I have been thinking about this plan for some time now. It is now July 4th, 1831, I have become ill to the point that I have had to put my plan on hold. I have seen many visions from God that have let me know that it is time to let others know what my plan is. I have entrusted my plan to only 4 of my associates that feel the same way that I do about slavery.
The breaking point that made me realize that I had to make a stand against slavery was when my wife and son were sold to a different owner Master Giles Reese. I had to ask permission to see my own wife. This made me feel less than a man and cause so much anger to rage inside me. I knew I could no longer remain a slave; I had to take a stand against this awful institution that held my people in bondage for so many years already.
On the night of August 21, 1831, I called my closest associates to a place in the woods near our Master Joseph Travis plantation called Cabin Pond; so that we could discuss the plan to take the white folks out. Hark Travis would be my right-hand man; he brought along with him Sam and Will Francis who belonged to Nathaniel Francis and Nelson Williams who belonged to Jacob Williams. Our plan is to take the “white folks” by surprise and kill everyone slaveholder even the babies because “nits make lice”. We stayed at Cabin Pond until about 2 am and then we paraded around and exchanged battle sounds to get ready to strike the first blood.
As we approached Joseph Travis farm where I had spent some good times. It made it somewhat difficult to make the first move so Hark Travis was going to break down the door but I stopped him and told him to go through the upstairs window. After I finally got into the house Hark had already made the first blow. Mr.and Mrs. Travis only had the change to call for each other and they were no more. Will Francis was sent to take care of the baby that was left behind because we had to leave a message to the white folks. ...