For European slave-owners and their descendents in the American south, slavery was a good thing, but for the slaves it was not. The fact that slavery was not considered pleasant by the slaves can be seen in the many attempts at both escape and rebellion. One attempt at a slave revolt happened in Virginia in 1800.
The 1800 slave revolt appears to have started with Gabriel, a literate blacksmith slave. Like many American slaves, Gabriel had been born into slavery. He was born at Brookfield, a tobacco plantation in Henrico County, Virginia. Gabriel and his two brothers, Solomon and Martin, were owned by Thomas Prosser. Slaves at this time were considered property, just like horses, chairs, wagons, and other items.
Gabriel and Solomon were trained as blacksmiths and somehow Gabriel was also taught how to read and write.
Gabriel was born about 1776 and by the time he was twenty he stood over six feet tall—some sources indicated six feet three inches. He was missing two of his front teeth and had several scars on his head. He was generally regarded as a man of great courage and intellect.
As a skilled blacksmith, Gabriel was frequently hired out by his owner. In this way, his owner could earn money from Gabriel’s labor. Gabriel often worked in Richmond foundries where he was able to intermingle with co-workers of African, European, and mixed-blood descent. In this environment, Gabriel heard about the struggles of slaves and their revolts elsewhere in the Americas and in the Caribbean.
The plans for a slave revolt were formulated during the Spring and Summer of 1800. According to the plans, Gabriel was to lead the slaves into Richmond and take the governor hostage. They would then bargain for their freedom. Gabriel ordered his followers not to kill any Methodists, Quakers, or Frenchmen. At this time, the Methodists and the Quakers were actively working to free slaves. The French had abolished slavery in their Caribbean colonies in 1794 and were thus considered allies.
The initial date for the march on Richmond was set for August 30, but this was postponed because of rain. By this time, the slave owners had heard rumors of the planned rebellion and persuaded two slaves to tell them about it. One of the slave owners, Mosby Sheppard, then warned Governor James Monroe who called out the state militia.
Gabriel initially escaped capture by the militia and traveled downriver to Norfolk. Here he was seen and betrayed by another slave seeking the reward offered by the state. While the slave turned on Gabriel, the state did not pay him the reward.
In the end, Gabriel and 25 other slaves were taken captive and hanged for plotting a revolt. In response to the rebellion that never happened, Virginia and several other state legislatures passed additional restrictions on free blacks. They also prohibited the education and assembly of slaves. Concerned that word of planned rebellions might pass from one plantation to another, Virginia also prohibited the practice of hiring out slaves, thus attempting to restrict their movements.
Some historians feel that Gabriel had two white co-conspirators, one of whom was a French national. While information about the involvement of these whites was provided to Governor Monroe, there was no action on it. Some historians feel that Governor Monroe wanted to protect Thomas Jefferson’s Democratic-Republican Party. If it had been known that whites, particularly French, had aided Gabriel this might have threatened Jefferson’s election as President in 1800.