hat time, ignorant of the
second betrayal, and therefore of the fact that they were from the 14th
of June at the mercy of the police. On Saturday night, June 15th, an
incident occurred, however, which warned them that they were betrayed,
and that disaster was close at hand. This incident revealed as by a
flash of lightning the hopelessness of their position. On that day Vesey
had instructed one of his aids, Jesse Blackwood, to go into the country
in the evening for the purpose of preparing the plantation slaves to
enter the city on the day following, which was Sunday, June 16th, the
time fixed for beginning the insurrection. Jesse was unable to
discharge this mission, either on Saturday night or Sunday morning,
owning to the increased strength and vigilance of the city police and of
its patrol guard. He had succeeded on Sunday morning in getting by two
of their lines, but at the third line he was halted and turned back into
the city. When this ominous fact was reported to the Old Chief, Vesey
became very sorrowful. He and the other leaders must have instantly
perceived that they were caught, as in a trap, and that the end was
near. It was probably on this Sunday that they destroyed their papers,
lists of names and other incriminating evidence. The shadow of the
approaching catastrophe deepened and spread rapidly around and above
them as they watched and waited helplessly under the huge asp of
slavery, which enraged and now completely coiled, was about to strike.
The stroke fell first on Peter, Rolla, Ned, and Batteau Bennett. The
last, although but a boy of eighteen, was one of the most active of the
younger leaders of the plot. Vesey was not captured until the fourth day
afterward. So secret and profound had been his methods of operations in
the underground world, that the early reports of his connection with the
conspiracy, were generally discredited among the whites. Jesse Blackwood
was taken the next day, and four days later, on June 27th, Monday Gell
was arrested. Gullah Jack eluded the search of the police until July
5th, when he too was struck by the huge slave asp.

In all, there were one hundred and thirty-one blacks arrested,
sixty-seven convicted, thirty-five executed, and thirty-seven banished
beyond the limits of the United States. Five of these last were of the
class of suspects, whom it was thought best to get rid of. Of the whole
number of convictions, not one belonged to the bands of either Vesey, or
Pe