Autobiography of James L. Smith, 1881

James L. Smith was born in Northumberland County, Virginia. He was about fifteen years old when the Southampton Revolt took place.

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[p. 30]

                  When Nat. Turner’s insurrection broke out, the colored people were forbidden to hold meetings among themselves. Nat. Turner was one of the slaves who had quite a large army; he was the captain to free his race. Notwithstanding our difficulties, we used to steal away to some of the quarters to have our meetings. . . .

From James Lindsay Smith, Autobiography of James L. Smith (Norwich, CT: The Bulletin, 1881), p. 30.