Stono Rebellion: William Bull's Perspective
With plantation owners often far from home, Carolina enslaved laborers had less direct oversight than those in the Chesapeake. Furthermore, many Carolina rice plantations used the task system to organize enslaved laborers. Under this system, enslaved laborers were given a number of specific tasks to complete in a day. Once those tasks were complete, enslaved people often had time to grow their own crops on garden plots allotted by their enslavers. Thriving underground markets allowed enslaved people here a degree of economic autonomy. Enslaved people in Carolina also had an unparalleled degree of cultural autonomy. This autonomy coupled with the frequent arrival of new Africans enabled a culture that retained many African practices.14 Syncretic languages like Gullah and Geechee contained many borrowed African terms, and traditional African basket weaving (often combined with Native American techniques) survives in the region to this day.
This unique Lowcountry culture contributed to the Stono Rebellion in September 1739. On a Sunday morning while planters attended church, a group of about eighty enslaved people set out for Spanish Florida under a banner that read “Liberty!,” burning plantations and killing at least twenty white settlers as they marched. They were headed for Fort Mose, a free Black settlement on the Georgia-Florida border, emboldened by the Spanish Empire’s offer of freedom to anyone enslaved by the English. The local militia defeated the rebels in battle, captured and executed many of the enslaved people, and sold others to the sugar plantations of the West Indies. Though the rebellion was ultimately unsuccessful, it was a violent reminder that enslaved people would fight for freedom.
These two documents (one this page and the next) offer different perspectives on the rebellion. William Bull (document 1) was the governor of South Carolina from 1737 - 1743. Cato is the enslaved man who is believed to have started the Stono Rebellion. While no account from Cato exists, document 2 is an interview with one of his descendants, who claimed that the story of the Stono Rebellion was handed down in family lore through the generations.
Source: "Chapter 4: Colonial Society." The American Yawp. 2020.
http://www.americanyawp.com/text/04-colonial-society/#III_Slavery_Anti-Slavery_and_Atlantic_Exchange
http://www.americanyawp.com/text/04-colonial-society/#III_Slavery_Anti-Slavery_and_Atlantic_Exchange
5th October 1739
My Lord,
By the Tartar Pink I am Honoured with His Majesty’s Commands under His Royal Sign Manual and also with your Graces letter further Signifying His Majesty’s Pleasure. I shall always endeavour in the best manner to answer his Majesty’s gracious Intentions by pursuing these Orders in every particular and by a Proclamation have made known the same.
I had the Honour some time ago to lay before your Grace, some account of our affairs in regard to the desertion of our Negroes who are encouraged to it by a certain Proclamation published by the King of Spain’s Order at St. Augustine, declaring freedom to all Negroes who should Desert hither from the British Colonies; since which several parties have deserted and are there openly received and protected; many attempts of others have been discovered and prevented notwithstanding which on the Ninth of September last at night a Great number of Negroes arose in rebellion, broke open a store where they got arms killed twenty one White Persons and were marching in a daring manner out of the Province killing all they met and burning the Houses on the Road through which they passed, returning in any way from the Southward with four Gentlemen, I met these Rebels at Eleven o’clock in the forenoon so that I fortunately discerned the danger time enough to avoid it and to give notice to the Militia who on the Occasion behaved with so much expedition and bravery as by four o’clock the same day to come up with them, and killed and took so many as put a stop to any further mischief at that time. Fort four of the Rebels have been killed & executed, some few yet remain concealed in the Woods and expecting the same fate seem desperate. If such an attempt was made in a time of Peace and Tranquility what might be expected if an Enemy should appear upon our Frontier with a design to invade us? Which we have great reason to expect upon the first Notice of a Rupture, being so fully informed by several hands of the great preparations that were made some time ago at the Havana which according to an account I lately received lye ready waiting only for orders to put that Design in Execution, I have pursuant to His Majesty’s Orders given notice thereof to ye Commander of His Majesty’s Ships.
It was the opinion of his Majesty’s council with several other Gentlemen, that one of the most effectual means that could be used at present, to prevent such desertion of Our Negroes is to encourage some Indians by a suitable reward to pursue and if possible to bring back the deserters, and while the Indians are thus employed they would be in the way ready to intercept others that might attempt to follow, and I have sent for the Chickasaws living at New Windsor and the Catabaw Indians for that purpose.
From the Governor of New York I have advice that about the 10th of July an army consisting of Two hundred French and Five hundred Indians, was marched from Mount Real and was to be Enforced by other French and Indians on their March, that they were designed against some Indians situated near a Branch of the Mississippi River, in amity with His majesty’s Subjects and have a trade with the People of Georgia and Virginia. I imagine that the design of this army is against the Chickasaws who are a small but brave People living near the Mississippi River who have already twice withstood and defeated the French about three years ago. I have therefore sent to those Indians to give them notice of the dangers I apprehended to be coming on them. I have been informed that the French have a Design to cut off the Chickasaws entirely, and to reduce and subdue the Choctaws, if they should succeed in these attempts it would discourage the Indians in Amity with us from withstanding or opposing them in any attempt of the like nature.
