Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1831-09-01
THE RESURRECTION.
From the Richmond Uhig.
Extract of letter from the Senior Editor, dated
JERUSALEM, Southampton, c. Fl.

Extract of letter from the Senior Editor, dated
JERUSALEM, Southampton, c. II. }
Thursday Erening .4ug. 25.
The Richmond troops arrived here this morn
ing little after o'clock after rapid and most
atlguinr march from Richmond. On the road We
met thousand different reports no two agreeing,
and leaving it impossible to make plausible guess
at the truth On the route from Petersburg, we
found the whole country thoroughly alarmed, eve
~ man armed, the dwellings all deserted by the
white inhabitants, and the farms most generally
left in possession OF the blacks. On our arrlVa:
at the village, we found Com. Elliott and Col.
North. with ESQ U. s. troops, from the nelghbor-
hood of Old Point, and a considerable militia
force. A troop of horse from Norfolk and one
from Prince George, have since arrived. Jeru-
salem was never 50 crowded from its foundation,
for besides the considerable military force assem-
bled here, the ladies from the jacent county, to
the number Of 5 or 400, have sought refuge from
the appalling dangers by which they were sur
rounded.
Here for the first we learnt the extent OF the
insurrectlon, aud mischief perpetratcd. Rumors
had Infinitely exaggerated the first, swelling the
numbers of the negroes to thousand or l2OO
men.and representing its ramifcations as embrac-
ing several of the adjacent counties particular
ly Isle of Wight aud Greenyille; but 1t was hard
" in the power Of rumor itself, to exaggerate the
atrocities which have been perpetrated by the IN
surgents. Whole families, father, mother, daugh-
tiers. sons, sucking babes, and school children,
butchered, thrown into heaps, and left to be de-
voured by hogs and dogs or to purify on tie spot.
Al Mr.. Levi Walters his wife and ten children
were murdered and piled in one bleeding heap on
his floor Waller himself was absent at the mo-
ment. bat approaching while the dreadful scene
was actine.was pursued. and escaped into swamp
witt, much difficulty. One small child in the house
at the time escaped by conceallng herself IN the
fire place, witnessing :rom the place OF her con-
cealment, the slaughter oil the family and her ell
der sisters among them. Another child was cru
elly wounded and left for dead, and probably will
not survive. All these children were not Mr..
Walters. A school was kept near his house, at
which. and hetw cen which and his house the ruth
less Williams murdered several of the helpless chill
dren. Many other horrors have been perpetrat-
ed. The killing as tar las ascertained amount to SIX
ty two. A large proportion Of these were wo-
men and children. 1t is not believed that any
outrages were offered to the females.
How or with whom, the insurrectlon originates
is not certainly known. The prevalent belief IS,
that on Sunday week last at Barnes Church 10
the neighborhood of the Cross Keys, the negroes
who were observed to be dlsOrderly, took offence
at something; Ut is not known what that the plan
of ,nsurrect,on was then and there conceived ma.
tured in the course OF the week following anu
c,rri,d into execution on Sunday night the 2lst
Apsust The atrocities commenced at Mr. Ira
yis'S. A negro, called Capt Moore, and who 1t
i added is a preacher, is a reputed leader. On
Monday most of the murders were perpetrated.
I, said that none have been committed since that
d,v The numbers engaged are not supposed to
h,ro excepded Co. One account says hundred
.,o,her not so many as 40. Twelve armed
and resoute men were certainly competent to
Loye ouelled them at any time. But taken by
surnrise-with such horrors before their eyes, and
,ram,,irO for their wives and children, the men,
most naturally, only thought IN the first place, OF
nroy;d;oS refuge for those dependent upon them.
S;ncs This has been effected. the citizens have act
"A nth vignr. Various parties have secured the
cor,,rv. and number of the insurgents, Cutter
spt,v renorted, have been killed or taken. There
arc thirteen prisoners now in this place, one or
mora severely wounded; the principal OF them
man ahout 81 called Marmaduke, who might have
been hero, Judging from the magnanimlty with
which he hears his sufferings. He is SAID to be
an atrocipus offender, and the murderer OF MISS
Vaucban. celebrated for her beauty. The preach
arCsnt,;n has not been taken. At the Cross Keys,
seminary Justice in the form OF decaPitation has
saan axeeEted on one or more prisoners: the peo-
,Js are Nkurally enough, wound up to high pitch
Of rage. and precaution is even necessary to pro-
t.c, tRe hives of the captives-scourlng parties are
ont. and the nsurrection may be considered as al
ready suppressed.
JERUSALEM. Saturday o.
Since writing the accompanying letter. which
mos expected to have been sent off immediately,