Addington, Wendell G. “Slave Insurrections in Texas.” The Journal of Negro History. 35.4 (1950): 408-434. JSTOR. Web. 19 June 2013.
By: Star Bucella
Wendell Addington discusses Texan slaves and their desire to escape the tightening grip of slavery in his article titled Slave Insurrections in Texas. He then explains, “By insurrection of slaves’ is meant an assemblage of three or more, with arms, with intent to obtain their liberty by force” which was an act offered in an 1858 statute of Texas (409). Insurrection is a more simple way of saying, “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government” which is the definition given by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and this act is exactly what the slaves planned to do. Needless to say, the slaves of Texas were tired of their owners thinking that they were being treated justly. Wendell claims that the way the slaves fought back was by using many tactics such as “individual flight, sabotage, slow-down, self-mutilation, suicide, and, rarely, purchase of freedom” all of which leads up to rebellion (408).
Wendell explains that the presses almost never reported precise information regarding the attempts of rebellion. This is said to have happened because people were afraid that the news of an uprising could get back to the slaves and cause more chaos. This entire concept is very interesting due to the white people knowing that if the slaves knew there were more slaves trying to rebel, they could overstep the white people and gain freedom. However, Wendell reports, “On the other hand, as we shall see, it suited the interests of the slaveowners on certain occasions to exaggerate reports of insurrections” (410). What he meant was when slave owners did talk about insurrection to their slaves they would exaggerate the failing attempt and the ending consequences of the individual or group of slave’s actions.
A cause of the insurrection most definitely pertains to the treatment of slaves. Wendell exposes that, “some writers [of newspapers] have alleged that slaves in Texas were treated better than in other Southern states” (411). He goes on to say that available facts prove the complete opposite. For example, one man traveled to Texas only to discover, “whipping, branding, cropping, and more refined tortures no less common than in the rest of the South” which indicates the degree of respect slaves were shown from their owners (411).
Wendell reveals that the first consequence of tried rebellion in Texas happened during the Texas Revolution. It seems that Mexico could have had a hand in the plans of this insurrection considering letters were found saying that Santa Anna planned “if possible, to get the slaves to revolt” (412). It is reported that a few days after the response to this letter, an insurrection occurred causing fear of revolt amongst Texan slave owners. As an attempt to keep slaves in their place, a slave couple who confessed to poisoning their masters, were hung. After slaves heard this, they started to run away. For example, a newspaper reported that, “A party of twenty-five negroes ran away… and several of them were well armed” (414). Wendell reports that seventeen of the slaves were later captured.
Texans’ thoughts on slaves and slavery in general are outspokenly portrayed when a pamphlet says, “Our slaves are the happiest three millions of human beings on whom the sun shines” (408). As Wendell thoroughly explored the topic, he found that, “The happy and contented slaves, it seems, had unaccountably risen up to overthrow the benign masters—to burn their mansions, poison their wells, defy their bloodhounds and whipping-posts, ignore their preachments of meekness, and challenge the very foundation of their benevolent system” which proves otherwise. In many attempts to poison their masters, burn their master’s homes, and to all together run away, it is clear that they faced many hardships due to many of them being captured and punished which mostly resulted in death. Death was the answer for most of the rebellious slaves captured because white people were afraid that the black’s stances on insurrection would spread to others.
By: Star Bucella
Wendell Addington discusses Texan slaves and their desire to escape the tightening grip of slavery in his article titled Slave Insurrections in Texas. He then explains, “By insurrection of slaves’ is meant an assemblage of three or more, with arms, with intent to obtain their liberty by force” which was an act offered in an 1858 statute of Texas (409). Insurrection is a more simple way of saying, “an act or instance of revolting against civil authority or an established government” which is the definition given by the Merriam-Webster dictionary, and this act is exactly what the slaves planned to do. Needless to say, the slaves of Texas were tired of their owners thinking that they were being treated justly. Wendell claims that the way the slaves fought back was by using many tactics such as “individual flight, sabotage, slow-down, self-mutilation, suicide, and, rarely, purchase of freedom” all of which leads up to rebellion (408).
Wendell explains that the presses almost never reported precise information regarding the attempts of rebellion. This is said to have happened because people were afraid that the news of an uprising could get back to the slaves and cause more chaos. This entire concept is very interesting due to the white people knowing that if the slaves knew there were more slaves trying to rebel, they could overstep the white people and gain freedom. However, Wendell reports, “On the other hand, as we shall see, it suited the interests of the slaveowners on certain occasions to exaggerate reports of insurrections” (410). What he meant was when slave owners did talk about insurrection to their slaves they would exaggerate the failing attempt and the ending consequences of the individual or group of slave’s actions.
A cause of the insurrection most definitely pertains to the treatment of slaves. Wendell exposes that, “some writers [of newspapers] have alleged that slaves in Texas were treated better than in other Southern states” (411). He goes on to say that available facts prove the complete opposite. For example, one man traveled to Texas only to discover, “whipping, branding, cropping, and more refined tortures no less common than in the rest of the South” which indicates the degree of respect slaves were shown from their owners (411).
Wendell reveals that the first consequence of tried rebellion in Texas happened during the Texas Revolution. It seems that Mexico could have had a hand in the plans of this insurrection considering letters were found saying that Santa Anna planned “if possible, to get the slaves to revolt” (412). It is reported that a few days after the response to this letter, an insurrection occurred causing fear of revolt amongst Texan slave owners. As an attempt to keep slaves in their place, a slave couple who confessed to poisoning their masters, were hung. After slaves heard this, they started to run away. For example, a newspaper reported that, “A party of twenty-five negroes ran away… and several of them were well armed” (414). Wendell reports that seventeen of the slaves were later captured.
Texans’ thoughts on slaves and slavery in general are outspokenly portrayed when a pamphlet says, “Our slaves are the happiest three millions of human beings on whom the sun shines” (408). As Wendell thoroughly explored the topic, he found that, “The happy and contented slaves, it seems, had unaccountably risen up to overthrow the benign masters—to burn their mansions, poison their wells, defy their bloodhounds and whipping-posts, ignore their preachments of meekness, and challenge the very foundation of their benevolent system” which proves otherwise. In many attempts to poison their masters, burn their master’s homes, and to all together run away, it is clear that they faced many hardships due to many of them being captured and punished which mostly resulted in death. Death was the answer for most of the rebellious slaves captured because white people were afraid that the black’s stances on insurrection would spread to others.