The French have for a long time wanted an opportunity to get an Interest among the Cherokees and build a Fort there. As this army which the French now have on its March from Montreal will come down a branch of the Mississippi River which runs near the Cherokees, they will probably endeavor to get the consent of those People to build a Fort there which may enable them to have a Considerable Influence in that Nation as they have already among the Upper Creeks by their Fort at the Albamas.
I apprehend that the Limits of the Charter granted by His late Majesty King Charles the Second to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina, since surrendered to His present Majesty, includes the Cherokees and your Grace best knows whether that is not a sufficient objection against the French’s taking possession of the Land by a Fort within the Limits thereof doubtless the French will endeavour by all means to accomplish this as soon as possible, as it will be such a Considerable step towards their grand design of Surrounding the British Colonies. As their success in these designs might interrupt the Security of His Majesty’s Subjects in case of a War I thought it my duty to acquaint your Grace therewith I am with the greatest Respect
My Lord, your Grace's most obedient and most humble servant
William Bull
Bull, William, Governor of South Carolina, to the Royal Council, 5 October 1739. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina.
My Lord,
By the Tartar Pink I am Honoured with His Majesty’s Commands under His Royal Sign Manual and also with your Graces letter further Signifying His Majesty’s Pleasure. I shall always endeavour in the best manner to answer his Majesty’s gracious Intentions by pursuing these Orders in every particular and by a Proclamation have made known the same.
I had the Honour some time ago to lay before your Grace, some account of our affairs in regard to the desertion of our Negroes who are encouraged to it by a certain Proclamation published by the King of Spain’s Order at St. Augustine, declaring freedom to all Negroes who should Desert hither from the British Colonies; since which several parties have deserted and are there openly received and protected; many attempts of others have been discovered and prevented notwithstanding which on the Ninth of September last at night a Great number of Negroes arose in rebellion, broke open a store where they got arms killed twenty one White Persons and were marching in a daring manner out of the Province killing all they met and burning the Houses on the Road through which they passed, returning in any way from the Southward with four Gentlemen, I met these Rebels at Eleven o’clock in the forenoon so that I fortunately discerned the danger time enough to avoid it and to give notice to the Militia who on the Occasion behaved with so much expedition and bravery as by four o’clock the same day to come up with them, and killed and took so many as put a stop to any further mischief at that time. Fort four of the Rebels have been killed & executed, some few yet remain concealed in the Woods and expecting the same fate seem desperate. If such an attempt was made in a time of Peace and Tranquility what might be expected if an Enemy should appear upon our Frontier with a design to invade us? Which we have great reason to expect upon the first Notice of a Rupture, being so fully informed by several hands of the great preparations that were made some time ago at the Havana which according to an account I lately received lye ready waiting only for orders to put that Design in Execution, I have pursuant to His Majesty’s Orders given notice thereof to ye Commander of His Majesty’s Ships.
It was the opinion of his Majesty’s council with several other Gentlemen, that one of the most effectual means that could be used at present, to prevent such desertion of Our Negroes is to encourage some Indians by a suitable reward to pursue and if possible to bring back the deserters, and while the Indians are thus employed they would be in the way ready to intercept others that might attempt to follow, and I have sent for the Chickasaws living at New Windsor and the Catabaw Indians for that purpose.
From the Governor of New York I have advice that about the 10th of July an army consisting of Two hundred French and Five hundred Indians, was marched from Mount Real and was to be Enforced by other French and Indians on their March, that they were designed against some Indians situated near a Branch of the Mississippi River, in amity with His majesty’s Subjects and have a trade with the People of Georgia and Virginia. I imagine that the design of this army is against the Chickasaws who are a small but brave People living near the Mississippi River who have already twice withstood and defeated the French about three years ago. I have therefore sent to those Indians to give them notice of the dangers I apprehended to be coming on them. I have been informed that the French have a Design to cut off the Chickasaws entirely, and to reduce and subdue the Choctaws, if they should succeed in these attempts it would discourage the Indians in Amity with us from withstanding or opposing them in any attempt of the like nature.
The French have for a long time wanted an opportunity to get an Interest among the Cherokees and build a Fort there. As this army which the French now have on its March from Montreal will come down a branch of the Mississippi River which runs near the Cherokees, they will probably endeavor to get the consent of those People to build a Fort there which may enable them to have a Considerable Influence in that Nation as they have already among the Upper Creeks by their Fort at the Albamas.
I apprehend that the Limits of the Charter granted by His late Majesty King Charles the Second to the Lords Proprietors of Carolina, since surrendered to His present Majesty, includes the Cherokees and your Grace best knows whether that is not a sufficient objection against the French’s taking possession of the Land by a Fort within the Limits thereof doubtless the French will endeavour by all means to accomplish this as soon as possible, as it will be such a Considerable step towards their grand design of Surrounding the British Colonies. As their success in these designs might interrupt the Security of His Majesty’s Subjects in case of a War I thought it my duty to acquaint your Grace therewith I am with the greatest Respect
My Lord, your Grace's most obedient and most humble servant
William Bull
Bull, William, Governor of South Carolina, to the Royal Council, 5 October 1739. South Carolina Department of Archives and History, Columbia, South Carolina.
Background Text courtesy of The American Yawp, CC-BY-SA; Source Text in the Public Domain