Excerpt from The Confessions of Nat Turner by Nat Turner Lyrics
NAT TURNER
"THE LAST SHOULD BE FIRST"
In response to questions from a white lawyer named Thomas R. Gray, Nat Turner explains why he led his revolt against slavery.
Sir- - You have asked me to give a history of the motives which induced me to undertake the late insurrection, as you call it- - To do so I must go back to the days of my infancy....In my childhood a circumstance occurred which made an indelible impression on my mind, and laid the groundwork of that enthusiasm, which has terminated so fatally to many, both white and black, and for which I am about to atone at the gallows....Being at play with other children, when three or four years old, I was telling them something, which my mother overhearing, said it had happened before I was born...others being called on were greatly astonished...and caused them to say in my hearing, I surely would be a prophet....
For two years [I] prayed continually, whenever my duty would permit- - and then again I had [a]...revelation, which fully confirmed me in the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose, in the hands of the Almighty....
About this time [around 1825] I had a vision- - and I saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened- - the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams....
And on the 12th of May, 1828, I heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and that I should take it on and fight against the Serpent, for the time was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first.
[Question] Do you not find yourself mistaken now?
[Answer] Was not Christ crucified? And by signs in the heavens that it would be made known to me when I should commence the great work- - and until the first sign appeared, I should conceal if from the knowledge of men- - And on the appearance of the sign (the eclipse of the sun last February), I should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own weapons. And immediately on the sign appearing in the heavens, the seal was removed from my lips, and I communicated the great work laid out before me to do, to four in whom I had the greatest confidence (Henry, Hark, Nelson, and Sam)- - It was intended by us to have begun the work of death on the 4th of July last- - Many were the plans formed and rejected by us, and it affected my mind to such a degree, that I fell sick, and the time passed without our coming to any determination how to commence- - Still forming new schemes and rejecting them, when the sign appeared again, which determined me not to wait longer.
"THE LAST SHOULD BE FIRST"
In response to questions from a white lawyer named Thomas R. Gray, Nat Turner explains why he led his revolt against slavery.
Sir- - You have asked me to give a history of the motives which induced me to undertake the late insurrection, as you call it- - To do so I must go back to the days of my infancy....In my childhood a circumstance occurred which made an indelible impression on my mind, and laid the groundwork of that enthusiasm, which has terminated so fatally to many, both white and black, and for which I am about to atone at the gallows....Being at play with other children, when three or four years old, I was telling them something, which my mother overhearing, said it had happened before I was born...others being called on were greatly astonished...and caused them to say in my hearing, I surely would be a prophet....
For two years [I] prayed continually, whenever my duty would permit- - and then again I had [a]...revelation, which fully confirmed me in the impression that I was ordained for some great purpose, in the hands of the Almighty....
About this time [around 1825] I had a vision- - and I saw white spirits and black spirits engaged in battle, and the sun was darkened- - the thunder rolled in the Heavens, and blood flowed in streams....
And on the 12th of May, 1828, I heard a loud noise in the heavens, and the Spirit instantly appeared to me and said the Serpent was loosened, and Christ had laid down the yoke he had borne for the sins of men, and that I should take it on and fight against the Serpent, for the time was fast approaching when the first should be last and the last should be first.
[Question] Do you not find yourself mistaken now?
[Answer] Was not Christ crucified? And by signs in the heavens that it would be made known to me when I should commence the great work- - and until the first sign appeared, I should conceal if from the knowledge of men- - And on the appearance of the sign (the eclipse of the sun last February), I should arise and prepare myself, and slay my enemies with their own weapons. And immediately on the sign appearing in the heavens, the seal was removed from my lips, and I communicated the great work laid out before me to do, to four in whom I had the greatest confidence (Henry, Hark, Nelson, and Sam)- - It was intended by us to have begun the work of death on the 4th of July last- - Many were the plans formed and rejected by us, and it affected my mind to such a degree, that I fell sick, and the time passed without our coming to any determination how to commence- - Still forming new schemes and rejecting them, when the sign appeared again, which determined me not to wait longer.