Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1881-07-30
atirgjnia Gme 9ve5s,
n n. % ". ". B. GALLAHEB, Ediiors.
5harlcs,o,c,,, JeGerson County, ITcst va.
JuIy 80, 1881.
T,celve Hours on the Norfolk tG IyeSteTn
Railroad.


I IWtttt 4AbAlr tsA tfae. -'Hf |N+' - - N~tN'
RGiJTOGd.
Big Lick, Va, July Sth, 1881.
Among the interesting things connected
with southampton County. through which
the Railroad passes, is the instruction OF
Nat Turner in August, 1881. This Turner
was q slave who from child had been the
victim Of lanaticism and superstition. lie
claimed TO have been commissioned by Je-
sus Christ to undertake this massacre, and
had been digineiy inspired. He seems from
a child TO have had the idea that he was
intended for some great purpose. lie pos
scssed q mind superior 10 his iellow-slavcs,
who seemed to regard him Is q supernatural
being. An eclipse Of the sun in February,
1881, was regarded by him as the sign for
him to commence. he then communicated
his intention tO four of his companions
The 4th Of July was the day set TO begin,
but something prevented, and 1t was put
OF until August. Turner and five others
then met on Sunday at q kind Of feast they
had prepared, and then their plans were
c9ncocted and they determined to begin that
Sunday night. They agreed to spare neith-
ar AGE nor sex Of the whitcs-a rule they
strictly adhered to- They began with the
murder Of Mr. Travis, Nat Morter and bis
flmily. They murdered all Of them rs they
thought. bat after leaving the house they
remembered that there vas baby. Two Of
them then returned, and finding il sleeping
in is cradle murdered it and left. Here
they found several guns with some ammuni-
ton. and these they took with them They
then proceeded from house to housemurder-
ing all the whites they could find. They
now numbered about co. all mounted and
armed with guns, axes, swords and clubs
i}y this time, however, the country was
alarmed, and the whites began to concert
some measure OF resistance. When the
waitos begaa. bo-iise upon hii.i his iolfoT7cSs
dtsertod him, and at last he was left with
one or two. These he sent out to collect
more followers and 10 meet him at the place
0f their feast 50 as to renew The attack the
following Sunday But these never return
ed. and he was left alone. After this he
rave lip ell hope Cor the present, and return
ing to the house Of Mr.. Travis. whom Inc
had murdered, he there supplied himself
with provisions. and making a hole under
pile of fence rails in a field, concealed him
self for six weeks, only vcnturing ont at the
dead of night to procure water. His place
NA tbllttEi4iNiaN MsAN stlNtt " Aus Nl0AVN AliA
by dog which had been attracted 10 it by
some meat which he had concealed in his
hole. 4 few nights after, two negroes
having gone out hunting with this same
dog, passed near the spot Just at this time
Turner had left his hole, and the dog seeing
him, barlcd. He supposed that he was dis
covered, and begged the men 20 conceal
him. but they fed. From this time lie was
hunted inccisantly and about two weeks
atterward was caught. He was executed in
the following November. During the two
days in which they were engaged they had
massacred f;ty-iiye persons, including men,
women and children.
Nottoway County is so called after one of
the most powerful tribes OF Indians who
once dWct in Virginia. In the northern
part of this county Peter Francisco had his
celebrated fight with Tarlcton's cavalry
during the Revolutionary war. Francisco
was Il powerful fellow who was attacked ly
a band Of nine men and in sight of 400
men, but he succeeded in escaping after
haying killed one, wounded another, and
captured eight horses.
At Rushviilc we stopped fora little while.
When we were a college boy this was called
the "fried chicken depot" 1t made no dii-
ference at what season OF the year one pass
ed there, score OF negro women were al
wavs on hand with fried chicken for sale.
1t looked so plump and so nicely Drowned
that the hungry boy could not resist the
temptation to invest in a snack; but one
can scarcely imagine the disgust on that
BOYS face when lie bit into his chicken and
removed the covering of flower or meal
10 find that there was but very little meat
remaining Some even declared that they
picked up the bones, and covering them
with meat. sold them again for Fresh
Spring Chicken ~ The conserucnce was
thatthe boy who afterwards bought Spring
chicken at Rushyille always carried the
bones q safc distance away from him.
81 Kushyille the y. & W. forms a juno
ton with the Richmond Il Danyille K. r.,
and at this point a new coach was added TO
our train. thus enabling passengers to 90
from Richmond over this route 20 the South
west without change of cars. Along this
road since It's change of hands Is likewise
10 be seen very substantial evidence OF
growth. 4 stimulus has been given to
everything. and whatever may be said OF
the slowness of the Nirginian and his con-
seTvatism and his inferiority to his Western
brother in push" we think we understand
the virginia character we'll enough to know
that when once aroused il has in it IN ele-
ment Of power that viii divide the lauFeis
with his western brother IF one wants TO
see energy and push eyemplitied, let him 20
to Richmond, Danfilie, Lynchbufg and
Norfolk, with numerous towns along the
different lines Of railroad. lie viii probably
open his eyes with astOnishmcnt 1T thtse
slow-plodding Nirginiahs. Richmcnd was
alive 10 Ter interests when be entered into
contest with Baltimore, and stcured the
Richuund and Dauville r. r It strikes
us task Baltimore had better bc looking 10
her lrurels. Her chief feeder froEr the
Souih is now the Midland road. but 1t will
be but q few months until The heavy traffic
which now passes over it VIII be diverted 10