Gabriel's Army

Gabriel Prosser:

Background: A slave living in Virginia.  As a skilled blacksmith, Gabriel was allowed to hire out his services to others and worked in various towns and on other plantations. Along with his brother Solomon, Gabriel was arrested and branded after attacking a white man.  While in jail the two brothers began to plot a rebellion to end slavery in Virginia.


Method of Recruitment:   Gabriel sought support from poor whites, free blacks, and slaves for his rebellion. In his blacksmith shop Prosser turned shovels and other pieces of farm equipment into spears and sword and made bullets from stolen pieces of metal.


Plan:  Prosser and his supporters numbered over 1,000 and planned on attacking Richmond and liberating all the slaves that lived there.  They would then kidnap the governor of Virginia, James Monroe  and hold him hostage to negotiate the liberation of all the slaves of Virginia.


Results:  On the night of the planned attack a sever thunderstorm occurred.  After meeting by a bridge Gabriel decided that the attack be postponed because of the weather.  Two slaves that were part of the conspiracy alerted their master of the planned uprising.  Their master warned James Monroe the governor, who sent out the militia to find the rebel slaves.  Gabriel and 22 other supporters were found guilty of attempting to start a revolt and sentenced to death.


Aftermath:  Members of the state legislature of Virginia proposed  a bill to end slavery in the state.  The bill was narrowly defeated and the state adopted new laws that further limited the rights of slaves.