The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-11-03
THE SOUTHAMPTON TRAGEDY
NEGRO OUTBREAK IN 1881.


The recent plot at Harper's Ferry recalls at
tention to previous disturbances of similar
character in this country, the most noted of
which was the Southampton tragedy of 1881.
Il was described as follows by one of the editors
of the Norfolk Herald:
Norfolk, Aug. "a, 1911 have horrible
and heartrending tale to relate, and lest even
its worst feature should be distorted by rumor
and exaggeration, have thought it proper to
give you all, and the worst information that has
as yet reached us through the best sources of
intelligence which the nature of the case viii
admit.
gentleman arrived here yesterday express
from Suffolk, with intelligence from the upper
part of Southampton county, stating that q band
Of insurgent slaves (some of them believed to
be runaways from the neighboring swamps) had
turned out on Sunday night last, and murdered
several whole families amounting TO forty or
Fifty individuals. Some of the families were
named, and among them was that of Mrs.
Catherine Whitehead, sister of our worthy
townsman, DIR. N. c. Whitehead, who, with her
son and FIVE daughters, fell sacrifice to the
savage ferocity of these demons in human
shape.
The instruction was represented as one of a
most alarming character, though it is believed
to have originated only in design to plumber,
and not with view to more important OBJ
ject--as Mrs. Whitehead, being wealthy lady,
was supposed to have had large sum of money
in her house. Unfortunately, a large number
of the effective male population was absent at
q camp-meeting in Gates county, some miles
of, q circumstance which gave temporary Sc
curity TO the brigands in the preparation of
their butcheries, and the panic which they
struck at the moment prevented the assembling
of q force sufficient to check their career.
AS soon as this intelligence was received, our
authorities met, and decided on making an inn
mediate application to Colonel House, CON-
manding at Fortress Monroe, who, at six o'clock
this morning, embarked on board the steamer
Hampton, with three companies and piece of
artillery, for Suffolk. These troops were rein
forced in the roads by detachments from tie
United States ships Warren and Natchez, the
whole amounting to nearly three hundred men.
To-day another express arrived from Suffolk,
confirming the disastrous news ofthe preceding
one, and adding still more to the number of the
slain. The insurgents are believed to have from
100 to $50 mounted men, and about the same
number on foot They are armed with fowling
pieces, clubs, &c, and have had a rencontre
with small number of the militia, who killed
six, and took eight of them prisoners. They
are said to be on their way to South Quay,
probably making their way for the Dismal
Swamp, in which they will be able to remain
for short time in security. For my part, 1
have no fears of their doing much further mis-
chief. There is very little disafection in the
slaves generally, and they cannot muster a
force sufficient to effect any objeet of import
ance. The few who have thus rushed head
long into the arena will be shot down like
crows, or captured and made examples Of. The
militia are collecting in all the neighboring
counties, and the utmost vigilance prevails.
subjoin list of the victims of their savage ven
peance: