6.

In his early years Turner had a presentiment which largely influenced
his subsequent life and confirmed him in the belief that he was
destined to play an unusual role in history. That prenatal influence
gave him a marked individuality is readily believed when the date of
his birth is recalled, the period when the excitement over the
discovery of Gabriel Prosser's plot was at its height. Nat's mind was
very restless and active, inquisitive and observant. He learned to
read and write with no apparent difficulty. This ability gave him
opportunity to confirm impressions as to knowledge of subjects in
which he had received no instruction. When not working for his master,
he was engaged in prayer or in making sundry experiments. By intuition
he, in a rude way, manufactured paper, gunpowder, pottery and other
articles in common use. This knowledge which he claimed to possess was
tested by actual demonstration during the trial for his life. His
superior skill in planning was universally admitted by his fellow
workmen. He did not, however, attribute this superior influence to
sorcery, conjuration or such like agencies, for he had the utmost
contempt for these delusions.

"To this day," says T. W. Higginson, "There are the Virginia slave
traditions of the keen devices of Prophet Nat. If he were caught with
lime and lampblack in hand conning over a half-finished county map on
the barn door, he was always planning what he would do if he were
blind. When he had called a meeting of slaves and some poor whites
came eavesdropping, the poor whites at once became the topic of
discussion; he incidentally mentioned that the master had been heard
threatening to drive them away; one slave had been ordered to shoot
Mr. Jones' pigs, another to tear down Mr. Johnson's fences. The poor
whites, Johnson and Jones, ran home at once to see to their homesteads
and were better friends than ever to poor Nat."--T. W. Higginson's
_Travellers and Outlaws_, pp. 282-283.

[2] T. W. Higginson's _Travellers and Outlaws_, p. 284.

[3] Nat Turner's _Confessions_.

[4] Drewry, _The Southampton Insurrection_, pp. 35-74.

[5] _The Richmond Enquirer_, Aug. 30, Sept. 4, 6 and 20, 1831.

[6] Based on statements made to the author by contemporaries of Nat
Turner.

[7] Higginson, _Travellers and Outlaws_, p. 300.

[8] The statement of Rev. M.B. Cox, a Liberian Missionary, then in
Virginia.

[9] Higginson, _Travellers and Outlaws_, 302-303.

[10] _Jou