The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-05-09
NAT TURNER'S REBELLION.
c+irring Scenes During the Uprising
before the Days of Railroad and Tele-


graph.
7 E. Drom0oole in Nashville Democrat.
If was between 10 and l o'clock on the
riobt of the first day of September, 1881,
+ba+ 7 was awakened by loud call from
wbithout On opening the door l saw a
man on horseback at the gate, who re-
onasted me to come out. The moon was
shining brightly. and as | drew near |
recognized the man as Capt. Alexander d.
Cba6man. He had'on his military suit, and
~ drew near he said 'rhis looks like hell,
Son,t itg Ireplied, st looks little strange
NV moonlight. What is ups" He replied,
Erhe - negroes in Southampton have
rebelled, and are Strengthening our people;
got YOUR horse and notify every militiaman
r. vour beat to be in Powellton by sunrise,
and to bring guns and ammunition; be in a
hurry He was off in a gallop, returned
to the house and hurriedly told my. wife the
heavy news got my saddle and bride,
caught my horse and rode rapidly until
had warned all in my bounds, and about
sum nm was at Powellton. This place is
twelve miles south of Lawrencevile, the
county seat of Brunswick county, Virginia.
After a hastily eaten breakfast we counted
our numbers, amounting to ninety-six all
told Orders were left for others to follow
on and the ninety-six started on foot for
scene
Ford the county seat of Greenville county,
about 2 o'clock p. m. Such scene as was
presented here l had never witnessed, and
hone never to witness again. There were
congregated at this place thousands of
neople. in families, men, women and
children. Many of them evidently had left
their homes hurriedly, and without any
preparation for remaining out. They were
Simply here, herded together, not knowing
Nna
have sheltered half of them. One little
squad was drawn up in front of Jordan's old
tavern .andIwast told by our Colonel g. c. D.
that we we're ordered by Gen, Broadnax to
take up quarters at the old hospital wells
below the village. He said further that he
felt inclined to disregard the orders of his
superior and push on down to Jerusalem,
the county seat of Southampton, the place
at which the rebellion first broke out Judg-
ING from loud words and nervous gesticula-
tions, we thought that angry discussion
was going ON between our Colonel and the
General. but in a few minutes we were
ordered to forward, march," The Meher-
rim river runs by or through the little town,
having Hicks Ford on the south side and
Bellfeld on the north. At that time there
was a bridge across the river at this place.
1t was before the days of railroads. The
road from Petersburg to Wilmington, N. c..
pleted. When our little company reached
the bridge we found on the south side and
near the abutment an old revolutionary
cannon on wheels. A small shelter covered
with boards was near the breech, and a little
fire smoking close by, and some ten or
twelve men near at hand ready to apply a
live coal whenever the bridge should be
crowded with negroes. They were expect
ing them every minute. Weturned the old
rrY1Y in HiraafiOf1 -
our best respects for the work it had done
in former years, advised the boys in charge
TO place the old veteran on the retired list,
and crossed over and struck out for Jerusa-
lem.
A little depression here. At the time we
passed Hicks Ford there were men enough
there to have killed every darkey in South
ampton county in two hours, and would
gladly have finished up the job in short
order, but there was no organization, and
the impression made at the time was that a
head was lacking. We camped that night
at and in deserted house and found every
thing desirable for hungry men, put out
pickets and waited for the day; had an
early breakfast and took up our line of
march. We saw no one on the route, except
On occasional horseman headed for Hicks
Ford with news for headquarters. We could
hardly detain one of these mounted men
long enough to ask a question before he
would be off and going as if he thought old
nick was after him. The news usually
gathered from these scouts ran about in
this way: Danger ahead of you, more than
800 not mile before YOU and coming this
wayn We trudged on until late in the
afternoon. 1t was distressingly hot and the
sand distressingly deep. We finally halted
few miles from Jerusalem at the farm of
an old gentleman whose name | have for
H. l. i F..
at home since leaving Hicks Ford, and he
had evidently stayed to guard his melon
patch, for his first request was for guard
to keep the boys out. He was heavily
blessed for his generosity. At this place we
were divided into small squads and went
out in different directions in quest of adj ven
lures 1t would be tedious and uninterest-
ing to attempt detailed statement of all
that TRANSFERRED or all that we saw 1t is yet
dlstressingly painful to call up the recollec-
ton of a number of school children with
heads chopped off and their bodies piled up
under september sun at the old log school
house The cruelty of this savage outbreak
mas been written and published so often that
reiteration would be annoying, and
nave no intention to portray horrid details.
Inc county was overrun with soldiers in a
short time They came from Petersburg,
from Old Point Comfort and from other
countered by a company from Petersburg
commanded by Capt. Neal. 1t lasted but a
Few minutes before the darkeys fled to the
swamps, were pursued scattered to the four
winds, some even killed, some got home to
their residences in safety, so that it was
impossible ever after to ascertain who or
now many had been in the actual revolt
There were, as l now recollect, sixty-three
white persons killed, mostly in their beds
VI houses and without notice of danger.
This insurrection was inaugurated and
carried into effect under the guidance of
Nat Turner. Nat was negro and belonged
70 widow Frances, and in her infancy had
been her nurse. He was Baptist preacher,
ana his mistress (her husband Frances being
dead allowed Uncle Nat to keep a horse
and to go and come at his will. He ranged
through several counties, and was popular
with both white and black people, and it
was during these long travels attending
associations that he cautiously informed
lew OF his friends in different counties that
tne last Saturday in August would be a
Dlack day." Hundreds, and perhaps
thousands, had heard that much and no
more, and they not infrequently inquired
70 know If there was to be an eclipse on that
Jay. In that year August had five Satur-
Jays, and Turner made the fatal mistake
H. g a r..