(B.)
A negro man testified as follows:[[15]]—I know Peter, he belongs to Mr. James Poyas; in May last, Peter and myself met in Legare street, at the corner of Lambol street, where the following conversation took place—He asked me the news—I replied, none that I know of—He said, by George! we can’t live so. I replied, how will we do? He said, we can do very well, if you can find any one to assist us—will you join? I asked him, how do you mean? He said, why! to break the yoke; I replied, I don’t know. He asked me, suppose you were to hear, that the whites were going to kill you, would you defend yourself? I replied, I’d try to escape. He asked, have you lately seen Denmark Vesey, and has he spoken to you particularly. I said no. Well then, said he, that’s all now: but call at the shop to-morrow after knocking off work, and I will tell you more! We then parted.—I met him the next day, according to appointment, when he said to me, we intend to see, if we can’t do something for ourselves, we can’t live so. I asked him, where he would get men? He said, we’ll find them fast enough, we have got enough, we expect men from country and town. But how, said I, will you manage it. Why, we will give them notice, said he, and they will march down and camp round the city. But what, said I, will they do for arms. He answered, they will find arms enough, they all bring down their hoes, axes, &c. I said, that won’t do to fight with here. He said, stop! let us get candidates from town with arms, and we will then take the Guard-House and Arsenal in town, the Arsenal on the Neck and the Upper Guard-House, and supply the country people with arms. How, said I, will you approach those Arsenals, &c. for they are guarded? Yes, said he, I know that, but what are these guards, one man here, and one man there, we let a man pass before us. Well, said I, but how will the black people from the country, and those from the islands, know when you are to begin, or how will you get the town people together. Why, said he, we will have prayer meetings at night, and there notify them when to start, and when the clock strikes twelve, all must move. But, said I, the whites in the back country, Virginia, &c.; when they hear the news, will turn to, and kill you all, and besides, you may be betrayed. Well said he, what of that, if one gets hanged, we will rise at that minute. We then left his shop, and walked towards Broad street, when he said, I want you to take notice of all the shops and stores in town with arms in them, take down their numbers, and give them to me. I said, I will see to it, and then we parted.
About the 1st of June, I saw in the public papers a statement that the white people were going to build missionary houses for the blacks, which I carried and showed to Peter, and said, see the good they are going to do for us; when, he said,—What of that?—Have you not heard, that on the 4th of July, the whites are going to create a false alarm of fire, and every black that comes out will be killed, in order to thin them? Do you think they would be so barbarous? (said I) Yes! (said he) I do!—I fear they have a knowledge of an army from San Domingo, and they would be right to do it; to prevent us joining that army, if it should march towards this land! I was then very much alarmed. We then parted, and I saw no more of him till the guards were very strict, (about a fortnight ago.) At that time I saw Peter and Ned Bennett standing and talking together, at the corner of Lambol and Legare-streets. They crossed over and met me by Mrs. Myles’, and Ned Bennett said to me—did you hear what those boys were taken up for the other day? I replied, No! but some say it was for stealing. Ned asked me if I was sure I had never said any thing to the whites about what Peter Poyas had spoken to me about? I replied, No! Says Peter—You never did? No! I answered. Says Ned, to me—How do you stand? At which I struck the tree box with my knuckles and said, as firm as this box—I’ll never say one word against you. Ned then smiled and nodded his head, and said—That will do!—when we all separated. Last Tuesday or Wednesday week, Peter said to me—You see, my lad, how the white people have got to windward of us? You won’t, said I, be able to do any thing. O, yes! (he said) we will! By George we are oblige to! He said, all down this way ought to meet and have a collection to purchase powder. What, said I, is the use of powder—the whites can fire three times to our once. He said, but ’twill be such a dead time of the night, they won’t know what is the matter, and our horse companies will go about the streets and prevent the whites from assembling. I asked him—where will you get horses? Why, said he, there are many butcher boys with horses; and there are the livery stables, where we have several candidates; and the waiting men, belonging to the white people of the horse companies, will be told to take away their master’s horses. He asked me if my master was not a horseman? I said, Yes! Has he not got arms in his house? I answered, Yes! Can’t they be got at? I said, Yes! Then (said he) it is good to have them. I asked what was the plan? Why, said he, after we have taken the Arsenals and Guard Houses, then we will set the town on fire, in different places, and as the whites come out we will slay them. If we were to set fire to the town first the man in the steeple would give the alarm too soon.—I am the Captain, said he, to take the lower Guard-House and Arsenal. But, I replied, when you are coming up, the Centinel will give the alarm. He said, he would advance a little distance ahead, and if he could only get a grip at his throat, he was a gone man, for his sword was very sharp; he had sharpened it, and had made it so sharp, it had cut his finger, which he showed me. As to the Arsenal on the Neck, he said, that it was gone as sure as fate, Ned Bennett, would manage that with the people from the country, and the people between Hibbens’ Ferry and Santee would land and take the Upper Guard-House. I then said, then this thing seems true. My man, said he, God has a hand in it, we have been meeting for four years, and are not yet betrayed. I told him, I was afraid, after all, of the white people from the back country and Virginia, &c. He said that the blacks would collect so numerous from the country, we need not fear the whites from the other parts, for when we have once got the city we can keep them all out. He asked, if I had told my boys. I said no. Then said he, you should do it, for Ned Bennett has his people pretty well ranged. But, said he, take care and don’t mention it to those waiting men who receive presents of old coats, &c. from their masters, or they’ll betray us. I will speak to them. We then parted, and I have not since conversed with him. He said the rising was to take place last Sunday night, (16th June)—That any of the coloured people who said a word about this matter would be killed by the others. The little man, who can’t be killed, shot or taken is named Jack, a Gullah Negro. Peter said there was a French Company in town of three hundred men fully armed—that he was to see Monday Gell, about expediting the rising. I know that Mingo went often to Mr. Paul’s to see Edwin, but don’t know if he spoke with William. Peter said he had a sword, and I ought to get one. He said he had got a letter from the country; I think from St. Thomas’, from a negro man who belonged to the captain of a militia company, who said he could easily get the key of the house where the company’s arms were put after muster, and take them all out, and help in that way. This business originates altogether with the African Congregation, in which Peter is a leader. When Bennett’s Ned asked about those taken up, he alluded particularly to Mr. Paul’s William, and asked me if I said any thing to him about it.
The voluntary confession of Rolla, to the Court, made after his trial, but before sentence was passed on him.
I know Denmark Vesey, on one occasion, he asked me what news? I told him, none. He replied, we are free, but the white people here won’t let us be so; and the only way is, to raise up and fight the whites. I went to his house one night, to learn where the meetings were held. I never conversed on this subject with Batteau or Ned.—Vesey told me, he was the leader in this plot. I never conversed either with Peter or Mingo. Vesey induced me to join. When I went to Vesey’s house, there was a meeting there, the room was full of people, but none of them white. That night, at Vesey’s, we determined to have arms made, and each man to put in twelve and a half cents towards that purpose. Though Vesey’s room was full, I did not know one individual there. At this meeting, Vesey said, we were to take the Guard-House and Magazines, to get arms; that we ought to rise up against the whites to get our liberties. He was the first to rise up and speak, and he read to us from the Bible, how the children of Israel were delivered out of Egypt from bondage; he said, that the rising would take place last Sunday night week, (the 16th June) and that Peter Poyas was one.