Gabriel Prosser :: essays research papers

â€Å" The sky flushed as they put him in the cart, and suddenly Gabriel thought of others, the ones who were to follow him, the ones who waited in their cells because of his leadership, these and others, others, and still others, a world of others who were to follow†( Gabriel’s Rebellion). Gabriel Prosser was a slave leader who in 1800 proposed a plan to liberate slaves. Gabriel drew up a plan to free his fellow slaves in Richmond, Virginia and the surrounding countryside. Gabriel was a blacksmith, working in Brookfield and in Richmond, who had learned to read and write. He was inspired by the declarations of freedom during the Revolutionary War. During the late spring and early summer of 1800 he made a plan of revolt and had hundreds of followers to back him up, including his two brothers, Martin and Solomon. His plan called for a band of armed slaves, mainly black and white laborers and artisans, to enter Richmond, Virginia and burn down the business district, take the governor as hostage and seize whatever arms they could. Then the black slaves would win there freedom. However, on August 13, 1800, the day planned for the revolt, an unusually violent storm broke out, washing out bridges and roads and stopping all travel. They could not reach Richmond. Also, slaves Tom and Pharoah informed there master. He brought the news to the governor, James Monroe, who had a guard placed at every marked spot for attack, called out state militia, and ordered a series of arrests. By September fifteenth, ten people included in the open revolt were hanged. Gabriel was captured on September twenty fourth and hanged on October seventh, his execution having been delayed twice in hopes that he would make a confession. In all thirty six people were caught and hanged. Many other uprisings followed this one. Although, the carefully planned uprising never took place it left fear in the hearts of whites and pride in the hearts of blacks. As a result of Gabriel’s uprising whites who had previously spoken on behalf of the slaves found themselves silenced in the Upper South. White Southerners who favored the colonization of blacks, sending them to Africa, received more widespread support. The plot revealed the risks that blacks were prepared to take to have their