INTO execution on Sunday night the 21st August
The atrocities commenced at Mr. Travis. a ne
gro, called captain Moore, and who it is added is a
preacher, is the reputed leader. On Monday most
OF the murders were perpctratcd. 1t is said that
none have been committed since that day The
numbers engaged are not supposed to have exceed
ed 6O-one account says NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. not
SO many 40. Twelve armed and resolute men
were certainly competent to have quelled them at
any time But, taken by surprise-with such hor
rors before theireyes, and trembling for their wives
and Children the men, most naturally only thought
in the first place, of providing refuge for those
dependent upon them. Since this has been effect
cd, the citizens have acted with vigor Various
parties have secured the country, and nurnBer of
the insurgents, differently reported have been
killed or taken. There are thirteen prisoners now
at this place, one or more of them severely wound
ed; the principal of them, a man aged about 2I
called Marmaduke, who might have been hero
his sutierings He is said to be an atrocious often
der, and the murderer of Miss Vaughan celebrat
ed for her beauty. The Preacher Captain has not
been taken At the Cross Keys, summary Justice
one or moro prisoners. The people are naturally
enough, wound up to high pitch of rage, and pre-
caution is even necessary protect the lives ofthe
captiYes-scouring parties out, and the nsurrec-
ton may be considered as already suppressed.