Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1831-12-08
From me Riel.s,snJEnq,1re-.
THE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER.

From me Riei.s,ond Enqrarer.
TIE CONFESSIONS OF NAT TURNER
Mr. T. Gr~y's pamphlet of "Th- Confession,
Of NJ" Turner, the leader OF the late in'arrcss,cn
in Southampton" has been poblished n Bsit,-
more. IL makes 20 psgcA-h prosrsss to give.
from the Bandits own lips, the circumstance
which formed him . iesdcr and fanatic. II
sketches the commencement, prcgr-ss md ter
mirstion of an In,rrrvction, the Ls- ,e,tri q
which makes the blood run cold. Ine dcserip-
ton Il tho bWehery of the whites is icrrihe.-
We c0ns>s make copious extracts from a. bccsn>e
Il !. put under n copy right Hut ve may be
permitted, without infringing the authors
privilege, TO copy the follow ing ineidcnts:-
"And by signs in the heavens that
il would make known to me when
should commence the great work--and
until the 6rS sign appeared, I should
conceal il from the knowledge of men.
And on the appearance Of the s'gD,
(the eclipse Of the sun last February,l
I should arise and prepare myself, and
slay my enemies with their own wsa
pons. And Immediately on the sign
appearing in the heavens, the seal Was
removed from my lips, and I commu
uicated the great work laid out for me
to do. to four in whom I had the great.
est confidence. Henry, Hsrk. Mel.
son 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 u. and
il affected my mind TO such . degree,
that Eel! sick. and the time passed
without our cunning to any determine
ton how To commence Still forming
rev schemes and rejee ting them. when
the sign appeared again, which deter
mined me not to wait longer" the
strange appearance Of the SUM- -
clark got ladder and set il against
the chimney. on which assembled. and
hosting awindo~, entered and cam.
down stairs, unbarred the door. and
remos cd the guns from their places. II
was then observed that | must spill the
trst blood. On which. armed with q
Ratchet. and accompanied BY Will. I
entered my masters chamber il be-
ing dark, could not give q death.
blow. the hatcher glanced from hi.
head. he sprang from the bed and call.
ed his wife : il was his last word. Will
laid him dead with blow of his axe.
and Mrs. Travis shared the same fate,
az she lay in bed. The murder of this
family, five in number, was the work
Of moment, not one Of them awoks /:
there was little infant sleeping in .
cradle. that was forgotten, until we
had left the house and gone some dis
lance, when Henry and Will returned
and killed it; We got here, four guns
that would shoot, aud several old mus.
kets' with pound or two of powder"
"From MIR. Reese's we went to MIR.
Turner's, mile distant, which we
reached about sunrise, on Monday
morning. Henry, Austin and sam.
went 10 the still. where. finding Mr..
PEBBLES, Austin shot him, and the rest
OF US went TO the house as we an.
preached, the family discovered US,
and shut the door. Vain hope! Will.
with one stroke Of his axe, opened il,
and We entered and found Mrs. Tur.
ner and Mrs. Newsome in the middle
OF room, almost frightened TO death.
VIII immediately killed Mrs. Turner
with one blow Of the axe! I took Mrs.
Ne~some by the hand, and with the
sword had when l was apprehendrd,
] struck her several blows over the
head, bot not being able tn kill her, a.
the sword was dull. Will turning
round and discovering il, dispate he'd
her slso. A general destruction Of
property and search for money and
ammunition. always succeeded the
mus ders."
"All the family were already muir.
dered, but M Whitehead and her
daughter Margaret. Asl came round
10 the door, ! saw Wal pulling Mrs.
whitehead out OF the house, and nj the
step he nearly severed her head from
her body, with his broad axe. Miss
Margaret, when l discovered her, had
concealed herself in the corner, form
cd by the projection Of the cellar can
rom the house; on my approach she
He'd, but was soon oyertaken. and Ar
ter repeated blows with the sword. I
kilie: her by blow on the head, with
a fence rail-"
WHIST vrctehcs, This monster viii. furnishes
deeds that ~oaid suit u,e pencil Of Salvador Rosa
One confession e M, Turner Is important.
He VAS asked, III he knew Of sov
extensive or concerted plan. His an
swer was, ] do not. When I que.
toned him as Go the insurfection in
North Carolina happening about the
same time. he denied any knowIedee
OF II; and when ! looked him IN he
face as though would search his in
most thoughts, he replied, Il see sir.
you doubt my word; but can YOU mo-,
think the same ideas, and strange en-.