Gabriel Prosser ( St Domingo-Virginia connection-Rebellion)

" The Refugees, However brought with them More then merely the news of toussaint's victories. When they could they brought there human property as well. By 1795 as many as twelve thousand Dominguan slaves had entered the united states. Southeren authorities regarded them as slaves who had been infected with the malady insurrection & most states promptly enacted laws barring the entry of bondpersons from the island. Virginia however neglected to take this step & so became a popular safe haven for french planters & their slaves. The island slaves naturally mixed with virginia bondmen & passed on word of the world being remade off coast. " The scenes which are acted in St.Domingo" worried governor Monroe " Must produce & effect on all people of color in this & the states south of us. More especially our slaves & it is our duty to be on guard to prevent any mischief resulting from it. The governor was absolutely correct the "Refugee negroes" were " Diseminating results of there experiences" among VA Slaves.. Va District.. " The Group would then "Move on to Richmond" by the time the Rebel Army reached the city Gabriel promised, His forces would be 1000 men strong... That figure represented but a small proportion of the nearly eight thousand slaves and free blacks who lived in Richmond and Henrico County. In fact he needed not even that many. All that was necessary to carry a rebellion was a small army of determined soldiers. As Gabriel army neared town it would split into 3 groups "The Centre (Column) well provided with cutlasses, knives,pikes, and Muskets would move on capital square and seize guns stored in the Building" -Gabriel Rebellion( The Virginia Slave Conspiracies) .. Gabriel Prosser " The seizure of the capital city must mean the end of slavery in Virginia and perhaps beyond" Gabriel understood that simple liberation was not sufficient. The political dimensions of the conspiracy were equally clear.. "As he marched into the city of Richmond he planned to carry a flag inscribed the words ",Death or liberty" Gabriel's banner was designed to appeal to his broad coalition. West Afrikan Armies marched under unit flags that presumably made them invincible in battle.. Gabriel Prosser, sometimes called simply Gabriel, b. c.1776, d. Oct. 7, 1800, was a enslaved Black who led an abortive uprising near Richmond, Va., in 1800. Having sought in vain to develop a broad base of support, he and his followers nevertheless made plans to assault Richmond on August 30. The plot was discovered, and James Monroe, then governor of Virginia, called out the militia to round up the rebels. Gabriel fled but was brought back and hanged, along with some 35 others. The incident apparently disturbed many slaveholders, who, as Monroe said, could no longer "count with certainty" on the "tranquil submission" of the enslaved Afrikans. Gabriel's objective was Black Nationalism. He sought to not only "rebel" but build an independent and soveriegn black nation gn