The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1891-01-25
Nat. TURNER'S UPRISING.
EXCITING ANo BLOODY SCENE S
IN SOUTHAMPTON.

Unusual Commotion ON the streets %
Richmond Exaggerated Repatriation
erai CONFERENCE.-The Massacre Of Mr. |
Travis aud Famiiy-Other Murders.
II was carly in the morning Of Tuesday |
the I'D Of August, 1891, that the usual |
quiet Of Richmond was suddenly disturbed
by repeated calls from a huglc IN the hands
of "Dick Gaines" the well-known negro
trumpeter 70 Captain Randolph Harrison's
troop OF Light Horse. Heretofore, when
ever that crack company was TO appear on
public parade, notice OF the same had al
ready been published for a day or two in the
daily papers, giving The time and place oil
rendezvous. This notice was followed up
bv the arpearance OF the aforesaid trumpc
ter In the chief streets riding from corner e.
corner repeating his burlc call as remiu-
der that the members Of the company
e. hould water their horses ana give 'em
some hay.
For the Richmond troops should turn out
that day
On thi. occasion no such notice had been
given. The early honr. the unusually ex-
cited manner Of Dick Gaines; the clang-
erOus tones 81 his hugle aud The hurry with
which he delivered his pDrtentious sum
mons startled the people into apprehensiVe
inquiries as 20 the cause OF TINS sudden
commntion. Dick was a tall black negro.
q fine rider and striking ngure az be ap-
nesred ON horse back hugle in hand, ia his
red Jacket. sword and helmet on with lis
crr.t of white horse hair falling over his
broad shoulders. lie had been born ir' e.,
wasa general fayOritc: especially admired
hv the b1vs because he blew the trumpet Tor
the Light II arscmcn. and was ACKNOWLEDGED
bv all classes 10 Oe the pOlitcsi negro 10 the
town. Notwithstanding all this be could
not be prevailed upon 90 make reply To "a
single enquiry from the excited people VINO
now followed hlm from corner % corner.
TuE SECRET OFT.
A little later in the day other horsemeu
were 10 be seen gallOping hurricdly about
the city aud gathering in grouI about the
Executive Mansion. then occupied by the
elder FLOYD. Before midday the secret was
out. An insurrectou Of the negroes had
broken out i'm southampton county.
salem. about O'Clock in The morning Of
Monday. the day before. The people in
that region had been taken entirely by sur
prise. and were now panic stricken and q B.
Ing for refuge from their homes. An exc
pross had been sent % Richmond and 90 400
The surrounding towns for aid against %
murderOus gang, who, d. was said. were
going from house % house killing men.
women aud children, without any organ
lied force 90 resist them. The alarm ben
Richmond was very great. because of Che
unexpected character Of tho Information.
In The previous outbreaks of the slaves
rumOrs and suspicious had somewhat pre-
pared the public mind for the crisis. Thirty
wears Of uninterrupted tranquility on this
subject had luNed the people into "a state of
chronic indifference, 80 that when the alarm
from southampton reached Richmond aul
the surrounding country. the people were
prepared % believe any thing. They could
not say that their own households were q
i'm imminent danger. The older people
could recall the prominent events of
Gabriel's war; how nearly he bad succeeded
in carving out his plans; and with what
precision and secrecy bee bad for month
plotted against the whites. The news just
brought from southampton was not only
alarming 10 the highest degree, but, uniol-
tunately. was too true. When the messen-
ger had left Jerusalem several families had
already been murdered.
EXAGGERATED REPORTS.
Tue most exaggerated reports were flying
over the country. \ few militia having
gotten together % oppose the insurgents.
had been defeated and were retreating Doe
force the increasing numbers NJ the enc
my. This WAS said 10 be due 90 the fact
that during "A recent rain the powder DO
the pans OF their guns had got-
ten wet aud thereby made Useless. TIN
negroes were said TO be well mounted, armed
with axes. swords. and pistols; were mo,-
ing with great rapidity from house 20 house.
carving death aud destruction in their
path. II may, therefore, Doe well imagined
what was the excitement in Richmond or
that memorable day.
The troop OF horse. commanded 10y Ran
dOlph Harrison, was composed 40 that tlmc
Of thef first men i'm tue city; gentlemen who
owned aud were proud Of the horses they
rode, aud who usually appeared ON parade
with at least eighty men in their ranks.
Capfain Harrison was not only Zine uiii-
Ger, but was "a public-sr irit ii ana popular
man. He became a succc7slui ln'r 'han'
was the owner of SbOckoe warehouse, made
"A large fortune and, finally, retired 10 ht
estate M En- Island on upper J1mcs river
where he spent the remainder of his life in
the dignihed retirement Of a country gem
tleman.
CAPTAIN HARRISON TO THE RESCUE.
Dv4 o'clock Of the same day the news
from southampton came, Captain Harrison
and his troopers were Ou the road 10 Jeru-
salem. about eighty miles distant nom
Richmond. As the column moved quiei!l
down Main street the people were out ln
crowds 10 witness their departure. ~ was a
brave sight. Al the head OF the line was
Dick. the black hugler, conspicuous ln Ms
helmet and red ilcket. ON the right rode
.he partly form Of the captain, mounted
upon a large black horse, remarkable ioi
his strength and activity. As the column
turned the corner az Thirteenth street On
their wav 90 MaYO's bridge, the bugle was
heard 10 wind a farewell blast, whose echo
fngs have never faded from memory 20 lnls
day.
Arriving at Petersburg, "a letter written
10 friend in Richmond 10y one OF the COM
many. brought report that the insurre'-
lion had begun at camp-mecting hrld
near Dismal swamp. That large hump'i
ot negroes had st out from there on a ma
rauding expedition, and had already muir
dered about sixty persons. The company
would start for southampton az day break
next morning. the 2ith, aud hoped To af.
rive in time 10 aid in putting down the ie-
bellion.
TROOPS orr TO THE scENE.
While these things were taking place,
other troops were preparing 10 go ID in,
seat Of trouble. The Fayette Artillery OF
fonr pleces, commanded boy Captain /. u.
Richardson, had their rendezvous at the
corner of Ninth and Bank streets. The
promptly assembled at the order OF tn'
Governor. and took passage at Oo'clocA -
AZ. two hours after the departure oi lhe
cavalry, on board the steamer Norfolk io,
lhe mounth of Pagan creek. by way OF
Smithfeld, la Isle of Wight county. From
this place they were 10 march overland
about thirty miles 20 Jerusalem. Inc COM
panv's trip down the river was delayed 10y
the steamers getting aground twice before
reaching Pagan creek, and once before
reaching Smnhhel,. SD That they did not
arrive nj that village until So'clock OF TIE /
evening Of Wednesday. The 2lth Of August. |
The captain. as directed, landed one thous- |
and stand Of arms for the u-e oi tae militia
Although the Richmond Light inldultl /
Blues and the state Guard were leit for the 1
protection Of the inhabitants, patrols ana /
ex ,ra guards were ordered, while the peo-
ple OF the neighb0ring counties were Kept |
informed of what had just occurred, so tha'
thew might be prepared for any emergency
Tho STATE aufbOrities also sent cut wagon ]