The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-28

the necessary fermentation, the liquor is place,
in jars ready for use as an intoxicating drink
Greenville District, s. G, 1867.
From the Richmond Times
THE TURNER AND GABRIEL IN
SURRECTIONS.
| The following letter to the New York Tri
bune gives an interesting, and we believe, &C
curate account Of the negro Instructions in thi
State in 1901 and 1881:
SoUTH-SIDE, Va, April 27, 1867.
In the Tribune of recent date the insurrec
tion Of Nat Turner is spoken Of as being the
only uprising of any importance which has oc
Cured among the Southern negroes. This is
perhaps, the general belief of persons at a dis
tance-and OF many in the South too-for very
few seem to have any knowle ledge of the one
which preceded Turner's by about thirty years
and which, but for remarkable Providentia
| iGterpositlon, would have been followed by con.
| sequences tenfold more shocking Presunins
you would like to have the historical truth 10
this matter, and for other reasons, it has ap.
peared to me that brief sketch of that affair
woulc be both acceptable and interesting to the
general reader.
In the summer of 1901, in the immediate vi.
cinity of Richmond, occurred what is known as
Gabriels insurrecton. Gabriel belonged to a
gentleman named Prosser who lived in Rich
mond, but who owned cottage about three
miles from the city on the Brook turnpike One
evening about dusk, Mr. Prosser rode up to this
place, intending to remain all night He was
surprised to find large number of negroes COL
lected in the yard and on the premises whose
countenances wore threatening aspect He
was evidently not expected. He was quickly
approached by one OF his servants, as if to take
charge Of his horse, who warned him Of his dan
ger, and besought him to fly for bis life without
moments delay. Putting spurs to his animal
he escaped capture, and hurrying to Richmond
gave the first alarm of the prof ojected outbreak
The bells were Immediately rung and the citi-
zens called to arms. At the time MIR Prosser
rode up to his house fearful thunder storm
was impending, which burst with unprecedented
fury before he reached the city. 1t has been
described by the old inhabitants as being ac-
companied with thunder and lightning such as
none Of them had ever witnessed and the rain
descended in perfect torrents The scene was
in fact terrific. The large capitol building was
provided with a number of lightning rods, and
the electric fluid played from one to another
10 the most fantastic manner, ever and anon
covering the whole roof with sheets of living
fire. Many houses were struck, and every soul
quaked with fear. What with the apprehen-
sion of murder by crowd of fanatic slaves, and
the imminent danger of being struck every mo-
ment by a thunderbolt, it was night of hor-
rors such as has not been experienced by any
community once in century. = 1t was in refer
ence to those terrible trials that John Randolph
made the remark several years afterward in Con-
grtss, that the Virginia mother never heard the
alarm bell in the dead of night that she did not
press her infant more closely to her bosom.
! But it was that terrific storm that saved the
city. Mr. Prossers cottage stood just beyond
small stream called ''Tbe Brook" and before
| the negroes had time to organize, the fall OF
| rain overwhelming as to render it i'm
passabe, and, indeed, to deludse the whole
country. The next morning the officers Of the
law we're placed on duty, and number of ar
rests were made, including some of the ring.
leaders. Gabriel, however, eluded pursuit tor
several weeks. After wandering in unftequent
ed places he sought concealment on board of a
| vessel in James river, with view of getting
out of the State, but was discovered by fellow
servant, who gave the information to the au
thorities. He aud about forty others were
brought to trial, the greater number Of whom
were convicted, aud suffered the penalty Of the
| law.
Inc plot OF the c0nsplratorS was 10 nre the
| city, massacre the men and children, and tt
make ap:ives of the women Turner destroyed
Lille indiscriminatel; and in so doing. pursued
what was practically the more mercitul course
Gabriel is represented to have been brave. de
! termined man, with much more than the aver
age ability of the negro race. He met his fate
with frmness. number of negro songs
which became very popular, and in which Ga
briel was the chief character, were founGed or
incidents connected with this insurrectlon
They were sung in the harvest fields and Al
corn huskinss for many years, and some of then
are probably not yet obsolete.
! Nat Turner'S insurrec.ion took place in th'
year 1881. Nat was preacher, and fanatic
he professed to have communication with heav
en- and it was from the faith in his mission will
which he inspired his followers that he gainee
bis ascendeucy over them. His plot was badly
conceived and worse executed, so far as an!
reasonable success could be counted on. 1t is
to say the least, a most remarkable coincidence
that both GabriePs and Turner'S rebellion
should have been accompanied by extraordinar,
atmospherical phenomena-with this difference
however, that in the one case the plans o. th
insurgents we're frustrated by the elements