Nat Turner's Confessions

The confession is an accurate account of the events that took place in the time of 1831. The confession illustrates the horrific acts spear headed by Nat Turner, citing reasons for the up rise as well as the pre-cursors to the event.

Nat Turner's Confessions was told to and written by Thomas R. Gray, a white lawyer in Southampton. In the preface of the Confessions, Gray states his purpose in writing the confessions. It was to answer the "Public's curiosityÐ'...to understand the origin and progress of the dreadful conspiracy, and the motives which influenced its diabolical actors." The "origin and motives" of the revolt stem from Turner's religious beliefs, and Gray uses this to portray Turner as a religious fanatic. For example, in the beginning of the Confessions, Turner is recorded as calling his religious beliefs as "enthusiasm": "In the nineteenth century, religious "enthusiasm" had negative connotationsÐ'...". By society Turner's actions are seen as insane. The majority of the interview presents Turner's religious fanaticism as the cause of the slave revolt. The justification of the slaves fight for liberty would give Turner and followers more credibility, but it is only briefly mentioned; when Turner asks Will how he came there, "His life was worth no more than others, and his liberty as dear to him. Turner asked him if he thought to obtain it? Will said he would, or loose his life" (Confession). If Turner's cause for the slave revolt had been based on the fight for freedom it would have provided a more understandable reasoning for his actions.

During the 1800's the abolition movements were gaining momentum in the United States (Northern) between 1931-35 there were 200 anti-slavery societies that were formed. The confession stated that the others who joined Turner during this were either killed or have been executed and that Turner was the only survivor at that time. This shows that in the South there still was no real justice for the blacks in the sense that instead of bringing the others to court they just killed them.

In the confession it also states many occurrences of divine interaction between Nat and holy spirits. The religious hallucinations depicted in his Confession seem to have been very genuine, and are very well expressed. He saw white spirits and black spirits contending in the skies; the sun was darkened,