The Journal of Negro History, Volume 5, 1920Various
History
The Journal of Negro History, Volume 5, 1920
Various
African Americans -- Periodicals
"Who are you?" He was answered, "I am Nat Turner." Phipps then ordered
him to extend his arms and Turner obeyed, delivering up a sword which
was the only weapon he then had.[15]
This was ten weeks after that Sunday in August when they had feasted
in the woods and arranged their plan of attack. At the time of the
capture there were at least fifty men out in search of him, none of
whom could have been two miles from the hiding place. The _Richmond
Enquirer_ in giving the first public announcement, said: "Nat
displayed no sort of enterprise in his attempt to escape nor any
degree of courage in resisting his captor;" but this journal does not
give him credit for having eluded his pursuers for more than two
months or for knowing that discretion is the better part of valor.
Several companies of the State militia and a battalion of United
States marines had joined in the search and failed, yet Nat displayed
no enterprise.[16]
His arrest caused much relief. He was taken the next day to Jerusalem,
the county seat, and tried on the fifth of November before a board of
magistrates. The indictment against him was for making insurrection
and plotting to take away the lives of divers free white persons on
the twenty-second of August, 1831. On his arraignment Turner pleaded
"Not Guilty." The Commonwealth submitted its case, not on the
testimony of any eye witnesses but on the depositions of one Levi
Waller who read Turner's _Confession_[17] and Colonel Trezevant the
committing magistrate corroborated it by referring to the same
confession. Turner introduced no testimony in defense and his counsel
made no argument in his behalf. He was promptly found guilty and
sentenced to be hanged Friday, November 11, 1831, twelve days after
his capture. During the examination Nat evinced great intelligence and
much shrewdness of intellect, answering every question clearly and
distinctly and without confusion or prevarication.
An immense throng gathered on the day of execution though few were
permitted to see the ceremony. He exhibited the utmost composure and
calm resignation. Although assured if he felt it proper he might
address the immense crowd, he declined to avail himself of the
privilege, but told the sheriff in a firm voice that he was ready. Not
a limb nor a muscle was observed to move. His body was given over to
the surgeons for dissection. He was skinned to supply such souvenirs
as purses, his flesh made into grease, and his bones divided as
trophies to be handed down as heirlooms. It is said that there still
lives a Virginian who has a piece of his skin which was tanned, that
another Virginian possesses one of his ears and that the skull graces
the collection of a physician in the city of Norfolk.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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