Phenix Gazette

RICHMOND, Oct. 5.

The Banditti.— We have just had the pleasure of seeing an intelligent gentleman from Southampton, who is fully acquainted with the horrible scenes, which have transpired in that county. As neighbour he saw most of the persons who survived the loss of their families; and as a magistrate, he heard most of the evidence which was exhibited on the trials.

Thirteen of the convicts have been executed—there are four others, whose sentence has not been put in execution. One of these is a woman belonging to the unfortunate Mr. Barrow. Her master was a brave man—having fired at the banditti as they approached, without wounding either, but grazing the hat of one of them, he rushed into his house for his other gun; but the blood hounds were at his heels, and seized him in the presence of his young and interesting wife, the elder sister of the beautiful Miss Vaughn. With the utmost presence of mind, he besought his wife to make her escape—she rushed into the yard, where she was seized by one of her own women, the wife of the bandit Austin: another of her females interfered, and tore the arms of her companion asunder, released her mistress, accompanied her on her flight to the house of the aged Mr. Harris, and remained with her in concealment in a wood, along with Mr. Harris and the rest of his family. After the banditti had been to Barrow's were ransacking Harris's house, breaking open his desk, from which they stole $400 in cash, and $14 or $1500 in bonds; and forcing themselves into his cellar from which they took a barrel of Black Jack [apple brandy] the ringleader Nat, for fear his party should become too much intoxicated to carry on their murderous career, broke in the head of the barrel.

Our informant left Southampton on Friday morning.

The account of Nat's apprehension near Smithfield, as related in the Norfolk Herald, is not true. He is disposed to believe the account from Botetourt of Nat's crossing the mountains. Nat has been a long time a fanatic as well as impostor. One of the transports [Andrew] now in the Penitentiary, condemned in Southampton, says that he knew Nat well; and that he had the impiety to declare himself inferior to Jesus Christ alone! Nat and a white man of low character, with whom he was formerly very intimate, baptised each other in a mill pond some years ago. He never belonged to any established Church—but has attempted to pass himself off as an inspired prophet. The account lately given in an Alexandria paper of his having been the slave of Mr. Beverley, of his working in the Navy Yard at Gosport, and the description of his person, are not correct. He once belonged to a Capt. Moore, whose widow married Mr. Travis, the first victim of these bloody cut-throats. His wife belonged to a neighbor Mr. Reese, and it was in her possession, that this fellow's free papers were found; comprehending something like a map, with figures inscribed on the margin. Our informant does not believe it possible for him to have remained concealed in the marsh in Southampton, which has been traversed to and fro,—nor to have escaped into the Dismal Swamp, about 40 miles distant, through a country well patrolled—nor to have made off by water. He doubts whether he has ever visited Richmond at all; or whether he has gone even to Petersburg as a preacher.

The banditti, when they were engaged upon their bloody expedition, carried destruction to every white person they found in the houses—whether the hoary head, the lovely virgin, or the sleeping infant of the cradle. They spared none. They were separated by their ring-leader into small squads which visited different houses—and this is one of the reasons of their doing so much murder in so short a time. Of the 55 whites, that were killed, there was a greater proportion of women and children. This arose from the circumstance of their visiting the houses of three widows where no white man lived, or of going to several houses, where the master was either from home or was in the woods. It is not wonderful that the people should have been roused by unexpected barbarities to some excesses, in the moment of their exasperation. Some of this atrocious banditti, after they had been beaten back at Blount's, and began to disperse, had the impudence to return to their plantations, and to affect an ignorance of the whole transaction. One of them returned, who had dipped his hands in the blood of his mistress. But nothing could exceed, as we are informed, the patience and the moderation of the Court. Every opportunity was given to the prisoner to make his defence.

The magistrates seemed anxious for the reputation of their county, that no hasty and impetuous passion should cause the least reproach on its administration of justice.

The trials are not yet over. A few cases of slaves yet remain adjudicated. Three free people of color are handed over for trial to the Superior Court of the county. The people have become tranquilized. The slaves are obedient. A patrol rides the neighborhood twice a week. The slaves are thinning by sales for distant markets—but it is the general opinion there, that the utmost security cannot be obtained without the banishment of the free people of color. It is remarkable, how soon these banditti were discomfited on the first repulse. When they attacked Doctor Blount's house early on Friday morning, the moon not giving much light, and in truth an eclipse taking place that very night, they rode up with great rapidity to the house, and were received by a small volley of fire arms. They almost immediately turned their horses' heads, and rode off. There was not probably an interval of more than five minutes between their advance and retreat. After that time, they dared attack no more houses.

Dr Blount's son, we learn, has accepted the midshipman's warrant, presented to him for his bravery on that occasion, by the President of the United States.