The weekly Anglo-African. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1859-1861, 1859-12-31
NARRATIVE OF 7. R. GRAY.

The late instruction in Southampton
has greatly excited the public mind, and
led to thousand idle, exaggerated and
mischievous reports. 1t is the first instance
in our history, of an open rebellion of the
slaves, and attended with such atrocious cir
cumstances of cruelty and destruction, as
could not fail to leave deep impression,
not only upon the minds of the community
where this fearful tragedy was wrought.
but throughout every portion ofour country
in which this population is to be found.
Public curiosity has been on the stretch to
understand the origin and progress of this
dreadful conspiracy, and the motives which
influenced its diabolical actors. The insur-
gent slaves had all been destroyed, or app
rehended, tried and executed, with the ex-
ception ofthe leader without revealing any
thing at all satisfactory, as to the motives
which governed them, or the means by
which they expected to accomplish their
object. Every thing connected with this sad
affair was wrapt in mystery, until Nat
Turner, the leader of this ferocious band
whose name has resounded throughout our
widely extended empire, was captured.
This great Bandit was taken by a single
individual, in cave near the residence of
his late owner, on Sunday the thirtieth of
October, without attempting to make the
slightestresistance, and on the following day
safely lodged in the Jail of the County
His captor was Benjamin Phipps, armed
with shot gun we'll charged. Mats only
weapon was a small light sword, which he
Immediately surrendered, and begged that
his life might be spared. Since his con-
fnement, by permission of the iailer, |
that he was willing to make a full and free
confession of the origin, progress and con-
summation ofthe neutrality-suspicious.
of the slaves, of which he was the contriver
and head Il determined, for the qualification
of public curiosity, to commit his statements
to writing, and publish them, with little or
no variation, from his own words. That
this is faithful record of his confessions,
the annexed certificate oft the County Court
of Southampton will attest. They certain
ly bear the stamp of truth and sincerity.
He makes no attempt las all the other in
surgents who were arrested and examined
did to exculpate himself, but frankly &C
knowledges his full participation in all the
guilt of the transaction. He was not only
the contriver of the conspiracy, but gave
the first blow towards its execution
It will thus appear, that, whilst every
thing upon the surface of society wore a
calm and peaceful aspect; whilst not one
preparation was heard to warn the devoted
inhabitants, of woe and death, gloomy
fanatic was revolving in the recesses of his
own dark, bewildered, and overweight
mind, schemes of indiscriminate massacre to
the whites-schemes too fearfully execu-
ted, as far as his fendish band proceeded
in their desolating march. No cry for
mercy penetrated their finty bosoms No
acts of remembered kindeness made the
least impression on these remorseless MUIR
derers. Men, women and children, from
hoary age TO helpless infancy, were in
| volved in the same cruel fate. Never did
a band of savages do their work of death
more unsparingly. Apprehension for their
own personal safety seems to have been
the only principle of restraint in the whole
course Of their bloody proceedings, And
it is not the least remarkable feature in this
horrid transaction, that band actuated
by such hellish purposes, should have re-
sisted so feebly, when met by the whites
in arms. Desperation alone, one would
think, might have led to greater efforts.
| More than 20 of them attacked Dr. Blunt's
house on Tuesday morning, little before
day break, defended by two men and three
boys. They fled precipitately at the first
fire; and their future plans of mischief were
entirely disconnected and broken up Es-
Gaping hence, each individual sought his
own safety either in concealment or by
returning home, with the hope that his par
ticipation might escape detection, and all
were shot down Ia the course of a few days
or captured and brought to trial and pun
ishment Nat has survived all his follow
ers, and the gallows will speedily close his
/ career His own account of the conspiracy
is submitted to the public without comment
1t reads an awful and it is bowed useful
lesson, as to the operation of mind like
his, endeavoring to grapple with things be-
yond it's reach-how it first became be-
wildered and COMPOUNDED, and finally corrup-
ted, and led to the conception and perpetra-
ton of the most atrocious and heart-rending
deeds.
It's also calculated to demonstrates the po-
Icy of our laws in restraint of this class of
our population, and to induce all those en-
trusted with their execution, as well as our
citizens generally, to see that they are strict
ly and rigidly enforced. Each particular
community should look to its own safety,
whilst the general guardians of the laws
keep watchful eye over all. If Mats
statements can be relied on, the insurrection