The Nat Turner Slave Rebellion: A Chronology
Oct. 2, 1800
Nat Turner is born as a slave on the farm of Benjamin Turner.
1809
Nat and his mother are loaned to the son of Benjamin Turner, Samuel.
1810
Benjamin Turner dies and Nat becomes the lawful property of Samuel Turner.
1812
Nat begins field work as a slave.
1821
Nat escapes and is in hiding for 30 days before returning to his master voluntarily.
1822
Samuel Turner dies and Nat and his wife, Cherry, are sold at auction. Nat becomes the property of Thomas Moore.
1825
Nat experiences his first vision, which he interprets as meaning God has big plans for him. He sees “white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle.” He begins ritual fasting and becomes more withdrawn.
May 12, 1828
Nat has a second vision. In it, the Spirit tells him to “take on and fight the Serpent.”
Jan. 1830
Nat moves to the farm of Joseph Travis, when Travis marries the widow of Thomas Moore, his previous master. Under the law, Nat’s lawful owner is the infant Putnam Moore.
Feb. 1831
There is an eclipse of the sun in Southampton County, which Nat interprets as a sign from God that the time for the rebellion is nearing.
Aug. 13, 1831
Unusual atmospheric conditions in the Southampton area are interpreted by Nat as a signal that the time has come to begin the slave revolt.
Aug. 20, 1831
Nat meets with his most trusted lieutenants to plan the revolt.
Aug. 21, 1831
Nat meets in the late afternoon at Cabin Pond with six of his lieutenants to further develop their plan of action.
Aug. 22, 1831 (before sunrise)
Nat and about seven of his men proceed to the Travis house. They kill Travis, his wife and child, Putnam Moore (Nat’s legal owner), and three others. They proceed to the house of Salathiel Francis and kill him. They move on to the home of Piety Reese and kill her and her son. Just before sunrise, they visit the home of Wiley Francis, but after being confronted by Francis and his loyal slaves, they withdraw and move on.
Aug. 22, 1831 (between sunrise and noon)
Nat and his band reach the home of Elizabeth Turner. They kill her, her overseer, and a neighbor. The band then divides into two groups. The mounted group, including Nat, moves on to the home of Catharine Whitehead. They kill her, her five children, her mother, and a granddaughter. One of the daughters, Margaret, was beaten to death by Nat—the only killing Nat later admitted to. The massacres continue throughout the morning, at the homes in the vicinity: Henry Bryant’s, Richard Porter’s, William Williams’, and Jacob Williams’. At the home of Levi Waller, the group kills Mrs. Waller and ten or more children who were attending school there. Levi Waller manages to escape, and will later become a prosecution witness in Nat’s trial. By mid-morning, some of the homes visited by the insurgents are abandoned, as word of the revolt has begun to spread in the white community.
Aug. 22, 1831 (noon until midnight)
About mid-day, Nat and his band (now numbering about sixty) reach the home of Rebecca Vaughan. They kill her, her son, and her niece. Nat decides to march to Jerusalem, where he hopes to gather arms and ammunition. On the way, near the farm of James Parker, they encounter a small armed white militia. Shots are exchanged, but no one is killed. Some members of the Turner party scatter, and from this point on the revolt becomes more disorganized. Nat, and about forty of his men, spend the night sheltering near the slave quarters on the Ridley farm.
Aug. 23, 1831
Nat and about twenty men descend on the home of Dr. Simon Blunt, but they are repulsed by Simon and his loyal slaves. At least one of the Turner band is killed and several others are captured. Another skirmish, and another fatality, follows near the home of Captain Newitt Harris. The Tuner band breaks up. The revolt, for all practical purposes, is over.
Aug. 23-Oct. 30, 1831
Nat is in hiding in several places near the Travis farm.
Aug. 31, 1831
A Court of Oyer and Terminer is convened in Jerusalem, Virginia to try captured blacks connected with the revolt.
Sept. 3, 1831
Three of Nat’s most trusted lieutenants, Hark, Sam, and Nelson, are tried, found guilty, and sentenced to death.
Sept. 9, 1831
The first five convicted slave rebels are hanged from a tree near Jerusalem.
Sept. 17, 1831
Virginia Governor Floyd issues a proclamation offering $500 for the capture of Nat Turner.
Oct. 28, 1831
Looking for food, Nat encounters Nathaniel Francis, who shoots at Nat, but misses. The word is now out as to where Nat has been hiding.
Oct. 30, 1831
Nat is captured about noon by Benjamin Phipps.
Oct. 31, 1831
Nat is arraigned and admits leading the slave revolt. Trial is set for November 5. Nat is lodged in the County Jail.
Nov. 1-2, 1831
Nat is interviewed in his cell by attorney Thomas Gray. The interview is the basis for his “Confession.”
Nov. 5, 1831
Nat is tried by the Court of Oyer & Terminer in Jerusalem. He is convicted and sentenced to death.
Nov. 11, 1831
At about noon, Nat is hanged from an old tree outside of Jerusalem, Virginia.